The big 4-0

Sunday's Color Run was my 40th race.

I can hardly believe it. I have finished 40 races in my relatively short running career!

Impressive, if I do say so myself :)

My first attempt at running, if you can call it that, was in 2004 while preparing to summit Mount Adams (one of my first summits). Our friend and trip guide, Aaron, suggested that if we could run 3 miles straight, our fitness level was adequate to tackle the 12,280-foot volcano.

Over many weeks (maybe months!), I painfully ran around the THS track with little direction and worked up to 12 laps. I clearly remember collapsing on the grass immediately after my triumphant finish.

Then I conquered that mountain with my husband... one of my proudest moments!

And there stalled my running career.

Two years later, Eryn and I got the crazy idea to run the Portland Race for the Cure 5K in September - and actually train for it! The week before our first big run, I threw in the Tigard Family Fest 5K fun run just for the heck of it.

I fell in love with racing (not yet with running, mind you!). To be perfectly honest, I think I fell in love with all the free swag, especially at the Race for the Cure.

Because we'd already "mastered" the 5K, Eryn and I somehow talked each other into running the Tilikum 10K the following April. And miraculously, we convinced several others into running/walking with us.

With Aunt Kari's advice, we used The Beginning Runner's Handbook: The Proven 13-Week Walk/Run Program as our guide.

Man, that book is so great! It starts off very slow and really prepares your body for running. I would highly recommend it for anyone wanting to get started (or restarted!).

I finished third to last at that small race, but I did it!

After a whole bunch of 5Ks and a couple 10Ks, I decided to up the ante and train for a half marathon.

My first one was the Lacamas Lake Half Marathon in July 2011.

Since, I've finished three more half marathons - taking off nearly 15 minutes from my time - and a slew of shorter races.

Click HERE to see all 40 :)

I'm not slow, but I'm not fast. I usually finish in the dead middle of the pack. But I still have a blast and hope to keep racing for a long time. JOIN ME :)