Qualifying for Boston – Thoughts on a Life Changing Moment

It’s been eight weeks since I qualified for Boston. You’d think that would be enough time for me to appreciate the impact this would have on my life. That couldn’t be further from the truth.

A few days ago I was on my way to pick up my daughter from school and I caught myself thinking, I can’t believe I did it. I actually did it. I qualified for Boston. Me! Little ol’ me! I thought about how hard I worked, how long it took and how much the process changed me as a person.

I spent two years thinking about nothing but qualifying for Boston. TWO YEARS.

Two years of strapping my kids in the stroller to push them for hours (they now hate the stroller), two years of dragging them to the YMCA so I could spend hours doing speed drills and lifting weights (they now hate the YMCA). Two years of ice packs on my legs as I cooked dinner. Two years of foam rolling while watching TV instead of cuddling on the couch.

Two years of pretending to be awesome – pretending that I was capable of something my brain told me was impossible.

Two years of fake it until you make it.

It’s hard to change your perspective that quickly. In a single moment I went from being the person who wanted to qualify for Boston to the person who did qualify for Boston.

The moment I crossed the finish line in Houston and I realized what I’d done I was overcome with tears. I was no longer faking it, I had become the person I wanted to be. I actually did it.

We all have moments in our lives like that. Moments that only last a few seconds that literally change you forever.

I’ve had four.

The moment I got married.
The moment I decided to loose weight.
The moment I became a mom.
The moment I qualified for Boston.

I’m not sure where to go from here.

Last week I was at the chiropractor and he had a woman observing his patients. The chiro mentioned I was a marathon runner so she asked me if I had any goals. I didn’t know how to respond. I did have a goal but now what?

With The Woodlands Marathon behind me there’s nothing on the immediate horizon. I’ve contemplated attempting a triathlon because I did so much swimming and biking in the weeks between Houston and The Woodlands but I’m a little burned out on training right now and a break seems like a better idea. I will probably run a half this fall and I’m thinking about running Houston again next January but the jury is still out.

I do have one race planned though – I will be running the Boston Marathon on April 17, 2017!

(Yes, I know that qualifying alone isn’t enough to get you into Boston but I qualified by more than 10 minutes so my spot is all but guaranteed. Goodness help me if everyone else in my age group ran a sub 3:30. I might cry.)