A post to the birthday boy..

I feel like my posts recently have either been mushy like why I choose to run, or giveaways (KonaKase and Vitacost are still live!), but I’m going to throw another softie post at you. In honor of Jared celebrating his 29th birthday this weekend, I wanted to dedicate a post to him 🙂

I don’t want to exploit him too much in this post, but I am very thankful to have him in my life. We both had our fair share of baggage from the past, but moving beyond that and living in the present.

I met Jared at some point in the early 2000s. We worked together at an auto parts store, and while we lived about three blocks away from each other we never once hung out or really socialized outside of work at all.  I had a boyfriend, he had a girlfriend, I got engaged, he got engaged, I got married, he got married. I got divorced. He got divorced.

I spent many a nights dining on chicken and pasta, snacking on tortilla chips and salsa, drinking wine, and watching Lifetime movies. Seriously, this was my life. On repeat.

Whether it be fate or just a fortunate timing of events, during one of my Lifetime/wine nights back in February, 2010, I happened to post my status on Facebook as something along the lines of “Lifetime and wine..” And Jared happened to be at a bar only a few blocks away, saw my status, and sprung up a conversation via Facebook. Much messaging back and forth and perhaps a little bit of alcohol later, we had our first reunion since working together nearly eight years prior.

The next couple years had their share of ups and downs. “Ons” and “Offs.” During one of our “offs” I really got in tune with taking care of myself, and was inspired to run a 5k. I had dabbled in the gym a bit with Jared towards the beginning of our “relationship” or whatever you wanted to call it, but I wasn’t serious about fitness and used it as a way to spend more time with him. As the time for my 5k got closer, Jared and I reconnected, and he raced with me. And ran next to me the entire way. Holding my hand, in a non-literal sense.

We then went on to run another race a month later, this time I had the confidence to run on my own, and PR’d at 34:03.

Months later, the confidence that I had carried over into the gym, and even though Jared didn’t directly start me with the NROLFW program, it was the initial self confidence that he gave me to push through.

Just over a year ago, he moved in, and has been stuck with me ever since.

I won’t say that things have been easy, nor will I say that things are perfect, but he has stuck by my side and has completely supported me throughout all of my fitness and life ventures!

I love you, Jared, and happy 29th 🙂 And happy race day!!!!!! 😉