Chaos in the Backyard

Nobody clapped, but I’m proud of myself for showing up consistently, even quietly.

My silent victory is a 14-week half marathon training plan that took me from ground level to 13.1 miles.

It’s not my first half, it’s actually my third, BUT it is the first time I’ve ever had the time to truly follow a full plan from start to finish.

It wasn’t perfect. Some weeks I had to play catch-up. Some weeks I had to double up runs/workouts or moved things around just to make it work. Life didn’t pause for the plan, so I simply kept adjusting and I just kept going.

And I finished it. I ended up running it almost 19 minutes faster than my last half.

I ran my third half marathon in my own neighborhood. No crowds, no start line hype, and a mostly quiet run (except for my amazing MIL, who was getting in her car when I passed her house around mile 3), no medals handed to me at the end. After I finished, I had to go inside to find my own crispy cold finish line Coke and an overripe banana from last week’s grocery haul.

Just me, the miles, and the quiet commitment I kept to myself for 14 weeks.

And I ended up running it almost 19 minutes faster than my last half.

Nobody clapped.
But I did it anyway. And I’m really proud of that.