Alright, so it's another blog about running. Well, not exactly. Let me explain...
On my flight down to Orlando in February to run the 2011 Disney Princess Half-Marathon, I sat next to a very lovely woman, probably in her early 60's. We got to chatting and she asked where I was headed, after I told her I got the same response I tend to get from a lot of people, "Umm, you mean you run... on purpose?" I had to laugh because it wasn't too many years ago that I probably said the same thing to someone telling me about their love of running. But now I do run on purpose and I love it!
When we originally started planning the Princess Half-Marathon there were a ton of people interested, but slowly as the months passed by, girls were dropping out left and right. Why? Sure, running Disney isn't cheap (but as a plus it's a vacay also!) but I think it was more than the cost, I think a lot of the girls were scared. Scared of not being able to finish, of not being fast enough, of feeling like they'll look silly. But, the truth is, none of that matters.
Okay, so obviously you can't run 13.1 miles overnight, you have to start slow. The key is... you have to start.
One of the best shirts that Cassi and I saw on race day said this:
You can't ever cross the finish line if you haven't crossed the start line first.
Everyone can run, that's the beauty of it. All you need is a decent pair of shoes and a good bra (if you're female). Sure, you're not going to beat a Kenyan your first time at a marathon (okay, let's be real, you're probably never going to beat a Kenyan) but that doesn't matter. There's a rush that comes with running, they call it a "runner's high," and once you start running it truly becomes an addiction!
This blog is the result of a lot of conversations that Cassi and I have had since running in Disney. Our goal is to empower you to lace up your shoes and get out there, just get started. Run with a purpose, whatever that is for you. Maybe you want to run for your health and sanity, maybe you want to run for a cause. Find your purpose and just run!
Cassi and I are not world-class runners or experts by any means, we're just two princesses (hey, we ran Disney, we're officially princesses now!) who have found a love of running and want to inspire you the same way other runners have for us.
So, what can you expect to find in this blog? We plan to post on:
- Running and Training
- Getting started
- Running your first race
- Running for a cause
- Training for longer races/runs
- Our own training/ progress (complete with successes and struggles)
- Recipes
- Healthy options (i.e. homemade energy bars, protein shakes)
- Fueling your running
- Reviews
- Races (i.e. Pittsburgh Marathon, Disney Princess Half-marathon)
- Training Aids (i.e. Biofreeze, energy bars, shoes)
- Book
If there's something you have a question about, feel free to leave us a comment or send us an email. We may not have all of the answers, but we'll certainly help you to find them.
So, what are you waiting for? Got a pair of running shoes and some free time? Well, get out there, get started and run with purpose!
~Megan
