Before the Diva Half Marathon in North Myrtle Beach

In January, after years of starting and stopping exercise regimes, I finally committed to training for a half marathon.

I started from nothing. Day after day, for 20 weeks, I built my miles, stamina, endurance and determination.

At the finish line

On May 7, I finished that half marathon in 2 hours and 46 minutes.

The feeling when I crossed the finish line was something I never experienced before. It was the culmination of months of work, time, tears and sweat…lots of sweat.

I did it. I ran 13.1 miles and didn’t die.

In fact, as I was turning the last corner with the finish line in sight, my friend and coworker Liz Cooper was there filming. The only words I could think of to say were, “I’m not dead, yet!”

She caught that on her camera and it aired in the 6 p.m. news.

There are quotes like “that which does not kill you, makes you stronger,” and for me, running a half marathon made me stronger.

Training and running changed my life and I’m not going to let that go.

Right now, I am training for my second half marathon scheduled for Oct. 22.

This training is harder. It was near 90 degrees this morning when I ran my 7 miles.

But, I didn’t die. I didn’t collapse. I made it. I finished.

With Gina and Kirby after the race