Never say never

I am not a runner. I am a very fast walker, not only on a track but in life. I just move fast.
Last year after 1 trip to The Color Run and another trip to The Dirty Girl Mud Run my oldest daughter said she was doing The Sunburst 5k here in South Bend. This is a BIG run in South Bend.
I will never do that one I said.
Today I did the Sunburst 5k.
A 5k, timed run that I planned to walk.
Another friend has been steady training with the Couch to 5k so when we discussed the 5k walk or run we figured we could walk as fast as some runners. (She ran the whole thing!!! She so rocks!)
So we head to the back of the pack taking hope that some of these people looked old and out of shape. Please...do not let me be embarrassed by myself. (There is video of The Mud Run...so sad Janie, so sad.)

We start running which was when I stopped on The Color Run. Pounding the pavement 2 years ago was a reality my knees would not accept. But today, I kept running. I ran quite a bit of this race. Oh my gosh, I am running with runners. Pardon me but No shit, I ran.

And about 20 feet in front of me I see a chubby girl, maybe 15 and she is alternating between running and walking. At first I want to say, whoo hoo, you go. But what I really want to say is Never stop. Don't be formed by others opinions of you and think you are too fat to do this or be that.  Don't stop listening to that voice that says, "I am good enough" just the way I am. Do not believe what this world shows you and tells you to believe about yourself.  You are a runner!

I said I would never do a 5k. But I did and I will remember that girl ahead of me the rest of my life.  She blessed me in ways I could not imagine. We were runners!