Little Tattooed Runner: A new start

Well, I've decided to write a blog. I've thought about doing this two times before, but realized after I had made each one, that I didn't really have anything to really WRITE about. Then all of a sudden, one evening after a long sweaty track workout, I thought "hey, why don't I actually write these workouts down? And write down how I'm feeling? And my goals? And? And? And?". Anyways, I figured since I love reading so many healthy living blogs (as well as tonnes of other lifestyle blogs) I may as well start my own. Even if no one else ever reads this, at least I can track my progress and someday look back at it and see how I've grown and changed.

A little bit about me: I'm 27, married to a wonderful man called Dusty, I live in Sidney, British Columbia Canada, I have two crazy black dogs who are my fur babies and I love more than anything and finally, I love to run, I love it, LOVE it. Have I mentioned that I love it? I ran in high school, but not super super seriously since competition makes me anxious. I mainly focused on horse riding and still ride now. Around 6 years ago, after consistently running only once in a while, my dad asked me to run a local race called the Times Colonist 10km. He started running when I was in grade 10 or 11 and had fallen in love with it. He was always so stoked to go on a run, join new clinics, meet new people and of course get new gear (oh the gear!). So I agreed - and slowly started to love it. I started with running 10 & 1's (run 10 minutes, walk 1) and completed that first race in an hour doing that method. I was hooked. While picking up our race package, I saw a sign up booth for the Royal Victoria Marathon & Half Marathon (now known as the Goodlife Fitness Marathon). I said to my Dad "hey! I should sign up for this!" His response was a cross between a scoff and a snort - clearly he thought that was far-fetched. So I said that if I ran the half marathon (which was only 6 months away), he would have to get a tattoo. Now, a note about my Dad - even though I am quite covered in tattoos, he has none, and is pretty opposed to them. The whole "your body is a temple" thing etc etc etc. Well apparently he thought this idea of me running was SO ludicrous that he said "deal!". So of course I had to do it. Over that spring and summer I ran. I ran hard. I learned a lot - not all good, not all bad. I got injured. I met new people (some good, some bad), I pushed myself in ways I hadn't in a long time, and I know I pushed myself harder than ever before when I actually ran that race (1:58:54). Oh yeah, he had to get a tattoo :) So, I was "bitten", as they say, and I haven't stopped since. I have taken breaks - due to injury, due to life getting in the way, and due to burnout. Now though, I want to push myself in new goals (a marathon, beating my best times) and I want to be faster and stronger than ever before.

Well, that's quite the intro - I guess I will kind of do both "history" and "currently" style posts - I will send out my questions and musings to the great wide world of bloggers, and maybe someday someone will comment or follow me back! In the meantime, I'll just ramble along and post goofy pictures.

This is my Dad and I in Canberra, Australia (where I was born and grew up). We ran around Lake Burley Griffin on the most amazing winter day, September 2012.