My Heart took me running but I forgot to grab my brains!

 "The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start."
-John Bingham

I decided today would be a good day to get my long run out of the way. Sundays or Mondays are typically when I like to tackle my distance but Monday my kids are off school and home with me. 
I tried to guilt Andy into running part of my 14 mile run with me. I even sent a text to my long lost running partner Heidi. She has a new job and her schedule is a bit hectic these days.
It was 10:30 and I was desperately seeking someone to share on ANY part of next 2 hours pounding the pavement.
My phone alerted me I had a TEXT... It was Heidi..."PLEASE Please, join me, even for 2 miles." I thought. She responded with a "YES"!  Heidi wasn't available until 4:30 but could do 4 or 5 miles with me. I was tickled pink!! I was so grateful that I could hardly wait to lug my body out in 29 degree weather for over 2 hours of monotonous running!

I spent 25 minutes stretching and rolling my IT-BAND. And was surprised my leg wasn't as painful rolling as it had been for the past 3 weeks. This is a good sign.

All dressed, I grabbed my Juice Plus Chews, 2 pieces of gum, water with CHIA seeds, and headed out the door.

Now I am not the sharpest tool in the shed. I have never claimed to be but this was the 3rd time I miscalculated  my run in 5 weeks. SIMPLE MATH.
Thank God today my legs worked better than my brains!!!
 I left my Chia H2O at home to do a 6 mile loop where I grab my Chia H2O and carry it to Heidi's.  I would drop it off at her house and together continue on. Drop her off after 6 miles, grab H20 and run home.
6mile loop
6miles with Heidi
2 miles home
14 miles

CAN You figure out what I didn't add in?????????????????????????????????????????????
If you answered the miles to Heidi's house- could you please share some brains with me??!!
I just turned 14 miles into 16 and couldn't believe I was still standing when I got home. Not only standing but feeling pretty good. Maybe not "pretty good" just not "pretty bad"!

ICE*Motrin* Elevate*

"Marathon running is a terrible experience: monotonous, heavy, and exhausting."
Veikko Karvonen, 1954 European and Boston Marathon Champ

When I have to run that long I battle with so many demons. It is not easy. I do it because it is part of the training, part of the package. But I am not gonna lie..It SUCKS. It is cold, windy, I am layered and uncomfortable. I worry about my body, blisters, and my sugar not dropping.
Today I had Hope. I didn't even notice the temps, my feet, the wind or the miles or minutes. I couldn't think about anything but seeing "Heidi".  She always has this incredible smile. She was there for me when I needed her. What a incredible feeling. She was such a blessing to me. Heidi just helped her sister with her long run on Friday, doing 10 miles with her! And Now she was helping me!
Do you know how good it feels when you are all alone, when you have to do something you are dreading and someone says..I will do it with you, You are not going to have to do this alone. ANYTHING...I would have taken Anything...2 miles...30 minutes...It was such an encouragement to me.
Everything hurts more when there is no one there to support you. It feels like it will never end. The obstacles seem more difficult and defeat appears clearer then accomplishment.
But today...There was Help..Encouragement..Support... Faith and Ambition..
Today I was not only able to finish...But finish Farther...Stronger and Sorer! LOL

Proverbs 20:6 “Many will say they are loyal friends, but who can find one who is truly reliable?” (NLT)

Can I encourage you to be someones Silver lining? Be their  Glimmer of Hope..Maybe you can't go the full distance...But any little bit, I promise could be someone else's Blue Sky.
Not just in running..In Life. It may be a little uncomfortable for you, It may even interrupt your agenda..But it will Make Someones Else's Journey a little Better, a little Easier and  a little Happier.

BTW..I am laying here in bed..My toosh is soo sore, my legs feel like rubber and I am exhausted. I took a hot bath and thought it was the magic remedy...But all that pain is slowly surfacing.....It is going to be a long night!!
Thankful For My RUNNING Partners to the fullest. Each one have been there for me. I wouldn't be where I am at without them the last year. Soo blessed for those Angels God has given me...
All My Love  TO Heidi, Katie and Danielle.

CHECK IN TOMORROW TO LEARN A LITTLE MORE ABOUT MY CHIA!!

Anita

Danielle: My Gift

They said the weather was going to be 44 degrees. But by the time I arrived at Indian Springs it was only 26 degrees. The sky was a brilliant pink shade and the sun was shining. There was a jeep and a van already there at 9 in the morning.
I was hoping to see Katie but she didn't make it. Danielle showed up soon after me. She was lightly dressed as usual, only wearing a pair of black running pants, a long sleeve running shirt and a jacket...Yeah and by a jacket I mean something that looks like you would wear in the spring. I had 3 layers on and one for back up!
I was excited to see Danielle but also sad to not see Katie because Katie keeps us at a comfortable pace of about 8:45 minute miles...Danielle and I run almost directly on the same page. This means today she was going to be pushing me!

As much as I love being pushed - running hard it HURTS. When you are done and look at your watch that pain and fatigue are all worth it. We started out of the gate running that first mile at a respectable 8:37 pace. The first mile is always hardest so it felt more like cheetah pace to me.
But we were both at conversation pace, laughing and carrying on like old friends. I still can not believe God put her in my path! I look back over the last few weeks that we have been running and know she is a gift from God. The fact that she found me after 20 years running in the  BOSTON MARATHON was truly miraculous. Even after the marathon we didn't keep in contact till just a few weeks ago. She was reading my blog and that is how we reunited. See Danielle was burnt out after Boston. All that training and running had taken its toll. She needed a break. Almost 6 months she scaled back. Never totally stopping but she layed low.
Funny how I look at her running next to me. Her lean legs look like they are moving effortlessly. She looks like a Gazelle. Danielle is tall and slender. She runs so graceful, never missing a beat, almost like she is floating on the air. I feel like a bull. My body is feeling every step and I can hear my breath huffing and puffing into the brisk air. I can tell we are hustling but I am afraid to look at my watch. Afraid I am going slower that I feel like!
I look at Danielle and see her grab her side, I was comforted to know she was feeling a little pain.  I was struggling with a side stitch myself for a while now. But I was so happy to have her next to me, to push me to my limits, her company trumped my side stitch, my lack of oxygen and my sore legs.
She is like my gift from God. We run so well together. I started to whine about mile 6. "Are we almost to 6 miles yet? UGH!"
There is a steady incline at mile 7. We were moving. I decided to have a look. 7:45 minute miles. WOW! I haven't ran this hard in weeks.  Muscle Memory. Although for the last few weeks I have scaled back my body didn't forget what it was capable of. Dreading the hill, I fixed my eyes on the large oak tree over the top of it. All you could hear from her and I was our feet methodically hitting the ground and our heavy breathing reminding us we were not dead so we better run on!

We finished at a 6:40 pace out of breath, winded and sweaty. But we also finished thankful, blessed and proud of ourselves. Running together today made me soo thankful to have her. It not only motivated me today it also inspired me for our future together. I am Loving Danielle and her encouragement.

  "Enjoy your pain, you've earned it." - Anonymous

RUNDOWN:
PACE:7:59
DISTANCE:8:01
TIME:1:04

Anita