Whether I like it or not, my little running life is distinctly divided into two categories:

Pre-babies and Post-babies. 

Funny how these 4 little people turned my world upside down… And now I could not imagine my life without them.

Pre-babies Tia:

There was the tiny little running Tia who started a habit of running at least a mile every day the summer of 8th grade.  This Tia ran cross country and track in high school and college.  She typically did not run more than 10 miles and did not like to race anything more than a 5K.  After 2 10k’s in high school she swore off anything more than 3.1 miles.  After all, a 5K was long enough!

Running high school XC- circa 1996

College XC- circa 2000

Post-babies Tia:
This Tia is not motivated by a coach or scholarship.  She does it to be a better person, a better wife, and a  better mother.  She enjoys distance running best and loves the “quiet time” that accompanies running.

Fall 2010

Spring 2011

My favorite post race pic from the Houston Marathon- Ashton loved his salty marathon mama! (Jan. 2012)

A 5K with Abi- June 2012

When I started running again after Anna was born I never dreamed I would even come close to my high school and college PR’s.  I considered all records from my “former life” unobtainable.  After all, how could I compete with the younger, skinnier, more athletic version of myself?  When I ran a 41:42 10K in high school I never thought I could run that fast again.  In April I proved myself wrong and man, it felt good to crush that old PR! There are still several times that I haven’t come close to matching but I’d like to think I was working on that.  The 5K is one of those distances that I am going to keep racing but it’s going to be a tough one to beat.  What is the difference in my running now?  Honestly, I think it comes down to heart.  I want it more now. 

One of my favorite things to do is beat the “young Tia.”  She is actually my favorite competitor!  This morning I decided to race “her” in the mile.  I have actually not raced the mile since I was 18.  (In college track you run the 1500- not the mile.)  My high school and current mile PR is 5:27.  I had no idea what my current timed mile would be but I wanted to get as close to that high school PR as possible.  I have done mile repeats so I had an idea of what I was capable of but a timed mile is a little different.

I know I haven’t been training for this specific racing distance (and marathon training is probably not the best time to try something like this) but after my track fiasco Wednesday I wanted to redeem myself.  I needed to challenge myself. (BTW- A timed mile was not on my schedule today but ever since Wednesday it has been in the back of my mind.  I love having a schedule but sometimes you just need to mix things up. I guess I’ll find out how I  really feel about this tomorrow when I’m running 20 miles!)

When I got to the track I realized that the HU guys and girls basketball teams were on the track doing some kind of circuit workout.  I tried not to think about how much older I was than these kids.  In some ways I don’t feel much older than them but then I think about how much my life has changed that time.

I ran 1.5 miles to warm-up.  I didn’t want to warm-up too much (it was pretty warm out) and this seemed like the right amount.  Then I started my watch.  Usually when I am running around the track I have to pace it just right because I know I will be doing reps of some sort.  It felt a little different knowing I needed to go all out for 4 laps.  After my first lap I started to wonder why I decided to do this.  Why did I think this would be a good idea?  I heard the a few of the guys from the basketball team behind me.  One of them passed me.  They were only sprinting one lap.  I didn’t want anyone else to pass me. They finished their lap and then a basketball girl started her lap right behind me.  At this point I was on my third lap. I was not about to let this college girl pass me.  She didn’t.  I gave the last lap everything I had.  This was it.  I kicked it in the final straight-away.  Then I finally heard my watch beep.  I looked down- 5:29.

No, I didn’t beat my 5:27 but I’m proud of that 5:29.  I worked hard for it.  I jogged a few more miles to cool down and I had some time to reflect on how running and my life in general has changed since I was 18.  It’s been a long road but I am finding my way back into competitive running.  I may not beat all my old PR’s but the mile is mine.  I’m not sure when it will happen but I am going to beat that 5:27. Mark my words! Sorry, “young Tia!”  😉

Did you run in high school or college?

Do you have old PR’s that you think are unobtainable?

Have you timed yourself in a mile recently?