Running is Essential

Earth Day~ 2009 Good luck hugs from my lucky charms prior to my race.

Grandma and Grandpa to the rescue. They helped take care of the kids, so Mike and I could run together. Thanks for your encouragement and support.

Awesome run Mike...Mike at mile 6.0

Coming into the finish 7.1 miles later...little did I know I was getting the short end of the stick. Or should I say the long end?!

Team Houghton finished in 1:49:00
Placed 11th out of 116 teams

Our loyal fans were eager to congratulate us after the race.

Mike and I have been running together since our second date.
It was awesome to get back out there today and run w/ the man I love.

Essential: (e*sen-shell) 1. basics; the essence of something. 2. absolute necessity

For as long as I can remember, running has been an essential part of my life. It is a LOVE it or HATE it sport. Running is an escape... a special, peaceful time that belongs to me. No phone calls, no talking - just me time. Doing something good for myself. The only requirements are a good pair of running shoes, open road/ or treadmill, and me. Running a routine that is all mine. One mile at a time. Time to think, sing, or just lose myself. I run to feel good. Yes, there are days when I don't want to lace up my shoes, but after I am done, I know that I've accomplished something. It's about sanity. Stress relieving, feel good endorphins, muscle tightening, sweat inducing, invigorating...running. For as a long as I can remember, I've LOVED to run.

Running is also something that brought Mike and I together. From our second date to the present, we've enjoyed running together. Going for nightly runs together was an essential part of our life. Of course, our routine needed to be adjusted slightly when the kids came along, but we've managed to hang on to our basic necessity. A single and double jogging stroller occupy their own parking spots in our garage. Yes, there are times when we are just too exhausted to get out there; lack of sleep, stressful day at work, crabby kids, etc., but we continue to encourage each other and offer each other a time to escape from it all. It's not as easy for us to run together now that they are getting bigger, so we take turns. I often miss our time on the road together, but also appreciate my alone time.

We've run our fair share of races together over the years...Ed. Fitz (62 mile relay) in Duluth, Grandma's Half Marathon, Chicago, 5K in Key West on our honeymoon, and numerous others prior to having children. I was able to manage a few races in between Nolan and Lilly's birth, but haven't committed to anything beyond my running workouts since then. The kids and I have been Mike's loyal fans the past couple of years...hauling two kids to various cheering spots during his races was a workout in itself! I felt satisfaction for simply showing up and supporting him with two kids in tow.

After Christmas, I decided it was my turn to get back out there. The kids are getting older and are becoming familiar with the whole race routine, so why not sign up for a race. Which brings me to today...the Earth Day Half Marathon. Mike and I ran the Half Marathon Relay together today, and it was awesome! It was so nice being back out there with the man I love, doing what we love. Seeing and hearing my kids cheer for me gave me goosebumps. Running through the finish line and into Mike's embrace reinforced the fact that running is an essential part of my/our life.