Let the training begin!!!

I apologize for not having consistently been blogging since I completed my half marathon.  A lot has happened since the end of Oct.  We moved to a new home and then the week after we moved I was out of town visiting family in Washington and Texas for 3 weeks.  During that time, I was sick, my running had been inconsistent as well.  When December came along and I came home from visiting my family, I became really sad as the anniversary of losing my twins came.  I'm thankful for friends and family that helped me through it.  I know it's normal to feel that way and I'm not ashamed, I know it's a process, my heart will always long for them.

Some exciting news: Remember I mentioned how I was going to be featured in Women's Running Magazine?? Well it recently came out!! I hope and pray that my story will encourage and bring new hope to other women.

So now it is January and the best part of January is the feeling of A NEW YEAR, A FRESH START, A NEW JOURNEY, A NEW DREAM!!! It's TIME for me to begin MARATHON TRAINING!!!! To begin to pursue a dream I had in high school.  I know that this will not be an easy task.  I know that it will take discipline, some days I will not feel like running, but I still have to do it.  I am super excited that I get to have Erin as my coach for marathon training... who's Erin you ask?? Well Erin Henderson is a mommy (to 12) and a marathon runner.  She is also my role model.  I first came across her blog when I just started running, I had subscribed to Runners World Magazine and there was an article about her, I was so inspired by her story that I began running with more passion, more drive and when I discovered her blog See Mom Run Far, I was hooked!! She is a mother and wife first, but she is also a runner and she shares how she does it, she isn't afraid to share her struggles and her dreams.  I have truly learned so much from her just reading her blog and following her journey to the Olympic Trials.  I had talked to my husband about getting a coach for marathon training, as I felt I really needed the accountability, so when I read that she was going to begin coaching, I messaged her and here we are... I started officially training with her Dec 31.  She laid out a really great plan, strength and core exercises, meal and food advice.  Things are going well, I'm not gonna lie, it truly has been a struggle but I know I'm stronger than the doubts, I'm just gonna take it one day at a time.

Grace, Hope and Mommy during photo shoot for W.R.M