Keeping Pace

Keeping Pace

Archives for February 2009

If the stars aligned

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My marathon is about 2 days away.  I shouldn’t be surprised that most people in my everyday life aren’t even aware that I am racing.  Perhaps some of you don’t even know.  I’ve really kept it quiet.

Once again, the Amazing Hip took on the task of coaching me.  Unlike my training for Chicago, I didn’t have 10 m0nths of training to put towards my race.  From the outset, I asked to limit my running to 3 quality days each week and cross-train the rest.  Part way through the training season, I re-evaluated my goals further and asked Coach to back the weekly mileage down.  In spite of difference, I enter into this race feeling ready.  I trained hard and although I do have a few pains in my left side, I am relatively injury-free.

I realize that the amount of energy that I was able to dedicate to my training for this marathon was not optimal for a Boston qualification (BQ) attempt.  Still, I do believe in miracles.   If the stars were to align I might just go for it and see what happens.

Going into this race, I am relatively relaxed.  I’ve taken the pressure off of myself to perform to any previously set standards.  This isn’t to say that I don’t have a goal.  I would love to finish this race in less than 4 hours.  That said, I am mildly optimistic that I might meet that goal, perhaps set a personal record (PR), or even get that BQ I’ve been chasing.

There are factors beyond my control such as…the weather.  It’s supposed to rain and that worries me some.  Then, there is the fact that none of my family or friends will be out on the course.  

Still, if the stars were to align…

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Winds of change

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I’m implementing a couple of changes:

  1. I agree that it is pain when you aren’t able to read an entire post via RSS feed. Still, I will only have summaries posting at this time.  
  2. I will be password protecting the “Dating and relationships” Category as well as a few other posts.  Please leave a comment here if you would like to have the password.

I am sorry for the inconvenience.  I hope you will stick with me.

Making right out of wrong

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The other day, I received an email from my dear friend asking me what the right thing to do when someone dies is.  With her question, she apologized for possibly stirring up the pain around my own loss.  And of course no apology is ever needed —  I am happy to make good of my painful journey. 

  

I told her that if she offered the typical ‘Is there anything that I can do?‘ to please be ready to offer suggestions.  It is so hard to know what help you need until you need it — and don’t have the the time to ask.  I gave her a list of things that people have done for me to ease my struggle and was surprised to find it was rather lengthy.  Of course my friend was among those who has helped me (and still is). 

  

My friend wasn’t like those who ask “what can I do?” and never do anything at all.  She made good of it, ‘cuz that is just the type of person she is.

 

As I said, my friend continues to give of herself for my benefit.  This is so nice because as you may or may not know, the pain never goes away completely, it just changes.  And everyday is just a little bit different.

 

This weekend, as YaYa burst into tears once again, and each week as I kneel down in church saying my “hello” to Tom and ask God to give me the strength that I need to keep on fighting my way through the pain, I give thanks for the many acts of kindness.  Big and small, it all adds up to a whole lot of love. 

 

 I hold my son and we let go of a little more pain for the injustice of it all – it IS different.  We don’t have to like it but we do need to make the best of it.  So… after hearing YaYa’s complaint that BoBo and his Dad are not with us to play games, pick on us, and laugh with, we try to make the best of it.  Two hours of Wii Fit followed by hot chocolate, cookies and watching the Oscar’s together and we are okay once more. 

 

We head off to bed, give thanks for the many blessings.  And I look forward to the opportunity to make right out the wrong anytime I can.  Please do not hesitate to ask.

 

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