Lessons Across the Miles

My goal is to finish the race. I don't care about my time, I just want to enjoy the experience, do something to help people, and have fun. 

I have said this over and over again in the past four months. But deep in my ever so competitive heart I was keeping track of my times and hoping to finish within a certain time frame.  I wasn't admitting it out loud but I did care about my time - until this past week.

Our team had a meeting one night last week to talk about our travel, preparing for the race, and the overall plan for our event weekend.  During that meeting there were several things said by coaches and mentors that resonated with me:

- You have all worked so hard for this event. You need to soak in the beautiful scenery and enjoy this experience.

- This is a journey not a destination

- There is nothing like your first marathon

- Your time is not what is important, covering the distance you need to is what is important

Over the course of my training I had strained my IT band (most likely from pushing myself too hard for that time I didn't care about).  For the most part it is just a nuisance causing some tenderness, but there have been times when it sends a shooting pain through my leg.  I have been babying my knee, not training as hard as I would like, so that I can complete the marathon in less than three weeks.

On Saturday as we started our 20 mile run I found myself running with a group that paces a bit slower than I normally run.  As the miles added up our group started to spread out along the course.  I was running with the same woman I had been running with throughout the training.  I probably push myself a bit to keep pace with her at times.  She has an abundance of energy at the end of a race where my energy is about depleted.  When we came to the water stop at about mile 15, my calves were starting to cramp so I stopped to stretch and told her to go on with our coach while I waited for the group behind us.  I finished the run with the group that paces a bit slower but it felt good. I felt better those last five miles taking it easier on my body, enjoying the slower pace, and getting to know some new people.  

I truly want to embrace this experience.  By running at a little slower pace and not pushing myself so hard, I might be able to take in a bit of the scenery and soak up the experience. I know there will be tough points along the route where I will hit a wall and maybe feel like quitting. The good thing about being part of a team is there are people there to hold you up, support, cheer, and encourage you along the way.  

I could push myself harder, try for a better time but really will five or ten or even fifteen minutes matter?  I will just have run 26.2 miles, raised over $3600 for cancer research, and made some incredible friends - those are the things that matter.  I have made peace with not running for a time. I am going to go out and run the best race I can and cross the finish line hopefully with a smile on my face.

Dr's Visit and Weekend

I think the hearing has finally returned to my right ear after Landon's shots on Friday.  He screamed. loud. blood curtling screams. even before the needle went into his leg. yeah. not fun. 

Landon's stats: 39 1/4 inches tall, 35.5 lbs

Mauryn's stats: 29 inches long, 18 lbs 12 oz  

On Saturday I had my longest run before the marathon - 20 miles.  It went as well as could be expected - it was a gorgeous spring day. I was thankful for sunshine and cool breezes.  Only 3 weeks until the marathon. It is coming so quickly! 

Yesterday was a very quiet and relaxing day - just like I enjoy on a Sunday.  In the afternoon, we loaded up the bikes and went into Boise to bike on the greenbelt along the Boise River with our neighbors. It was so beautiful! I have run a few times along the greenbelt in the past month, but we were able to explore some new areas and parks.  After biking, we went to a new pizza/sandwich place outside of the downtown area. The food was great and a perfect place to take the kids.  It was a perfect Mother's Day with lots of family time. 

Neighbors

Nearly ten years ago we moved out of our first home.  We were young, everyone around us was young, either in vet school or graduate school, and no one really paid attention to the idea of being neighbors or neighborly.  We were all in transition knowing this was a place to rest our heads for a few years and then move on to bigger and better things.

When we purchased our first house it was in a newly developing neighborhood. We had hoped to buy a house in an established neighborhood with a yard and trees, but there just wasn't much on the market in the small town where we would be living.  We bought a new house, planted grass, put in bushes, put up curtains, and tried to turn this house into our home.  

The day we moved in to our house there was a HUGE thunderstorm that caused us to loose power for almost 24 hours.  Within a short time of the power going out, we had two neighbors (who we hadn't even met yet) come to the door with power cords so we could plug into their generators to keep our sump pump running (otherwise our basement would have flooded).

We lived in that house and neighborhood for 7 years.  Our neighbors became some of our closest friends.  They were people I could call on if I was running short on kitchen ingredients or to help watch kids spur of the moment.  They were people who welcomed us home with our first two children. They were the people we would spend time with in the evenings in our backyard - pushing kids on the swings, catching them on the slide, and playing ball. 

I liked our house but I LOVED our neighborhood and our neighbors. They made our small town feel like home. There were nights spent on decks watching fireworks or listening to music from downtown during the summer festival.  

Two and a half years ago we made the decision to move out of state.  One of the hardest things was leaving my neighbors.  I knew we had been blessed to be part of a wonderful neighborhood for those seven years.

The day before we moved into our house here we met our next door neighbors.  We learned they were Midwestern transplants like us and there was an instant connection.  Within our first week here they had introduced us to their friends, had us over for dinner, and had taken us to a baseball game.  They were so wonderful about making us feel at home, so far away from everyone and everything we knew.  They graciously answered my questions about garbage pick up, where to go grocery shopping, and the most convenient places to mail packages and get stamps.

We have come to rely on our neighbors as our family.  We celebrate birthdays and holidays together, share dinners or desserts on a regular basis, and serve as backup spur of the moment babysitters for each other.  

This past weekend someone told me " I hope you know how lucky you are to have such great neighbors."  I don't think I honestly realized what a blessing it is to have great neighbors.  I just assumed it was like this for other people as well.  I have come to realize we have been truly blessed, not once but twice with terrific neighbors who are more like family to us than friends.

Bonnet Beauties

Surprise

As we were rounding the corner of mile nine on our run on Saturday, we saw a purple tent set up with staff members from our local team in training office.  They were standing by cheering us on as we turned to finish our last five miles.  As we were leaving the park, one of the workers run up beside us and said "You arrived ahead of schedule. Your families are on their way and will be here when you return."   

The last few miles the thought of seeing my family kept pushing me through to the end.  I was surprised to see that not only had my family made it but also our wonderful neighbors.  

I got a little taste of what it will be like on marathon day.  The cow bells ringing, the signs waving, and the feeling of great accomplishment.

Thank you Lance, Morgan, Landon, Mauryn, Pat, Val, Amiah, and Cooper for coming to surprise me! I know it wasn't easy coordinating everyone's schedules to be at the finish line but it really made my day to see all of you there supporting me.

the final leg of the run

this is right after i finished - ignore the bed head, sweaty head, in need of a haircut hair

why i didn't drop my coat along the way i will never know - it was such a pain to have that thing on me during the run

the family

* thanks Val for taking pictures :o)

Photo Contest

(photo entered in this contest)

This picture is taken the day our daughter arrived, the day we became a family of three, the day my husband became a father, and the day we started this parenting journey together. It encompasses the beginning of my journey into motherhood.

Notes

Usually all our mailbox contains is catalogs, advertisements, other forms of junk mail, and of course bills.  

A few weeks ago I had an unexpected surprise in the mailbox.  A note. Handwritten. From a friend. It wasn't my birthday or a special occasion. It wasn't a thank you note. It was just a kind, sweet note from one friend to another. 

The words in the note could easily have been written in an email. Instead this friend took time to pick a note card and handwrite her message.  There is something special about the time and care taken to handwrite a message.  The handwritten note or letter is almost a lost from of communication with the invention of email.  I know I am guilty of sending of a quick note over email rather than taking the time to put those same words to pen and paper.  

Since we moved, Morgan has been sporadically writing letters back and forth with her friends. Each time a letter comes in the mail, her eyes light up and she finds a quiet place to read her letter.  Then she hangs on to each letter or card like a treasure.  She finds a special place for them and rereads them often.  At the age of 8, she understands the time, effort, and love put into each letter or note.

The wonderful thing about the handwritten note or letter,  is that it is something to hang on to and treasure. I have a few I have received over the years that had messages in them that touched my heart. I keep those notes in a special place and when I am having "one of those days" I can pull them out and refresh my spirit.  

I am going to help out the postal service and make it my goal to send at least one handwritten letter or note a week.  I am going out to buy some cute note cards and stationary to make writing my notes a little more fun.  Or maybe I will carve out time to hand stamp note cards!  

Dear bloggy friends if you want to be added to my list of recipients, you can email me your address.  I would love to send you a handwritten note.  There is just something special about seeing a piece of real mail amongst the junk mail and bills.

* my email address can be found on my profile page