From May 4, 2014, the day of my first 10k:

DAY-UM! Look at these legs!
These legs just ran 6 miles. In a row!

What an amazing race. At times, I wasn't sure I was going to be able to do it. Mile five was a killer. My thighs were shouting at me for a sandwich. My magic beans got me through. Kalamazoo's running community is amazing. The last three miles for the marathon, half marathon, and 10k were all the same route. That was also where the first of the half-ers started passing me. Almost all of them had genuine words of encouragement as the passed me by. It's such a simple thing that meant so much to me as I was struggling along. I finished at exactly the time I thought I would, thanks to these few simple words. My family waited for me at the finish line. I had the best beer of my life at 11 a.m.

As I continue my journey as a runner, I'm so excited about what my legs can do. They have moved me around for over 43 years. They carried me around playgrounds and neighborhoods. They walked me to classes and through graduations. They walked me down the aisle to marry my best friend. They have helped me carry two babies. Now they carry me on my journey to fitness.