One more month

It has come down to the last month before I run my first 1/2 marathon. It's hard to believe that last September I could hardly run for 5 minutes straight and now my long runs take about 150 minutes. Now, I'll be the first to tell you that completing a 1/2 marathon is hardly an astonishing feat -- most people could do it given the right amount of training -- but what has been fascinating to me is the transformation of my body and mind.

From a purely physical standpoint my body has changed dramatically. My legs have well-developed muscles that were not there before. My waist-size has decreased by about two sizes and my face has lost the extra puffiness that it once had. I am less tired all the time, I breathe deeper and I feel like my body can do what I want it to. If this sounds like vanity, it is far from that. It is more of a pure curiosity at the way that the human body can adapt and become a finer tuned machine.

From a mental perspective, running has helped me learn a great deal about myself. It has taught me that I have tenacity and resilience (thank you hill running!). It has shown me that my competitive nature is strongest when I am competing against myself. The long runs have allowed my mind to drift and have enabled me to experience a natural euphoria that I didn't know could be created by exercise alone.

This whole experience has been life-changing and I say that without the slightest bit of hyperbole.

strange how certain the journey
time unfolds the petals for our eyes to see