The Starting Line - On your mark, get set...

My first blog post ever! Wow, I never imagined I would succumb to the blogging world. But alas, here I am, in all my social networking glory.

Hey there - I'm Mary Margaret. People now mostly just call me Mary. I was raised in the small town of Cullman, AL and that's where I call home.....even though it's not so small anymore (They now have a big movie theater, and even a Chick Fil A and a TJ Maxx.)  The Cullman I know is a small tight-knit community, where people are born, raised, and come back to raise children of their own. Where stores don't open on Sunday until 1:00 so you can go to church, and where the nearest package store is 30 miles outside the city, as well as the nearest shopping mall being an hour away. Where the movie theater only holds 3 movies, none of which were ever anything good it seemed, and where the county fair gets it's own big parade up and down US 31. To me, that will always be home.

 I am the oldest of three - My mom still lives in Cullman, while my sister Rachel lives in Calgary with her husband, and my brother Dallas is in the US Air Force and stationed at Moody AFB. The good Lord took my dad in December of 2006, after a battle with liver cancer, but somehow it made our family even stronger.I'm sure I will dedicate a posting to my dad in the near future :)

My boyfriend, Prateek, is one smart cookie and helps run one of his family business facilities down here in Florida. He's 11 years my senior, which isn't really a big deal unless you think about the fact that he was graduating college with his Chemical Engineering degree when I was 11 years old and in the 5th grade learning long division and fractions.

For lack of better terminology, I am addicted to running. I started going to a 5K running club with some friends back in April last year, and had never ran more than a few miles consecutively. In June last year, I signed up for my first half marathon. Now, one year later, I've completed 3 half marathons, 3 10Ks, countless 5Ks and have my sights on the full 26.2 at some point within the next year. Running allows me to clear my mind, stay in shape, be happy - plus I can eat as much ice cream as I want and only feel slightly guilty about it! Running makes me feel alive, and there's no better feeling than how I feel after a long run. 

Unfortunately, running is also one of the most harsh sports for the joints - my left knee is currently angry at me for all this running I've done in the last year, so I haven't been able to lace up the Aasics for a solid month now....and I am about to go bat crazy! But more on that later.

I decided to name my blog after running, not only in the literal sense but because I am always hyper, going around doing something. I feel like I can never sit still -- if I had the choice of going on a vacation to a tropical island oasis to lay at the beach all day, or going on a cross country hike through a rainforest, I wouldn't think twice and start shopping for hiking boots. If I ever have a spare few minutes, I try to find something to do instead of just sitting down to relax - it's not on purpose, but I catch myself doing it all the time.  Who knows where the energy comes from, but as long as I have it I'm going to take advantage!

For the most part, I want to use this blog as a way to express myself, take a time out and reflect on what's happening. Sometimes I feel like my life just flies by, and I don't want to forget the little things.  I figure it's also a good way to let people in on what's going on with me - I've always loved writing, and sometimes there are dilemmas, questions, or experiences that I have that I'd love to get out in the open and maybe get some feedback on. Whether its a criticism, encouraging word, or just a comment to say how crazy or ridiculous (or awesome!) I am, I'd love to hear it!