What is your Identity???

The Weekend:

Danielle and I got to see each other in something other than running shoes and pony tails! I Love this lady. She is a great High School asset I have received. I was so happy to see her this evening.

Saturday was my 20 year class reunion. I graduated in a class of about 140 students.  Only about 40 people showed up and that is a generous number. It was great to see everyone. I enjoyed everyone's company and wish I could have caught up even more. I would say  most everyone I maintained good relationships with. I was never a mean girl. I was the goofy girl. I was never the girl that the boys liked. I was probably closer to the class clown. I was the girl that got locked in the lockers by my friends, the girl kicked off the bus because she jumped out of the school bus window...I was not the girl anyone ever had a crush on. I was not one of the popular girls. I was not one of the athletic girls. I was not the smartest girl, the coolest girl or the girl that turned heads.
What was I?
I was the girl who was comfortable with me. I was not a "Try Hard". I didn't need to be in the cool club. I was friends with all them and that was good enough for me.  I didn't have enemies. And that was good for me. I got along with just about everyone. And I liked it that way. I have never liked it if someone didn't like me. This has gotten better over the years (the need to have everyone like you). Not everyone is going to join your Fan Club.

Allen, Sara, Terri and I

And for the most part 20 years later I still do get along with all of class of 1992. There were classmates that I didn't get to chat with, "Lori", "Summer" and a few others I wish I could have chatted with. There were classmates I wish would have come out so I could have caught up with them "Lisa", "Jeanine", "Christine" and many others. Overall it was nice.
There was one person that was still after 20 years  a snot to me. But that is on them.

I feel bad for people that still have that energy. I don't. I do not like being consciously mean to people. I just don't see the point in letting someone know you don't like them. We are 38. If you haven't built a bridge and got over it you probably never will!

But the one conversation that continued to surface with each classmate was "How's the running?" It appeared to be my identity. I thought to myself:  "Is this how I am known?" "Is it noble?" I felt guilty. After 20 years this was my title. I pondered if it was a bad thing or a good thing.

I Love Running. I love the person it makes me. My Running is a gift from God and I am so grateful to have this incredible gift. I have had sprained ankles, IT-band injury, surgeries from Acl and meniscus but I believe God continues to have me run. My running helps me lay my heartaches on the pavement and run down my demons. I run in the direction of HIS plan and fueled by HIS strength I am able to conquer the crap that this world wants lay down on me. Every step my foot hits the ground is a therapy session that gives me time to take ownership for my behavior and make a plan to recover from it.

Running may be part of how you know me. I hope you can see it not a bad thing. I believe it is a good thing.

My Guilty Pleasures:

With less than half the fat of regular chips and larger serving I love them! I actually hide them because my boys are a bunch of HUFFA MOOSES and eat them!! I am good a sharing but not my chips!!

Salt and Pepper are my absolute favorite.

RUNNING Jargon: Negative Splits
This term is not in relation to your romance life! It is not in reference to a dirty divorce or a need for a serious hair cut! It is simply defined by a runner who completes the second half of a course faster than the first half.
One of the BIGGEST mistake that runners do is going out too fast and then bottoming out at the end. We let the crowd run us and our adrenaline get the best of us while we pay for it later.
Runners Wisdom: For every second per mile you go out too fast in the beginning of your race you can run several seconds slower at the end.
TIP FOR practicing a NEGATIVE SPLIT: Run the first HALF of a out-and-back route at a slow and steady pace then kick it into gear on your return back home! You can also do it by TIME. say you run 30 minutes. Run the first 15 slower than your last 15 minutes.

RUNDOWN:
TIME:1:45
PACE:8:58
DISTANCE:11:66
DESCRIPTION: Hills &WIND?!! Seriously ouch! Ran with Andy the route I biked with Austin last week. It didn't seem so hilly on a bike. The wind was a Blessing and a Cursing!
WEEKLY MILES: 49 running.

" Life gives us brief moments with another...but sometimes in those brief moment we get memories that last a life time..."

Anita