My New Marathon

Being a mom draws so many parallels to running it is eerie. Anecdotes about motherhood were shared with me by friends and family from the time I announced my pregnancy, but only after Camryn’s arrival did I truly begin to understand its enormity. Motherhood is like a marathon. When you train for a race, you can only hope you are prepared for the challenges you will face on race day. Pregnancy is spent preparing in a similar fashion. Endlessly imagining what your life will be like with your new addition, fearing an inability to live up to the demands, and yearning for the elation you will feel when you meet your child for the first time. Once the race begins, questions race through your mind: Will I be able to do this? What difficulties lie on the road ahead? And feelings of excitement engulf you: This is the day I have been waiting for, working so hard for, looking forward to. The daily challenges of motherhood are paralleled in what you experience during the course of any road race. There are uphill climbs and downhill strides. Water stations that so often seem miles and miles ahead. An internal drive to continue moving forward. Best of all, there are always smiling spectators, ready to cheer you on when you most need a boost of confidence. Camryn is three months old now, which places me only inches past the starting line of that coveted 26.2 mile race. I have just started my watch, just begun the journey of a lifetime. Motherhood: My New Marathon!