RunJunkEes Runner of the Week- Ida Matias

What a difference a year makes!  I was the girl in high school that walked the mile.  I hated any form of exercise.  So when my friend asked me to sign up for a mud run last May, I shocked everyone by saying yes.  I had recently divorced and decided I needed to try some new things, why not run in a mud pit?  

The training started out ugly, I was a single mom of 3 working full time and had very little free time to run, I did c25k for almost 3 months and couldn't get past week 4. 

Then end of July hits and I came down with a mysterious infection that went septic.  By the time I made it to the ER I was near death.  The doctors told me I would have died that day if I had stayed home. I was in the ICU for 5 days and my biggest worry was that I couldn't continue my c25k. I also had my first 5k coming up less than 3 weeks later.  My doctor told me I could not run it so I walked that first 5k.  A month later, I did that mud run. 

I signed up for a few more 5Ks that fall/winter and still not able to complete a 5k without walking.  Then in Dec, I finally ran an entire 5k in 34:38.  It was such a wonderful feeling after 7 months of trying!

A year later, I have completed many 5k's, a 12k, and the Rock n' Roll half marathon that I did as a last minute sub. 
I never believed in my wildest dreams that I would be able to complete a half. During that last mile, I almost couldn't finish because I was trying so hard not to cry, not from being tired, but because I was so close to doing something I thought was impossible for me. 

I still struggle to find time to run, most of the time I run twice a week.  I've lost 2 toenails, tried 5 different running shoes before finding my perfect shoe, and have discovered the wonderful world of the running community. 

I am a runner.  

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