I did it. I started all over again. And I remembered why I learned to enjoy running in the first place. The previous year I initially wanted to get in shape for volleyball, and I finally acknowledged the fact that all my and my teammates' adulting created jam-packed schedules that rarely left enough of us with common time to play.

But running I could do on my own. There would be no one dragging their kids along who would inevitably interrupt the flow of a volleyball game or waiting for that one mom who's invariably late for everything. I had always played team sports, but otherwise I tend to like working independently. I can absolutely collaborate, but I need down time from people. I even tried running with a partner from my neighborhood for a few weeks last year, and she's a nice and fun woman, but her incessant talking was driving me insane. Collaboration and team support can be great, but sometimes you need to decide whether it's better to go it alone.

I'm not entirely alone though. When the temperatures dipped below freezing in January, I decided to join a gym. I eventually persuaded my son to come with me a couple days a week. I think he enjoys it. I know I like the days he comes with me, but I still sneak out to the gym by myself.

When I'm running, I can think about how we're going to manage life around my husband's back problems or my daughter's softball schedule. Or I can just push all of that out of my mind by singing along to Pink or Cheap Trick. People, I have solved the world's problems on my longer runs. Whatever it is, find something and do it for you.

Taking time for yourself feels terribly selfish, but do it anyway. Forgive yourself. One time my son asked me how I was able to push myself to run so far. As per my usual sarcasm, I responded, "Pure anger," and he said he knew I was an angry person. I know I am, but I didn't realize he knew that. But after I run, I feel better because I've accomplished something and worn myself out. It helps remove the anger, so it's really not that selfish after all.

He was right though: Running that far seems impossible at first until you start training, and then it's just one more hill, one more minute, one more mile. Push yourself beyond what you think you're capable of. Some days the training schedule will say you're supposed to run for 50 minutes, and you're tired, but somehow you eek it out and you feel better after. Other days, there's just no way and that's OK. Having a plan is good, but it's not a total loss when you skip a day or two. Be flexible.

I am pretty competitive, which apparently is not much of a thing for most runners. Runner friends keep telling me to not worry about what others are doing, and to just go out there and work on beating my own times. My brain doesn't work that way, and I know running is not something at which I excel, which kills me. I am slow as molasses but I can go for quite a while so hopefully I won't get pulled off the course for being too slow. Knowing my strengths and weaknesses has helped me plot out a plan to hopefully successfully accomplish this challenge.