Goodbye June

 "We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty." Maya Angelou

Summer is my favorite season. 

Running in the summer can have its challenges but wearing shorts trumps most of those challenges for me. Running with the sun beating down on my bare skin is like heaven to me. I feel the warm embrace of summer, the fragrance of flowers, the blue skies sparkling and my little heart patters to play outside. 

June was a great month to run with her cooler mornings and little rain. 

Total miles: 268.

Total elevation:17,081

Total days running: 21

LOOPTY LOOP 8 hour race: I signed up for this 8-hour event a week prior to the race. I thought I would use it as a training run, not race it. In the 4 weeks leading up the race I had raced Highball to Thurmond 50 miler, and we had hiked the Grand Canyon, putting in over 30 miles of hiking, my body was still in recovery mode. 

Even with temps reaching the 90's I was running the 3-mile loop with an average 12min/mile. It came to the last couple hours, and I had to stay true to my word, NOT RACING. Turns out I was 2nd place female and had enough time to go back out for one more but called it. 37 miles, a perfect long run. 

Discipline is more than mental. I had to reign in my competitive spirit, run humbly and with content. 

We all have that EGO that like dictate our actions. The more we listen to our ego and our pride, the less we live with humility. Ego and pride robs us of interpersonal security. I would find myself battling this out. 

It came down to "MY WHY". Stay true to yourself and be content with your victory and secure with your choices. We allow too many minor choices become major decisions in our pride and ego and most of the time you are the only one that cares that much! 

I love all sports, I'm actually terribly unathletic but I make up for that in spirit!

 We played a lot of games camping. 

We play card games, putt putt and our own version of badminton! I won, I lost I had fun!

Hello JULY! 

"The Butterfly does not look back upon its caterpillar self, either fondly or wistfully: It simply flies on." Guillermo del Toro 

We have had more heat that sun. July brought in "Air Quality" alerts. 

I still ran, right or wrong I ran. 

Andy and I took our camper this weekend to Frankenmuth to get away. Pine Ridge Campground was in the middle of corn fields.

Andy and I went for a long run together and discovered very quickly there was nothing to protect you from the heat. 

I ran 20 miles in the baking heat, 16 miles with him. Heading back to our campground I spotted something fluttering in the grass. We were running on the side of the road, many miles we had just inches from the road. It was a stunning yellow butterfly resting in the grass. I stopped as Andy continued running unaware of my curious pause. 

I felt Andy standing over me as this gentle butterfly crawled up my arm, around my neck and unto my cheek leaving Andy in amazement. 

After a couple minutes the inquisitive yellow butterfly fluttered away leaving me with so many thoughts. 

Butterflies cannot see their wings. 

They are unaware of their beauty. I thought of many people in my life that are so beautiful. I also thought of so many people who do not see their beauty. 

Let us not let the world harden our hearts and close our eyes to the beauty that surrounds us. 

Let the reminder of the butterfly whisper You are Beautiful. 

You may not see your worth or value, but you are fearfully and wonderfully made. 

You are a beautiful creation. 

PRAYER REQUEST: a very Dear friend of mine was attacked by a dog yesterday running a route from her house. She suffered a broken collarbone, stitches and is home recovering. The mind can do a lot with am attack like this. 

Will you please lift Kris up in prayer as she recovers from her physical wounds as well as their other wounds that we do not see. 

In Peace, not Pieces, 

Anita