Run Run Run

Sooooo, I started training for my third half marathon today. I always thought that I would want to do a full marathon one day, but I just don’t want to. I love to run and I don’t want to squash that love. It would be too much of a good thing, which I am so good at over doing. Examples: Too much exercise, too much alcohol, too much sugar, too much volunteering, too much of doing things for my family that they can easily do for themselves, working too much. It’s a form of self abuse, or self sabotage. I can be very extreme, which I think is part of what saved me and why God spared my life.

In preparing for training for this race, I went back through all of my pictures over the last 2 years or so. I found a lot of selfies on my runs. I am so thankful that I captured these moments, especially when I was going through chemo and radiation. Seeing myself going through cancer and still running was so inspiring. Cancer Tahnee inspired Healthy Tahnee.

There were times when I really thought I was dying, but I would go for a run. That’s determination. That’s my extreme side. I forced myself to still be a runner. I wasn’t going to let cancer take that away from me too.

I was really sick with a sinus infection over this past Christmas for over 20 days. We were visiting family in Minnesota. It totally sucks to be sick while traveling. The plane ride home was torture for my ears, I thought they were going to burst.

I’m definitely better, after 10 days of antibiotics.

Today was the first day I ran since before Christmas. I ran 3.3 miles in a little over 30 minutes, which is really good time for me. It felt so good to get back to it. I had still been doing cardio and light weight training, but hadn’t felt well enough to run. Haha, I could run on chemo but a sinus infection sidelined me for almost a month!

I’m really excited to train for this race. It’s the first time I have trained since being 158 days alcohol free. Everything is so much easier now. No hangovers, no sluggishness, no crazy sweat. Now it’s just an attitude of LETS DO THIS! Typically, I am stressed when I sign up for races. This time, I can see myself easily crossing that finish line.

I quit drinking to remain cancer free. Cancer had to happen, then the horrible reaction to the anti cancer drugs in order for me to choose a healthier life. Now I feel like my runs are much more efficient and my body just works better.

I’m taking Mindset Training and two things stuck with me this week that I have heard before, but it resonates now more than ever.

1. Who do I have to be to dream again? I have had big dreams since I was a little girl. It’s time to make them real.

2. Hell on Earth is meeting the person you could have been. I definitely don’t want to have any regrets.

I am a runner, so I run. That one is easy. The rest of me is finding my truth of who I was designed to be. I can be whoever I want to be. Determination will get me there. I was made for this. Now is the time. No more second guessing. I’m an awesome Mom and Wife. I’m a great business owner. I’m a writer. I’m an artist. I’m an encourager. I can speak truth. I can see the silver lining in almost anything. I see the good in people.

I don’t say these things to sound braggy (is that a word? I just made it a word). I say these things because I am celebrating who I am. You can be whoever you want to be. It’s never too late. Now is the time. Right now. You are here for a reason. God picks people with problems, who have fought battles. He will always use you if you let Him.

Run your race.

I will be there cheering for you as you cross your finish line, whatever that might look like for you.

I felt like I was going to die this day but I ran anyway, naturally. 

Look at all that hair growing back!

This precious girl prayed for me while I was sick. We got to meet at a race and she saw that God answers prayers.

Here is a video of me running and encouraging myself:

 

I love looking back and seeing how far I have come.

 

Our thoughts are so powerful. We become what we think about most of the time. I could have easily given up and crawled into a ball and stayed there.

I’m a runner, so I run. That’s just a small part of me, but it is me.

Who do you want to be? You get to choose.

Love,

Tahnee XO