When people see me and learn that my life is largely dictated by the sport of running, they\u2019ll often say, \u201coh, you look like a runner.\u201d I still have a hard time believing them, as this body didn\u2019t always look like it could run and it did a lot more sitting than anything else.<\/p>\n Furthermore, I\u2019m always asked, \u201cwho did you run for?\u201d. The first time I was asked this, I stared blankly as I didn\u2019t even know what the question meant. People assume I ran for a university. All of these statements occur because it only seems natural to people that someone like me had a hefty background in the sport.<\/p>\n But, I didn\u2019t. Not at all. Not even a little bit. That\u2019s my favorite part of the story I get to tell these strangers.<\/p>\n The only running I did as a child was the required mile in gym class. It was slow, ugly, and littered with side aches<\/a><\/strong>. I never played a single sport. In middle school, an orchestra class conflicted with the required gym class. I pleaded my case to the principal and she excused me from an entire year of physical activity. I pretty much avoided breaking a sweat for the next several years. I ate like any teenager and eventual college student and the weight slowly came on. Through all of my first 20 years or so, I had attempted to run about twice and declared it was simply too hard for me and assumed I\u2019d always be chubby.<\/p>\n Flash forward. I\u2019m 22, a young wife and brand new mother. I was carrying more than 50 pounds of extra weight, I was overwhelmed, and pretty unhappy. I was able to start an effective diet and lose most of the weight. Trouble was, in order to lose that weight without exercise, I wasn\u2019t eating very much. I was hungry.<\/p>\n On a warm June morning, I decided I was going to go for a run. I had no running shoes, so I grabbed the closest thing I had and I hit the road. I returned less than 10 minutes later, panting and soaked in sweat. I had once again decided running was too hard for me. However, for whatever reason, I went out again the next day, attempting to go just a little bit further than the day before. Eventually, I marked out a mile in my neighborhood and I attempted to cover that distance.<\/p>\n Before the month was over, I was able to run that far without stopping. It was a slow mile, but it was my first mile.<\/p>\n My father caught wind of my attempts and signed me up for a one-mile race<\/a><\/strong>. He agreed to run it with me. As scared as I was, I crossed my first finish line on July 4th, 2006. The rest is kind of history. History that involves a lot of work, but history that lead me to becoming a marathoner, breaking the 20 minute barrier in the 5k, becoming a top finisher, becoming a first place finisher, becoming a Boston Qualifier, a Boston Marathoner, being asked to join a race team, getting a coach, finishing the Chicago Marathon in 3:15, and simply having my life flipped upside down for a sport where I had no background. A sport that I hated<\/a><\/strong>, a sport that hurt, a sport that was too hard.<\/p>\n My story isn\u2019t about my accolades, it’s about the fact that I\u2019m not special. I\u2019m just like you. I was overweight and out of shape. I was scared to get started and even more scared to keep going when it hurt. I love the unlikely path that lead me to this place. I\u2019m able to savor the accomplishments because I shouldn\u2019t have been able to reach them.<\/p>\n Now, I run with my son too<\/a><\/strong>, and it’s one of life’s greatest blessings.<\/p>\n Today could be your day to start. Your finish line is waiting.<\/p>\n Also Read:<\/strong><\/p>\n How to Dress for Winter Running<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n 5 Moves to Build Stronger Cores for Runners<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Running in Place vs. Running on the Road<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n images courtesy of Lacy Hansen<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" There are very few sports that allow for a late start in life. If you know someone who plays on a team of any sort, whether it be professional or amateur, chances are they started playing as a kid, maybe … Continue reading ![\"lacy](\"https:\/\/www.dietsinreview.com\/diet_column\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/lacy-hansen-runner.jpg\")
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