Thursday, November 1, 2012

Guest Post - Taking On New Challenges

Today's guest post comes from Amy at Running Escapades.

Hello Running Kellometers readers! I am happy to be guest posting today while Kelly is off studying for her exam.

I want to be a better runner. Who doesn't, right? 

So, this year I have stepped out of my running comfort zone. What does this mean exactly?

Well, for starters I decided that I can run more than one half marathon a year. It all started after I ran a 12K with a friend and felt surprisingly really good doing it. I say surprising because I never saw myself ever running more than a 10K.  After successfully running my first half in 2011, I was hooked. Since then I have continued to train and completed four more with number six right around the corner. 

Then I convinced myself that I could also run an overnight relay. For years I have been hearing about Reach the Beach, but the thought of running three legs in 24 hours and in the middle of the night kept me away. With my running confidence building, I accepted an invitation to join an established team and quickly discovered that running over 200 miles with 11 other people is also addictive.



Lastly, I am running a half marathon known for being "hilly, challenging, and scenic." This popular local race that I have yet to do is described by my running friends as tough and intimidating. In the past I would have shied away from the Manchester City Half Marathon because of the hills, but this year I am looking forward to tackling them.


From Manchester City Marathon Facebook Page


So in an effort to become a better runner, I am taking on new challenges that I would have avoided in the past. Leaving my comfort zone means I will see myself grow as a runner while I push past my limits. 


How do you get out of your comfort zone?


To find out more about Amy, you can follow her at any one of the links below!
Instagram - @amyc08


8 comments:

  1. I push till I can't push no more :)

    Wow, the overnight relay sounds like fun!! I'm going to Google one close to chicago now.. lol
    Do they have them year round? How does it work?

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  2. Great post! It all leads back to being confident that you CAN tackle new challenges and be successful!

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  3. The biggest overnight relay I know of in Chicago is Ragnar. I've signed up for a team in 2013 and you can check out the Chicago Running Bloggers page for some recaps from June 2012!

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  4. I did the Ragnar Chicago relay this year as a stretch activity - I was really not sure how the night running and frequent running was going to go! It ended up being a lot of fun, and definitely a challenge mentally - you can't just think of it as how hard can you do your 4 mile leg... because you have 2 more!

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  5. Did you sign up for a team with random runners? Ahh. Maybe I'll sign up too. So you run 4 miles, 3 times?

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  6. Yes, you can create your own or look for teams that need members posted on the site!

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  7. I volunteered at the finish of Ragnar this past year and it was so hot! Kudos to you running it!!

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  8. I couldn't agree more, and it is part of my 2013 race planning.... ;)

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