Why I Run

So, the year was 2011 and I had just given birth to my youngest son.....  
I was way heavier than I wanted to be and was ready to get the weight off.  For a few months I only dieted and did pretty good with getting the "baby weight" off.  After talking with my sister-in-law who had also recently given birth, we decided that we were ready to loose the jiggle.  We figured by holding each other accountable we would better stick to some form of exercise.  My sister-in-law had a friend who had done a couch to 5k program and it sounded like something we wanted to try.  
So we embark on the journey of learning to run.....
It was around the end of September 2011 when we started couch to 5K.  We struggled, we would repeat some weeks twice, we would want to give up, we would not run/walk any for weeks at a time, and I think we even started the entire process over once or twice. 
Now a little background on what happened next and why it happened.....
In January of 2009, I lost my mom to a malignant brain tumor called Glioblastoma (GBM).  After her death, I would find myself researching this kind of tumor and reading about different studies and treatments.  My mom went to the Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke University for treatment and, I would often find myself on their website.  So, on this particular day in February 2012 I am on their web page and see a link for the 19th Angels Among Us 5K.  I clicked the link and found myself reading about this 5k that raises money for brain tumor research.  At this point I am thinking "how cool would it be for this to be my first 5k?".  So, I call up my sister in law and tell her about it and she pretty much immediately says "let's do it".  So, we sign up and start being more disciplined with our running.  It was about this time that  I finally ran a whole mile without stopping.  After that MAJOR accomplishment, I decided from that point forward, every step I ran, would be for my mama.  
"Now you wouldn't believe me if I told you, but I could run like the wind blows. From that day on, if I was going somewhere, I was running!" -Forrest Gump.....
And, that is how it really has been.  I ran my first 5k in April 2012 and the rest is history.  I have accomplished 2 half marathons with what I call pretty decent times (1:57 and 1:53).  Now, the next chapter is the marathon.  I am working now to be ready for the Charleston South Carolina Marathon in January 2014.  I hope to get to know many fellow runners through my blogging process.