by Trisha Brennan
There are a ton of words I would use to describe myself: wife, mother, teacher, sister, daughter, friend, cousin….but, runner? I have “run” in a countless number of 5K’s (even coming in first place in my age group) and eleven half-marathons, and yet I still hesitate when someone asks, “Are you a runner?”.
There are a ton of words I would use to describe myself: wife, mother, teacher, sister, daughter, friend, cousin….but, runner? I have “run” in a countless number of 5K’s (even coming in first place in my age group) and eleven half-marathons, and yet I still hesitate when someone asks, “Are you a runner?”.
It’s been months since I’ve had, what I would consider to be, a good run. Today was different. I ran the same 3.1 mile loop around my neighborhood, but today just felt different. My breathing was stronger, my legs were pushing me faster, and I felt “that feeling” that I haven’t in a long time. My mind was open. It wasn’t filled with the to-do list of the day or the feelings of guilt from leaving my two boys at home while I went on a quick run. But suddenly, my mind was filled with that question, “Are you a runner?”.
I realized that I have been running for ten years. Ten years! I thought back to my first run, not race, but run. After teaching all day, my teaching partner, principal, and I went out for a run. They were both runners and somehow they convinced me to join them. I was slow, but I did it. I even agreed to run again the next day. Suddenly, we were signing up for 5K’s and within a year, our first half-marathon.
Today, on my run, I thought about my running life… Running with my husband during his first half-marathon. People telling me that once you have kids, you won’t run again. My first run after having kids. Running with my sister, my running partner. We have crossed a dozen finish lines together. And every time I cry. Is it because we finish together, is it because I see my boys cheering me on as we run by, is it because we’re making ourselves better moms? I don’t know the answer, but I cry. And yet, I still struggle with the answer to the question, “Are you a runner?”.
I realized that I have been running for ten years. Ten years! I thought back to my first run, not race, but run. After teaching all day, my teaching partner, principal, and I went out for a run. They were both runners and somehow they convinced me to join them. I was slow, but I did it. I even agreed to run again the next day. Suddenly, we were signing up for 5K’s and within a year, our first half-marathon.
Today, on my run, I thought about my running life… Running with my husband during his first half-marathon. People telling me that once you have kids, you won’t run again. My first run after having kids. Running with my sister, my running partner. We have crossed a dozen finish lines together. And every time I cry. Is it because we finish together, is it because I see my boys cheering me on as we run by, is it because we’re making ourselves better moms? I don’t know the answer, but I cry. And yet, I still struggle with the answer to the question, “Are you a runner?”.
When will I be able to define myself as a runner? Do I need to run a full marathon to BE a runner? Do I need to have a new PR? I don’t know the answers. All I do know, is that today, at the end of my typical 3.1 mile run, I felt like a runner.
Check out Trisha's profile on our Contributors page.
Check out Trisha's profile on our Contributors page.
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