Here's to Running!

I have grown up my whole life HATING running! When I was in junior high and high school, running the required mile and a half were always the worse days of school for me. I thought that running was God's punishment to men. Then for some strange reason about 2 months ago, I decided running was something I was going to accomplish, so I started doing it. It was small at first (I was proud of myself if I ran for a minute and then walked for 5 minutes). I'm not much better now, but I can usually run 5 minutes and then walk a couple minutes.
I have really bad knees so it hurts to run, and I hate every minute that I am doing it- but when I'm not running, I'm wishing I were. The thing I love is the high I get after I'm done running!
About a month ago, I had the opportunity to run my 1st 5K. It was the annual Trudi Thomas Memorial 5K (for my friend Trudi who loved to run and was hit and killed by a car while running almost 2 years ago). I ran the race with my brother Eric and his friend Josh (well actually we started off together, but they quickly left me in the dust). My goal time was to get under 40 minutes so I was pleasantly surprised that my actual time was 31 minutes and 31 seconds (if I had known I was that close, I would have pushed myself a little bit more to get under 30 minutes).
I have been running 2-3 times a week, about 2-3 miles each time over the past couple months. I know it sounds stupid, but now I would like to train for a half marathon (I'm looking into the Bryce Canyon 1/2 marathon in June). I'm sort of putting this out there for everyone to know so I will have to follow through with this goal. I'll have to keep you posted on my progress along the way (if I don't chicken out). I have "running a marathon" on my bucket list of things to do before I die, so maybe in the next couple years I will be able to cross that off my list.

Here's to Running!!!
Eric, Jolene, and Josh at the Trudi Thomas Memorial 5K