I am.

Meghann wrote a great post yesterday about promoting a healthy body image; about how we are all different and we should love ourselves the way we are. I really needed to hear that at the moment. Every since the marathon ended I've been in a funk. Everything I was avoiding while focusing on the marathon smacked me in the face on Monday, including my weight. Am I overweight? Of course not. My clothes just don't fit well anymore and that's all I've been able to think about. Isn't that crazy? I JUST RAN A MARATHON. I trained for 4 months, ran 26.2 and in a time I am so proud of. So why am I getting so hung up on my weight? I think the problem for me is that I feel so out of control with it, that it just keeps getting worse and I haven't been able to stop it. But you know what? I am SO MUCH MORE than what I weigh.

I am a daughter.

I am a granddaughter.

I am a niece.

I am a cousin.

I am a sister.

I am a friend.

I am a college graduate.

I am a law school student.

I am a blogger.

I am a GOTR coach.

I am a Harry Potter fan.

I am a book lover.

I am fashion lover.

I am a goldfish owner.

I am Molly's BFF.

I am a marathoner,

and I am a RUNNER.

See? I am so many great things, and so are YOU.

Yesterday I couldn't take it anymore. Yesterday I needed a release, I needed to find myself, find my center. I needed to run. So I did. I went for a 2 mile run that turned into 3 (the zoo was calling my name). My legs didn't feel amazing, but they certainly didn't feel bad. My heart, however, loved it. Running is my time to reflect, to think, to breath, to be outside. Running is my time for me and I needed it so badly. During the race I ran past my apartment, past the places I walk every day, down the road the bus takes me on to and from school, past where I worked this summer, past my school, and to places I'd never seen before. Everywhere I go I'm reminded of how much I enjoyed that race. I may not have a marathon to train for anymore and I may not have a training plan, but running is always going to be a part of my life because it makes me feel like me again. I am excited to work on speed, doing HIIT runs. I'm excited to run on whatever day I feel like running on. I'll miss my running group and I'll miss feeling like a bad ass: um yea, we did our short 14 miler today but I'm excited to keep running.   Who are you? What's great about you?   What's your release?