Pageant Girls Run is a series that details the health and fitness journeys of women and girls in pageantry. I believe it is important to get and stay fit for the crown. If you have not been living under a rock, then you know that yesterday was Global Running Day. Global Running Day is a worldwide celebration of running that encourages everyone to get moving. In commemoration of this day, I thought it would be fitting to share my own running story and how running became my medicine.
It was 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, February 21, 2016, when I arose from my slumber. I put on my Disney princess themed costume and laced up my size 8 Mizuno Wave Inspire 12. I completed the outfit by placing a tiara on my head that I won from a previous pageant. I left my hotel room and boarded the bus that took me to the site where the race would begin. Once I got off the bus, I made the trek to the starting line and waited for the race to begin. It was a dark, cold morning, but I didn’t let that stop me from admiring the thousands of women who was about to embark on this journey with me. The race officially began at 5:30 a.m., but my corral didn’t start until 6:22 a.m. After nearly six years of running, I was about to run my first ever half-marathon. I was excited, and I was ready. It was time for my corral to begin, and I took off running. It was a euphoric feeling to be completing my first ever half-marathon in the most magical place on earth, Walt Disney World! Dressed as the Disney Princess Belle, I was ready to conquer all 13.1 miles. With every step, I felt more alive. I was free from worry, and I was free from pain. I felt happy and healthy. I was in a pure state of bliss. A little over three hours later, I finished the race. I was sore, but I did it! I accomplished my goal.
Just eight years prior to this event, I was diagnosed with stage four level of endometriosis. Endometriosis, affecting 6.3 million women and girls across the United States, is where the tissue that lines the uterus grows outside the uterus. This creates an excruciating amount of pain for women on a monthly basis. I had suffered in silence for years before receiving a definitive diagnosis. The disease affected me physically, mentally, and emotionally. I soon discovered that running was not only beneficial to combating the symptoms of the disease, but it was also beneficial to my soul. This epiphany led me on a journey to running for my health. Running then became my medicine. Of course, I did not always have that mindset.
As a child, I didn’t see myself as a runner nor had a desire to run. I considered myself more of an academician than an athlete. I was that girl that knew the atomic number, symbol, and name of all the elements on the periodic table. Now if you would have asked me what the acronym PR stood for, I would have been clueless. The few times I did run were because I was required to in order to complete an assignment. That included running from base to base as a softball player and running during PE. Who remembers those physical fitness tests from middle school that included the one mile run? Oh the memories! I had family and friends who ran cross country and track, but participating in that activity never crossed my mind. I think I let my fear of not being good enough keep me from trying.
Well on August 17, 2010, that all changed. I embarked on a journey that would eventually change how I looked at running. Days earlier, my dear friend and sorority sister, Anita, asked me to join her on a run. I was hesitant at first because waking up at the crack of dawn to go running in a park was not my idea of a good time. Well after much convincing, she finally got me out to the park on that August day. I don’t remember much of that day, but I am pretty sure I was out of breath and doing more walking than running. In spite of my distaste for the activity, I kept going back. After each running session, I began to like this new found hobby. I then decided to train for my first 5K later that year. The race I chose to complete was the Turkey Burner which was a race held in Montgomery, Alabama. After I completed the Turkey Burner, I developed a taste for more. Soon I was training and racing all the time.
Now 8 years, 28 races, and 15 medals later, running is a passion of mine. I also love that I have had the opportunity to give back and raise awareness of issues such as hunger and poverty, breast cancer, and endometriosis just to name a few. Running is my addiction, but it is also my medicine. When I run, my physical and mental health improves. With every drop of sweat, I imagine the toxins exiting my body. My body is being repaired and rejuvenated with each step. I also use this time to meditate and renew my mind, and I gain more clarity about my life. My mind, body, and soul are nourished. It is a beautiful experience.
The lesson I take away from this experience is to try something first before forming an opinion. You never know what the outcome may bring. In my case, running became a medicine that brought joy, peace, healing, and a sense of accomplishment to my life. Those are the best type of side effects worth experiencing. I never knew I could receive any of that from an activity. In my opinion, that is the best form of medicine.
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