It's my meditation. Ask me to sit still with my legs crossed and fingers shaped like "o"s and my mind is anything but quiet. Send me down the road in my running shoes and I am peaceful and centered.

This! ^

Also - it gives me time to be an individual in a world where I am bombarded with titles; Mom, Wife, Boss, Employee, Daughter, Sister, Friend. While all of these roles are what bring great pleasure and meaning to my world, having those 30 - 40 miles a week where it is just me, with my thoughts (or none) gives me opportunity to just be me.

January 1st 2012 we had tickets to a Patriots game at the TOP TOP TOP of Gillette stadium. You had to walk up ramps to get to your seats. I had a horrible time just walking up ramps, I thought I was gonna die and we missed kickoff because I had to keep stopping to rest.

That was the day I had decided that enough was enough and I was losing weight for good.

Shortly thereafter I signed up for a warrior dash to keep me on path (the WD was in september)

That July someone who was also trying to get in shape with me talked me into running a 10K (holy shyte that's twice as long as the WD) because the race ended with running out through the inflatable patriots helmet and across the 50 yard line in Gilette.

That day, that race I fell in love with running. I had been running to get up to scratch until then but that is the day I became a runner. I have since ran races that involved running the ramps that almost killed me that day AND I RAN THEM LIKE A BOSS!!!

I also run for beer.