A little bit (or a LOT) about me!

Hi! I'm Brooke!
I'm energetic, outgoing, hard working, fun . . . . . And I run! Need I say more? I've learned over the past two years that running isn't just a hobby or a sport . . . . . It's a lifestyle . . . . An obsession actually!

I have always enjoyed running but I've developed a deep addiction for running!  In junior high I ran cross country for one season & hated my life! My knees hurt & I ALWAYS had a side ache & probably finished last!  As I got older, I started running with my BFF Devon . . . We ran around in sports bras & short shorts!  We would get lots of honks & whistles . . . .so of course I liked running.

In college I would run once in a while . . . . Or from a party busted by the cops . . . But nothing too consistent!  Right before I got married I ran my first 1/2 marathon! I was slow & not very well trained so I wasn't exactly hooked . . . But still, I like the finish line high.  I went on to run another 1/2 & even committed myself to a full!  I accomplished what I set out to do: Finish! Nothing more!  I didn't know how to train, I was slightly overweight and I didn't have the drive I now have.  Of course I always bragged about being a marathoner . . . . But I didn't know I could find such a passion or love for running!  After my first marathon I quit cold turkey because we were going to try for a baby.  I gained weight, went on an emotional roller coaster from lack of exercise & sleep & pretty much had NO motivation for anything!

Then came my baby . . . .who is now 3.5 years old!  I was the "busy mom" who worked full time &had no room for exercise . . . Except the first few weeks of the new year every year!  My husband works an opposite shift so flexibility is an issue and work was simply too busy to find time to get to out state of the art on site gym! Needless to say, my weight was back up to my highest point (same as when I got pregnant which was not helpful).  I switched careers with my same company & started making exercise a priority.  Although I never really lost weight, I found the benefits of working out to be awesome so I kept with it!

As fate would have it, my good friend Angie, who I just could NOT convince to work out at lunch time started running . . . . . She wanted to get back in shape after her second baby.  So when she mentioned she was training for a 1/2 I was like . . . . I've done it before, I can do it again!  I joined the band wagon & we started training!  That is when our friendship went to a whole new level & we became the "sole sisters."  Angie ran her first half & then shortly after that we ran one together.  The heat was atrocious & we knew we couldn't settle for those results so we registered for another & kept our training going.  Our next half was amazing. . . .we both PR'd that day in a nice cool Milwaukee WI race! We were on top of the world!!!!

After a short hiatus from running due to work & life responsibilities I was "conned" into running a full!  I was apprehensive & compulsive at the same time! We work for the same company & they published an article in a newsletter about us running together.  It was quite obvious to me that just the. Thought of running got me excited so I bit the bullet after a day and a half of thinking & registered! From there we trained well, ate well & talked a LOT!  We talk every day at work . . . . Sometimes a tad more than appropriate! Shhhh. . . . .don't tell my boss.  We text constantly & of course we blab & blab & blab while logging countless miles together!!!  We're a match made in heaven.  We have the same pace, we have similarities in our personal lives we can chat about, vent about, and celebrate together, we work close to each other & we both obsess over running!

We just ran Grandma's Marathon in Duluth MN last Saturday. . . . And within 6 days we were registered for our next full & a couple half's!  Crazy? Maybe. . . . But so exciting!  How could I not be addicted when I just PR'd my 1/2 & my Full last week!!!!! I'm not going to lie. . . .when I PR'd my Full by 65 minutes. . . . First I almost shat myself . . . . Then I thought. . . Holy crap. . . I'm a runner. . . A real runner! My first was pretty slow so my 4:12 the second time around was very exciting!  I know in the marathon world a 4:12 isn't exactly McSpeedy . . . . . But for me it was a huge accomplishment & something I'll never stop being proud of!!!

After just 6 days of running Grandma's Marathon, we're registered for our next. . . . . we have gotten out for a few small runs and we are just keeping things easy as we'll be diving into our next training plan in another week.  We're looking forward to pounding the hot summer pavement!

~Brooke~