Running and Motivation

I am from Glen Ellyn, IL which is one of the west suburbs of Chicago. I went to the University of Missouri - Columbia and my running career has since been full of 5Ks, 10Ks, and four marathons. Running has been a part of my life since my big sister took me to a park district race in the third grade. It was only a three-quarter of a mile race, but I fell in love with the challenge of overcoming my brain telling me to, "stop you fool it hurts!". I would continue to run in high school and discover the team aspect of the sport and the relationships that develop between runners despite the very individualistic nature of the sport. I would go to college and play a lot of baseball during my four years, putting running on the sidelines. It wasn't until the end of my junior year in college that I realized I needed to bring running back into my life. I had gained over 20 pounds since high school and could barely huff and puff out a 7:30 mile. I first tried running just to get in shape, a few mile here, some slow-fast halves there; I was lacking motivation. I needed something to drive me, to give me no choice but to run, so I decided to give myself the painful goal of finishing the 2006 Chicago Marathon. By just signing myself up and paying the fee, I knew I had just found a way to recommit myself to a sport that had long since left my life. I knew I couldn't drop out of the race, everyday I would look at the calender and have a little panic come over me, and everyday that panic would grow. That panic got my butt outside to run no matter what the weather. By signing up for something so significant to me I totally altered my life. Running got my life on a schedule, it helped me drink less, it helped me lose weight, it motivated me to eat better, and it made me happier. I was finally paying closer attention to what I was doing to my body. I am not saying that I became a health nut, but I did begin paying a lot better attention. All this change and knowledge about myself has stuck with me since then and after finishing the 2006 Chicago Marathon in 3 hours 38 minute I went on to complete 3 more marathons; St Louis 2007, Chicago 2007, and Chicago 2008. What once was used as a weight loss/get in shape tool, has once again become a passion of mine. Although, I still can find it hard on certain days to give myself motivation to get out there and run; it is a very highly mental sport that can be difficult to overcome. I guess the trick for everyone is finding their own motivating factor and looking themselves in the mirror or at the calender to remind themselves of it daily.