I moved to Los Angeles in 2007, after living 25 years in the Pacific Northwest. I got a desk job (that I love) and to relieve stress and stay healthy I started walking. In 2009 I noticed the walking wasn't doing it for my mental or physical health, so I started running.
When my mom was a teenager, she was a runner. In fact, she ran a few marathons... right up until she had me - and then her running career was over - or so she thought.
In August of 2009 I called her and told her I joined a running group, and they were training for the LA Marathon. I had no intention of running a marathon! I just wanted to learn how to run. I learned to hold my hands softly and pump my arms, not to take large steps, and pretend I was a road runner (like the little desert bird, with a high foot turnaround). I remember calling my mom one day saying "mom, guess what? I just ran 8 miles!" I was so proud of myself. Sure, I took walk breaks, but that didn't matter. "I just ran 10." Was her reply. Little did I know what was about to happen.
I tend to go home for Thanksgiving, and in November of 2009 I got an e-mail confirmation that someone had signed me up for the Seattle Half Marathon. It was my mother! Not only that, but she signed herself up too. I was nervous, and didn't know what I was doing, and that race report can be found elsewhere. When we got back from the race, my mom confessed to me "Diana, we're both signed up for the LA Marathon." Initially, the thought was horror. I had enjoyed the Seattle Half Marathon, but I was sore and tired, and I didn't think I could do twice the distance.
I went back to LA and I kept training. There were setbacks. I hurt my knee a month before and had to take 3 weeks off. I was able to run again a week before the Marathon.
On race day of my first ever full marathon, 26.2 miles, I was a nervous wreck. My mom was with me, and she hadn't ran a marathon in almost 30 years. She was excited. I'd learned not to wear cotton, and I had running shoes, but that was it. I was told not to go out too fast. I remember the thrill of crowds lining up, and how surprised I was to see all the clothes people ditched while they warmed up (which I later learned all gets donated to charity). I remember lining up around Dodger Stadium in a sea of people like me, who were nervous and excited to see the City on foot. We heard Randy Newman singing "I Love LA" and we started running.
That was my first marathon. LA in 2010. It was a great race. It was amazing for a first marathon. My race report can be found here. I'm honored to have been selected as an ambassador for this race, my first, my favorite. I want to share the experience with other people of the excitement of their first marathon, of training for a new experience, or for running it for a marathon PR (personal record - your fastest time ever), or just for fun to experience the camaraderie of an entire city. For whatever reason you want to run it, I'm honored to be here to help you see that finish line. If you decide to sign up, please let them know Diana Kitching referred you.
I love this story and how far you have taken those first two races! Your mom is awesome for nudging you like that. (And was it Gary Neuman or Randy Newman? It's LA after all, so it could have been Ozzy for that matter.)
ReplyDeleteWhoops! Randy! Thank you for pointing that out. I will fix it now. Thanks for reading this, and I think she's pretty awesome too. Happy Running!
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