A Complete Running History of Maggie (Abridged)

I have been running since... forever.  I'm going to assume I was 8 or 9 when I first ran the "Capitol Classic"- an epic mile-long race that started at the Capitol building, cruised Capitol Boulevard, and finished with a grueling climb to the Train Depot. (Sidenote: I have learned that this race, now named the St. Alphonsus Classic, BEGINS at the Depot so kids don't have to run up the hill... and we wonder why obesity is an issue in this country!) At the finish line I received a free cup of TCBY yogurt, and decided that frozen yogurt was totally worth the run. I was hooked.

I kind of always figured that everyone was a runner.  My earliest memories are of being woken up by my grandparents on a Saturday morning, and being driven to the finish line of a race to cheer for Mom and Dad.  Completely normal.  Totally awesome excuse to drink an Italian soda.  Moral of this story: my addiction runs in the family.  I blame my parents.

My running resume is fairly short (future aspirations considered), but I think the running community accepts me as their equal.  My first half marathon was the Race to Robie Creek, labeled "the toughest half marathon in the Northwest".  I desperately wanted to walk around mile 5 (mind you, the first 9 miles are uphill), but my mom warned me, "You'll never forgive yourself!" so I pressed on.  I was exhausted.  I was a cripple.  I was ob-sessed.  I ran another Race to Robie Creek and dropped 10 minutes from my original time.  I ran a couple other half marathons.  Then I ran the Nike Women's Marathon, where I told my friend Bryn that I felt like I was 'bearing children from my legs' (subtlety has never been my specialty).  I ran the Portland Marathon.  I became a "Single Track Superstar" by running 25 trails around Boise (I did it for the free T-shirt).  I even dabbled in triathlons- as I am an avid swimmer and cyclist as well- so I tried the Boise Ironman 70.3.  It was... alright.  There was too much crap to buy and too many preparations to consider.  I'm more inclined to put on a hat, lace up my shoes, and run out the front door.  Running is low maintenance- like me. 

So as you can see, I love to run.  I am certainly not built to run.  I don't have long legs and washboard abs.  Oh no.  I love cookies.  And cupcakes.  And I run so I can eat them.  I run for exhilaration.  I run for beer.  I run to evade obesity.  I run for adventure.  I run because I'm fairly certain that running parallels the meaning of life.