Seattle Half Marathon is Cleansing Every Time.....

Last weekend was my 3rd half marathon in Seattle. It was a beautiful day in my hometown city and another great day to celebrate who I've become in all of this. 

In April I was on a girls trip with several family members in California when running the Seattle Rock N Roll came up several times. It was a "healthy" girls weekend with lots of exercise, healthy food, (and not so healthy food) and just spending time together. We needed it, as we all live so spread out these days. I had mentioned I was running the Seattle race again this year and by the end of the weekend, several had committed to join in.

Saturday was fun to run it with so many people I knew and loved. There was just something special about it for me. Meeting up at the end and celebrating every ones accomplishments and commitments to living healthy,  coming from a family with a history of heart disease, was comforting to me. Just that we all have the desire to not let something that can be so life threatening and tragic, as we've seen it take the lives of people in our family, stop us from celebrating life and what our bodies are capable of doing.

As for me, really it was not my best race out of the three but that didn't seem to matter to me so much this time. (Surprise, surprise! I'm usually the competitive one.) My goal was to enjoy the run. Enjoy the journey. And I did just that. I wasn't fast. In fact, I had my share of hip, knee, and calf issues that slowed me down considerably but I focused on not getting discouraged, but only enjoying the journey. The course was beautiful, the people were great, so I was able to do just that. 

As far as the course goes-- it has yet to be the same. All three years it has been different. Even though this one had more hills and challenges than any of the others, the scenery was my favorite. Running down Rainer Avenue for miles with Mt. Rainer looking so massive right in front of me was beautiful. Then running along the waterfront and through the city was breathtaking. 

Having been born and raised in the Seattle area, every time I do this run I spend a good portion of the race reflecting on who I used to be and who I have become through my weight loss journey. It is a very cleansing process for me that unless you've been in my shoes, would have a hard time understanding just where I'm coming from. It's as if I renew who I've become every year on this run. Getting rid of a little bit more of the mental baggage I carried around for years that had a huge impact on who I was. And then just feeling FREE and able to celebrate who I've become and want to continue to be. I love Seattle. It is my hometown. I visit often. I don't want to associate my life while I lived there as being unhappy and fat, but yet a person who had the power within her to make a change, face it, do the work, and continue on. That my friends, is what it's all about. 

Race Expo Treats!

The whole gang!

Our shirts!

 My Sister-in-law and I                                    My cousin Tyler and I                                   

          

My Aunt Gail and I

                                             We did it!

                   We've run this race all three years together.....