Most of us start running for fitness. We start as run/walkers and we build. Very few people I know are like my friend Abby S. who was a spectator at the London Marathon and decided on the spot that she too was going to run a marathon. Of course, Abby had never ran a single mile prior to that decision but she signed up for the 2007 Chicago SCORCHER Marathon and ran it. Because she wanted to do it. Because she could do it. Because who knows what tomorrow will bring and where it will take a person. Abby & I in the 2008 Fort 4 Fitness Half Marathon in Ft Wayne, IN.
For those of us “builders”, it’s a process. We don’t start out with the intention to run long and the thought of a marathon NEVER enters our mind. If we are lucky, we have one friend who is on the fitness bandwagon and will help and encourage us through daily emails and mentoring. If we aren’t that lucky, we slug along ourselves, watching our food intake and fitting in as much exercise as we can muster, probably giving up much-needed sleep in the process. We are sore from not knowing the proper protein to carb ratio for recovery (4:1). We are discouraged because we are hungry from not eating enough but we are DETERMINED to do whatever it takes to lose the baby weight or the freshman 15 or the “just married” blissfully ignorant to our heath 25. 
Regardless of your level of education on health, wellness & nutrition in the beginning, you will start do research, ask questions, and learn what works for you. Your body will get stronger and while it will never be easy, you will be able to do “more” with the same level of effort. If you run/walk, you will be able to run longer, or possibly you are running the same distance but you are getting faster. You will meet new friends who are EXCITED about your new lease on life and your new healthy activities. Your new friends will create a support system for you that you may not have had at home. You will gain the courage to join a group run. You will say that you can’t really run because you have bad knees. And then before you know it you will be standing on the start line…..because that is where your new friends are standing. You are ready to run your first race. It is probably a 5K but this is just the beginning. You know you will NEVER be ready for a half or full marathon, well, maybe you can try a half. You know, just run/walk it. With training, it might be a possibility. And the “group” is signing up for a full, which is 9 months away. Where will you be in 9 months? Could you? Hmmmm, let’s see how the half goes…….
Don’t count yourself out. Each day is a new day. Your abilities today have no reflection on where you will be in 6 months or a year. Surround yourself with positive people who have a CAN DO attitude and you too will realize that YOU CAN DO the unimaginable. 
Where will you be 12 months from now? Don’t be afraid to wonder, what if?
Dream, Imagine, Believe! Amanda – TooTallFritz
TooTallFritz 
Love this one Amanda! Kind of fits in with me and my journey!
🙂
It’s pretty much the same journey for all of us, Hollie. Takes a lot of guts to step outside of the box and change a lifestyle but I know you have it all under control. Will I see you on the 31st?
Very well said!! Determination!!
Great post, Amanda! Inspiring!
“A year from now, you will be sorry that you didn’t start today.” Love it! Don’t know who wrote it, but love it!
That’s the Too-Tall-Fritz I know – bursting with enthusiasm and always thinking the positive. Runners will recognize that and the smart ones will follow and/or listen to you.
I duly know the role and effects of positive attitude and you can do what you set your mind to do (as long as the body cooperates), and my 4-word mantra string is “Peace-Love-Dream-Believe.”
But, no matter how positive I try to be about running the upcoming Boston Marathon, lingering chronic injuries cast doubts in my mind I can run the game (i.e. goal time) my mind says I can or should be able to do. Positive attitude is one thing – reality of injury and probably the cumulative long-term effects of over-training (and over-racing) is another. In my case – will just have to seek “balance” in my attitude and expectations for how well I run it.
But, when I am finished with Boston, I can apply the positive attitude and devote myself to long-term recovery and rehab program and tell myself, “I can do this and re-discover my former running capabilities.” Maybe some others in your group faces similar issues or challenges with running and injury. If so, try to remain positive and find something or some way that you can say, “this I can do.”
It’s been a long, winding road, not only with my running and marathoning, but my entire life has been one, long and ever-so wandering, winding path to where and who I am today. A while back (but not quite sure exactly when), I stopped projecting into the future. So, I no longer concern myself of who, what, when or where beyond the next day. I can set some goals to strive for and such, but take each day as it comes and do the best I can and give thanks at the end of the day if I have fared well or not. In the latter case, just say, “Get back in the saddle tomorrow and give it another ride.”
If I can maintain positive attitude and stay determined, 12-months from now expect me to be healed of plantar-based chronic heel-pain and Sciatica-hurting hip and hamstring, and be back on the path re-building my endurance base, strength and stamina that allows me to run strong through half-marathon and marathon distance. At least that’s the goal….!
Totally different game for you with the injuries. You need to focus on the task at hand, Boston if you are intent to move forward with that, then healing. I wish you well! See you on the Trail, Frogger!
When I started running, the plan was to do a half marathon. I NEVER thought I would even consider a full. That just seemed crazy. Well … see you October 7 …
Hell yeah! I don’t think I would have done either had it not been for my friend Abby in this post. It never occured to me to even want to do something longer than a 10K but then I was AFRAID to let her run her first 8 miler with her trianing group for fear they would leave her behind, so I ran my first 8 miler on that day along beside her. Then it just kinda spriraled from there. It was too late to sign up for Chicago 2007, I had a ton of TRIs on the schedule, so I signed up for St Judes in Memphis, then one marathon a year since. Odd how things unravel.
Omg! This needs a “love ” button! This blog is so me! I just went back and looked at my notes from last year and loved seeing “ran 90 seconds straight! Great job! ” and here I am just under one year later and I am running for one hour straight! The journey has been amazing and can’t wait to see where my feet take me next!
Your doing great, Melissa!
This is a wonderful post! I was totally that girl who thought “I’ll never be able to do a 5K,”
but I ran my first full marathon last October. I am sharing this post on my blog, it’s SO GOOD!
Thanks so much! And good for you for taking charge! Congrats!
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I just wanted to let you know, how much I loved this post!!! It was fantastic!! I loved it so much I posted the link to it on my blog. I felt like I should ask your permission for doing this. I hope you don’t mind. I have a lot of friends, as well as myself who are struggling with different challenges in becoming fit and healthy. This post came at a time when I needed it the most. I am 43 and I just started running 2 months ago. A lot of what you had to say encouraged me to keep on going in my running journey. Thank you so much.
Of course, you can repost this. Please do. And I know its not easy but it will get better. Congratulations for taking control of your life.