runners tell all: how and why I started running

Today I’m linking up with Amanda and Beka to talk a little bit about running! Running is a big part of who I am, so I am pretty pumped about this series.

I started running in January 2009, when I left to study abroad for a semester in Riva San Vitale, Switzerland.

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Before I began my adventures abroad, I dedicated a lot of time to going to the gym. I knew that I wouldn’t have gym access in Riva, so I decided I was going to run to stay fit. (Not to mention that our wedding was just two weeks after my return to the States, and I had to be in shape!)

I started out by going a distance that felt “far” to me, which was probably about 2.5 miles at the time. I increased my mileage a little over the semester and started to feel healthier and see a change in my level of fitness. I started to lose weight, and realized that going to the gym all those years really wasn’t helping me the way I thought it was.2052_651510700233_3279_n

(my roommate, Katherine, and I about to go run. Photo credit to our roommate Amanda!)

If I hadn’t studied abroad, I’m not sure I would’ve become such a dedicated runner. It’s just one more reason I’m glad I went to Europe 🙂