If you knew me as a child or young adult, you knew that I was never much of a runner. I loved to hike, walk and be outdoors but I was never into running. In June 2010 a friend met me with a challenge to complete a half marathon in October 2010 (Divas Run in Long Island).

A half marathon is 13.1 miles, a distance I knew I could walk easily. The key to get the sparkly medal of completion is I had to finish wtih a time under three and a half hours. After all, wasn't it the medal the whole reason I entered the race to begin with or was it the pride of finishing the race?

Over the next few months, I trained by walking and running around my neighborhood. I ran at least four times a week during the months leading up to the race. I even splurged and purchased my first pair of "running" shoes from Road Runner along with the proper running clothes. I wanted to look like I was a runner, not just someone out for a walk. I was also told that a key factor to succeeding was to have shoes that were comfortable and supportive for the distance of the race.

The months flew by and race day came. I made the several hour trek from NJ to Long Island with my friends. I had done everything I could to prepare for this day. What I wasn't ready for was how many people were going to be there. Over a thousand men and women came to run. It was a mix of seasoned runners and beginners (just like me!).

I walked to the back of the pack to find my pacer and grew even more excited with anticipation of running this event. It wasn't long after I arrived that I heard  the horn blast, signaling the commencement of the race. I anxiously waited until the sea of runners before me set off onto the course. It seemed like it took a long time for the pack to move, allowing the 14-minute mile pacer to start towards the starting line. Upon crossing that line, I started running my first marathon.

I started getting nervous because although I knew the time limit was a critical part of the race although, I wasn't prepared for the short yellow bus following close behind the last runners just waiting to pick up those who couldn't make it. I started really pushing myself to distance myself from the bus so I wouldn't become one of those who had to climb on board.

Within the first two miles I lost my my original racing buddy in the crowd, but I slowly learned that racers make fast friends during the race. I found a group of women who were walking/running at my pace and we decided to run the marathon together. Strangers became friends as we spent the next three hours encouraging each other through the course. Around mile nine, I started to struggle wondering if I had anything left to get me the next few miles to the finish line. Not only had my new found friends cheered me on, but I heard cheering coming from the sidelines. The words rang loud and true for me. "You are over halfway there. Don't give up now!" These people didn't know me but they knew that a kind word could boost a person's spirit and help them get to the finish line.

At mile twelve, I was met by spirited volunteers passing out tiaras and boas. Mainly high school kids, they chanted that there was just over a mile to go. "Don't give up now, you have come too far," one said to me as she handed me my tiara and boa. The excitement from the kids helped to recharge me and I was ready to take on the last bit of the marathon.

The final stretch of the race meandered thru a park walking path lined with total strangers cheering you on. I got emotional during the last tenth of a mile, I  looked to the sidelines to see fellow racers who had already finished cheering for me to finish. They cheered the loudest because they knew what it had taken for me to get to this moment in time.

I crossed the finish line and was greeted by local firemen who presented me with the sparkly medal I had just earned. I finished my first race in three hours and twenty-two minutes.

Since then, I have finished a total of four half marathons, and I plan to finish a lot more, but my first will always be my most memorable.