Things Unsaid

 

"And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." Marianne Williamson

Jiminy Crickets! I have been absent. After running Charlevoix Marathon, I went into hibernation mode. Hibernation Mode basically defines as "Sensory Overload". I go into a quiet place, trying to regroup, recover and redirect myself. 

I briefly caught my breath and my sister came in to visit me for a week. We had a lot of fun but I lost another week of writing. 

MILEAGE

I have been running still. 

June 14-20: 43 miles, Charlevoix marathon week.

June 21-27: 68 miles

June 28-July 4th: 67.2 miles

July 5-11: 59.3 miles

My miles are in the zone for my training plan I use, I love Hal Koerners training plan. 

That may look like a lot of miles but I do the 80/20 rule. 80% of my mileage is at 20%  and 20% of mileage is at 80% effort level. 

 

NUTRITION

My nutrition is very important to me. The average SEDENTARY female should be consuming on average 46 grams of protein. Protein helps speed up the recovery process after exercise. 

My post run smoothies average between 25-35 grams of protein. I use high protein yogurt, collagen and plant based protein. 

I hard boil eggs, 1 egg is on average of 6grams of protein. 

I love beans, 1/2 cup of beans provides about 7 grams of protein. 

Upcoming Races: 

OPEN SESEME! Races are opening left and right! The more races open, the broker I am getting! 

This past Saturday I earned my first official DNF! Ode to Laz is a last man standing format. I ran over 16 miles. I had so much fun. After finishing, I crewed Andy to an epic 50 miles! He did so good! 

July 17th I am running Loopty Loops. I have signed up for 12 hours. I am excited to go run loops, play in the woods and get a long run in. Every race is a training run preparing me for the next thing. 

August is my more serious race, North Country 50K. This is the same weekend as the CRIM. Its gonna be a tough weekend. 

Everyday is a gift. It may seem like a lot but its living life again. Its doing the hard things, accomplishing dreams, overcoming fears and challenges and self. Its being depleted, emptied and having to rely on God. I love relying on God. This is one of the biggest reasons I run these crazy races, it is an intimacy I have with God. 

 Things UNSAID:

This past weekend I was part of a truly epic weekend. Ode to Laz is a 4.16 mile course that runners run over and over at the top of the hour until they either don't make it into the corral or they drop out. 

I have volunteered at this race since it started 3 years ago. 

I have watched grit, perseverance, guttural passion that will either ignite a flame in you or scare the hell out of you. 

The first year I volunteered  that damn cancer had hijacked my body and I fought to be normal, to feel alive amongst rockstars. I was bald, shallow, hairless and hurting. I hid my cancer from everyone behind a 70's black afro and iridescent body suit with bell bottoms. It was that day I fell in love with Sarah Moore. This girl gave those men a run like no other and beat them all 2 years in a row. 

I showed up this year with LIFE running through my veins. 

ALIVE! 

Full of zest and animation. I was ready to cheer on all those runners especially Andy to 50 miles and Sarah to victory. 

Sarah has been in my shadows since cancer cheering me on and supporting me with love and kindness. 

That girl ran 41 yards/ hours, 168 miles and came in 2nd. 

But I must share this.  

Sarah came into one of the later laps broken and crying. My heart was so heavy for her as she willed herself back to the starting corral. Her body breaking, her spirit crushed, her voices defeating her, she cried through the starting line. 

We all rushed to Andrews van to meet her down the course. We knew she needed a voice stronger than her own. We knew she needed us. 

When we arrived at the stairs the other 2 runners climbed up and out of the woods with no trace of Sarah. We screamed and yelled her name from the top. My heart was beeping, my chest was heavy with concern for her. We saw her walking to the base of the stairs sobbing. 

Everyone yelled at her their own version of encouragement and she yelled back, "NO, I am DONE..." 

She cried and told us all to "F-off". I fought the tears back myself. 

I remembered this pain. God I remembered being so defeated by my cancer. I remember being so sick and so tired and so broken. I remember trying to be strong for everyone else but I just wanted to curl up and die. "WHATS the POINT" she yelled. 

And with that I walked closer to her. I wanted her to see me. I wanted her to see the point. I wanted her to see you don't quit in the middle, you quit when your done. And she was not done with that loop. I wanted her to see that it didn't matter how ugly it was she just had to finish. I wanted her to see that I believed in her the way she believed in me. 

I didn't have to say much, truth be told that girl picked up her boot straps, wiped her tears and somehow passed those boys who were 4 minutes ahead of her and came into the finish line like a stallion! 

"Anita, what did you say to her?" they all asked me. 

"It's not what I said, its what her heard." I responded. She heard my heart. 

She heard all of us. She saw us all there for her. 

She ran the farthest she has ever on that course. She finished that loop and a few more. She finished in second place but with grit and grace. A true champion. 

Collision: I know I am not for everyone. There are people out there that do not like my energy. But truth be told, my energy, my passion, my zeal is not malicious, not mean, not hurtful. Those that love me, love my explosive personality! We were created to encourage, love, support and lift others up. There is so much power in that. When we see others hurting, get out there, get uncomfortable for the love of them. Get over your sensitive egos and lift those hurting up! 

Sarah and I. After her finish and a little recovery, I got to enjoy a hug with her. 

Anita