Hayley Nixon – iCan Athlete Spotlight – 9/26/12

The truth is, I don’t have enough time or energy to train for a marathon. At least that is what I had been saying for over five years.

I have always been a runner…at least 6 days a week, 5 miles a day at an 8:00 pace. And that was the problem. I could do that in my sleep. I probably did do it in my sleep a few times. After my fifth, (gasp) child was born in March. I needed a major “ME” project. For the sole purpose of stress relief.

Wait a second, I will back up. Liza is indeed my 5th child- in 5 years almost to the day that is. 5, 3, almost 2, almost 2 and 3 months is what I wrote for my iCan team essay entry. Which was short and sweet and to the point. I’m pretty sure I wrote it while nursing a baby, wiping someone’s behind and pouring a sippy cup of milk all at the same time… No joke.

The point is, I had, ahem HAVE been pregnant or nursing for over 6 years now. CONSECUTIVELY…NO BREAKS! You would think that throwing in one extra child would have been a piece of cake, especially right after twins. Despite little Liza Nell being the best baby in the world, she threw me for a loop. I felt every day was like a day spent in the silly silo. I knew it was because I wasn’t giving myself any type of outlet. Sure, I was back to the old regular 5 mile run, but I was basically worthless…purposeless. I needed a challenge!

I saw the link for the iCan team on a friend’s Facebook page and entered, without thinking another second about it. I knew if I thought about it, I would talk myself out of it. I have always wanted to run a marathon but I’ve ALWAYS been saying, “I am just too busy right now”, or “I am so tired right now.” I realized in an instance (even with the utter chaos around me) that I would be saying that forever. There will always be a reason “I can’t” do it. But that didn’t matter anymore. I needed to push those reasons aside. So that is what I did, and have been doing for the past 3 months.

And it has definitely been a challenge.

I have still been up nursing in the middle of the night and I have still probably “sleep ran” through a number of runs. But I have never missed a mile. I have even had to hire babysitters to watch my kids so I can go for runs while my husband is out of town, or pushed a jogging stroller on fast tempo runs. And I have been tired, both physically and mentally. But it has been and it definitely will be worth it.

I absolutely cannot wait to see my husband and kids at the finish line after 26.2 miles and give them all giant hugs! They have earned it just as much as I have!