Running Disney… or not.

I ran in high school. Really just to keep up (and beat) some of the boys.
Once I did? I quit.

I ran in college because I feared the freshmen 15.
When I realized it wasn’t happening? I quit.

Getting pregnant was taking a long time (again), so I started running.
Then I got pregnant. And quit.

Then I saw a post about the Disney World Half Marathon… so I started again.

And I didn’t quit.

I ran outside until the cold hives got too bad. Then O got me a treadmill and I started running inside. We traveled and I found ways to run.

I didn’t quit.

So unbelievably excited!!!

A photo posted by Oliver and Tara +2 (@oliverandtara) on Jan 6, 2017 at 9:50am PST

Flash forward 7+ months and it was  January 6th, the night before the race. I was excited. I was scared. I was packed. I’d put in the miles.

I wasn’t quitting.

As I crawled into bed I checked the weather and the official Facebook page for the race. They called it. It was cancelled.

And I quit.

Yep, just like that I quit. I called Oliver and cried.

I woke up the next morning and laid in bed, my family sleeping around me. Scrolling through Facebook. I had officially quit.

But then my “word” from last year hit me. “BOLD“.

I took a long hard look at why I’d picked up running again…

Was it just to justify a Disney trip? Good Lord, no.

I run because I feel great afterwards. I run because I want my kids to grow up with a strong mommy. I run so I have the energy to do whatever I want, when I want.

I had a choice to make… was I a “Disney race fan girl” or was I a runner?

I rolled out of bed. I laced up my shoes. And in the pouring rain, I ran.

I ran hard. The rain beat against me, hiding my anger and tears. I pounded out my fastest mile yet. And I kept running.

When I looked up, I realized magic was happening. There were 50+ people out there, doing the same thing. Putting in our miles on a short 1 mile path.

There were people lining that path, cheering us on in the rain.

Staff brought out water bottles, we shared smiles. And we ran.

At the end I hugged my “biggest cheerleader”, a lady with an umbrella and huge smile. I thanked her for helping me smile during my very first half marathon.

I earned my medal in the pouring rain, on the running path in front of my hotel.