I never would have guessed that I am a runner

Victory!

Well, I’m not sure that calling myself “a runner” feels quite genuine yet. But, I’m getting there.

Let me start my story from the beginning.

At 9:40 on the evening of November 24, 2011, my GP called me at home to tell me that my mammogram showed cancer and that I needed to prepare myself for “surgery and radiation, possibly chemotherapy.”  Not great.  I’ve got a husband, four kids, two dogs and a cat.  Lots of stuff to do.

Two weeks later, on December 12, I smoked my last cigarette.  I had smoked since I was a teenager.

About a month later, I had a lumpectomy, about the size of a golf ball, at Sunnybrook.  It went without a hitch.

Three weeks later, on January 31, 2012, my surgical oncologist gave me news that he rarely gets to give: I didn’t have cancer.  What I had was something called a radial scar.  I was perfectly healthy…well, at least I was cancer-free.  Despite having what my daughter calls “fake cancer”, that horrific conversation with my GP made me realise that I needed to take care of myself.

Fast forward to the spring of 2013.  I’m having dinner with my husband Brad and Paige, one of my daughters.  We’re having a teachable moment when I said to Paige, “If you imagine you can do something, you can do it.  Like, if I imagine I can run a marathon, I can do it.”

While my point was made, I’m not sure the image of me as a marathon runner was very convincing.  There was sniggering involved.

At the time, I weighed more than I’d ever weighed in my life.  Quitting smoking had put on the pounds.  I had never been an active person.  Ever.  In my life.  Ever.

But that teachable moment stuck with me for days and weeks.  “How will Paige ever believe that my advice is true if I don’t show her?” I thought to myself.  Not only that, but hadn’t I promised myself that I would get active after quitting smoking?  You know, one big thing at a time.  Wasn’t it time for the next big thing?

So I plotted.  I researched programs to learn how to run.  I learned about the effects that smoking for so long had on my lungs and whether it might have debilitated me enough to stop me from running.  I scoured everything I could find about what the right gear for me would be.  What about my knees, which crunch when I walk down stairs?  Where would I run?  When would I run so that no one could see me?

This research phase took about six weeks.  I was ready to announce that I would start to run.  But I needed a goal.

The first RBC Run for the Kids was going to happen in the fall.  I decided I would do that run.  5K.  “That’s right,” I said to myself.  “Not only will I run 5K, I will raise $5K.”

On a weekend in June last year, I told my husband what I would do.  He was on board.  I bought my first set of running gear.  The following Monday, I registered for the run.  Then I sent emails to everyone in my network telling them what I was doing and asking them to sponsor me.

If I told everyone about this mad goal, how could I ever back out?

The first training run I did, I ran for one minute straight.  I really did think I was going to die before the minute was up.  I thought this would be impossible.  I was sure that I would quit.  But I didn’t.

Over the summer I trained and on September 21, 2013, I ran my first 5K race.  I’ll tell you how I did it in future posts.

Today, I just wanted to tell you where I started.  And where I’m going.

My goal for this year is to run 15K in the RBC Run for the Kids.  This blog is about my journey from here – today – to there – September 20, 2014.

I’m not an expert in fitness, running or nutrition.  I’m just a person who’s going to try my best to reach that distance…….any maybe beyond?  I’ll tell you about what I learn, what works for me, and what doesn’t.  The idea is for you to share the same.  I want to know what you’ve learned and what works for you.

Please feel free to post your comments and advice for me and anyone else who’s reading.

Whether it’s 5K, 15K or 25K you’re running…whether you’re a beginner, an experienced runner or an elite one…we all have something we can learn from one another.

I’m looking forward to training with you!