In May 2012, I was walking to work and couldn't cross the street due to this race going on.  I found out it was the Broad Street Run™ and it's THE race to do if you live in Philadelphia.   I came home thinking, I WILL be doing that race next year.A year later, I entered the lottery for the Broad Street Run™ 10-miler, my first distance race. Unfortunately, I didn't make the lottery so I joined with the American Cancer Society and raised $500 for the bib that would change my life.Before I knew it, race day was here.  This was happening!  I found my corral and got settled in.  The first gun went off for the elite runners.  No turning back now, I thought.  My corral was up next and I was out like a bat outta hell; flying through my first mile per usual way faster than it should.  I told myself to hold back, there was a lot of race to go.Before I knew it, I was at mile 4 feeling good, thinking dang, I'm doing this. Then, the dreaded “hitting the wall” feeling started to creep in.  I knew I couldn’t stop and that I wanted to run the whole thing.  With only 3 miles left, I knew I had to finish strong, giving it everything I had.  The finish line was in sight and started my sprint.  And just like that, the race was over.I just ran the Broad Street Run!  I never thought I would run 5 miles let alone 10!  On the way home I thought, if I could do 10 miles, a half marathon is only another 3.1.  Later that day, I signed up for the Rock 'n' Roll™ Philly for my first half marathon that September.  And just like that, I was addicted.

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