Why I run!

So my friend T. officially named our unofficial running group. Not only did she name it but she started a blog for it, the it being team Run Like a Mother...(I think I'm the only one that adds the ..., but I think it's funny)So she asked us to write a little bio on why we ran, our background, and then to answer a few questions. So here's my running bio.


I run because I can...no really I can.


Ok, I'll explain. I had to have major surgery so I could run. Alright, that really didn't explain it either. I had Pectus Excavatum, it's where your breast bone grows inward. You know you've seen that, just picture a really skinny prepubescent boy who's chest looks concave, that was me with breast. So there wasn't a lot of room, so when I did exert myself physically I got winded very easily. So let's just say, endurance wasn't my thing. I went to a Dr. in college and he told me that to fix it would involve breaking, yes I said breaking that bone and pulling it out then bracing it. There was usually a lot of blood loss and it was a risky surgery. Needless to say, I peeled out of the parking lot on 2 wheels getting away from that Dr.

A few years later while living in VA Beach, I came across an article talking about a new procedure to fix "the Dent" (as my friends so lovingly referred to it as). The Dr. was located at The Children's Hospital in none other than VA Beach. So I booked an appointment, I went through a series of test which showed that although it's not the worst they had seen it was pretty bad. I discovered I had a heart murmur which happens fairly often with this condition and basically when I went to exert myself there was just no room. My heart, lungs, everything was just smooshed together and my heart was basically hitting my breastbone. So I decided to have the surgery, next to open heart surgery it's the most painful surgery they perform and it lived up to it's reputation. It involved putting 2 metal rods under my breastbone popping my breastbone up then leaving the rods in place to keep it up. It was excruciating. You keep the bars in for 2 or in my case 3 years then have them removed with the hope that the bone will stay in the new place. I had the initial surgery in Jan. '05 and had the bars removed Jan. '08.

I always wanted to be a runner, I didn't really know what that meant but I always admired runners. I mean think about when you go on vacation, who are the people out early in the morning, runners. That 's the kind of person I wanted to be. When I was recovering from surgery and I was really incapacitated I made a vow with myself that even if I didn't run I wouldn't let an opportunity go by not to move my body.

I started running after I had my son and while I still had the bars in, I trained for a 5k race. I cried when I crossed the finish line at that race because I never really thought it would happen and I was becoming that person I had always wanted to be.

I was nervous to get the bars removed but they surgery was easy and I kept running. I've completed numerous races since but the big kahuna is the marathon I'm training for in Nov. I always thought if I can run a marathon then it means I'm a "real" runner. I don't really think that's the case now but it's the goal I set for myself and I'm going to do it. I'm planning on sending my marathon picture (if it's not that embarrassing, I'm not known for the great race pics)to my Dr. I'm sure I'll be crying but it will be one of my greatest accomplishments. So that's why I run...because can.

Favorite Race: Turkey Trot 10K, I loved the T-shirt. Tough run though!!
Favorite Reason to Run: to feel proud of myself
Current Goal: one word...marathon