Hi there. My name is Heather, and I was born and raised in the PNW area. I love it here and have never found a reason to move away. I am a 41-year-old wife and mother whose youngest just graduated from high school a year ago. Additionally, I have one fur baby named Jada, who is a Pitbull/ mastiff mix. I am a big advocate for adopt-don’t-shop and breaking the stigma around the Pitbull breed.
In high school, I was never a runner. I participated in other sports where running was always a punishment. It took me a long time to come around to running for fun. Then, around 25, I picked up running for the first time. I was looking for some type of physical activity. I needed something I could do while living in a pretty rural area. This area did not have any gyms. I saw a few other girls online running. I thought that this was something I could do in the area where I lived. There wasn’t as much info online or apps for running back then. I had nothing to help guide me in my running journey. I was probably doing everything wrong. Wrong shoes, wrong nutrition, no plan. I just used an old pair of tennis shoes from my closet. I started running as fast and as long as I. I had zero concern about recovery. It’s a good thing I was young at the time. My body could take the punishment. If I tried this today, I would probably be out of commission for a month.
During this time, I signed up and ran a few 5K races. My favorite run that I did was at the Oregon Zoo to raise money for the Cheetahs. My running career was short-lived. I believe I only stuck with it for about six months, tops.
Fast forward to 2023, I had two serious surgeries that each had me out for about a month. Recovery was long and slow, and I was kept inactive. During my second surgery, my surgeon told me I needed to maintain my weight at a minimum. Losing weight would be best. Otherwise, my surgery would not last. I would either require another surgery or just have to live with the health issue. This lit a fire under my butt to do something. Please check out my article on why picking up running later in life has so many health benefits. Around the same time, my employer started offering free gym memberships to a local gym. I signed up on day one. I had zero clue what I was doing at first or even what my goals were. It took me a lot of trial and error. Eventually, I developed a routine. I would run on the treadmill for a half hour and then do weight training for a half hour. Running was still a struggle for me. I experienced horrible shin splints. My hip flexor got so tight that I could barely walk. But by just getting into a routine, I was able to lose around 20lbs.
In late 2024, I signed up for my first 5K in around 15 years. I still wasn’t using a training plan. But, I took a week off from running before this 5K. I did this so that my legs would be “fresh”. Doing this run inspired me to get better at running. I started looking into training plans. I watched videos on running form and stretching. I also learned about running fuel, recovery, and anything I could find to try and help myself improve. When I first started running, I used a free version of Coach to 5K. I also used an old Fitbit that I had sitting in a drawer for years. I ran with an old pair of tennis shoes from the closet. I slowly started upgrading my equipment as I went. First was getting a new pair of shoes, and what a difference a good pair of running shoes makes. I researched several different shoes before I decided on a pair. Please read my article, Best Running Shoes, and my top 10 running must-haves. I then completed the coach to 5K training plan. Around the same time, my old Fitbit died. I got a Garmin watch and started using the Garmin training plan. In January 2025, I was offered a spot on a team for the Hood to Coast relay race. I couldn’t turn down the opportunity. This also made me realize something important. I need to change my goal. I aim to increase my running from 5K runs to a half marathon. I upgraded my training plan to Runna, which I am loving for this current training block. If you want to try Runna for 2 weeks free, my Runna code is RUNNAXXPMHFR. I am sure that I will continue to change things. I will try new stuff as my training continues. So, I will always have lots to yap about. I will also let you all know when I try something that I did not like. I will let you all know why I did not like it. This way, you can make an informed decision about whether the product or training is right for you.
I am now signed up for my first half marathon. I will run it this summer. I will also join in the Hood to Coast relay this fall. I will try to sign up for an extra half marathon. It depends on how my first one goes. Right now, I am in the midst of half-marathon training. Which brings me to starting this blog. I want to share my journey, what I’ve learned, and all the tips and tricks along the way. I have learned so much I want to share with you. Yet, there is still much for me to learn. I will continue to post blogs about new things. I want to share what I have learned. This way, I can pass the knowledge on to my readers. You will also be able locate me on my socials. Please connect with me there to keep up to date with everything going on. Please join me in the crazy and fun journey as we experience the world of running together.
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