I did a thing

So today, at nearly 19 weeks pregnant with my third baby, I signed up for a virtual challenge that is sweeping the running world. From May 1 to August 31, the challenge is to run 1000 kilometers, or 621 miles. It’s put on by a few race directors, namely one Laz, who runs The Berkley Marathons that have their own documentary and is pretty infamous. To achieve that, ya need to average about 5 miles a day, run or walk. That sounds easy enough, but man, am I starting to see all the ways this could get away from me!

The demons are definitely waking up inside me, already filling me with doubt. What if I take too many days off? What if I get hurt? What if running is out of the picture in the next month or two? Who am I to take on such a big mileage goal when I’ve had prolapse and sciatic and plantar fasciitis issues in the past? What kind of volume do I think is smart?

This has made me so aware of how many things I talk myself out of. I caught myself today just jumping into signing up for this, and I’m glad I did. If I’d thought about it logistically for very long, I know I wouldn’t have bitten the bullet. I would’ve gone “aww man yeah I heard about that, I almost signed up,” a few months from now, and I would have wished I’d have the courage to go for it. So today I went for it.

I may crash and burn. I may get injured or find running through my third pregnancy isn’t in the cards. I may start to get behind on mileage and drop out, like I’ve compulsively done with so many other challenges in my life.

I’m tired of seeing how something is getting hard.. just to quit. I’m quitting quitting. Here we go! Stay tuned.

5.5 miles/621 miles — phew! Just a few more to go.