Lots of Good Stuff

I received this a couple weeks back and it has been hanging on my refrigerator smiling at me everyday. I was making some decisions about my marathon plans and realized everything is centered on this one marathon. Do I keep training through this leg thing or give it a rest and allow it to heal so that I can do a complete new training cycle for Boston? Do I rest and let the iron store come back up more quickly? And Boston is still for fun so what after that? Lots of things running through my head but I am happy to have made a few decisions that make me happy and that I feel content tot let my intuition guide me.

Tomorrow I will be registering for a marathon that I have wanted to run for years but it fills up as quickly as Boston or Chicago does so I have always missed out it. It is the Bayshore Marathon in Traverse City, MI. A beautiful resort town in upper Michigan that is very sought after course due to temps, course and scenery. It is 6 weeks after Boston. My intention for Boston has always been - I want to run this race for fun and in celebration. I want to take it all in without regard to having to run XYZ time. I want to be able to stop and hug family and take a quick photo and slap high fives with the crowd! Just absorb the day in all its glory which is sometimes hard to do when you are focused on PRing.

On another note, I ran into a running friend this evening at a neighborhood event and she said sorry for my struggles. I always think it both sweet for someone to be sympathetic but always uncomfortable for me. My response was that I am not at all sorry about all this stuff. I am feel so so so blessed to be on this path. These tests are simply to make me stronger and for that there is no need for sympathy. I need everyone of these experiences to make into the runner I need to be to reach my goals. I frickin get to run and do what I love day in and day out!!!!! You simply can not have the good without the bad. I really love every single day that I am on this path. Yes, tears have been shed while on this journey but I am human and the tears are always my way of surrendering my will to the God. I am learning so much both running-wise and in my walk with God. I am learning to stretch my faith and trust in something bigger than my own will. 

I have actually had a shift in how I view the obstacles that has really made all the difference. I truly believe that every obstacle is just a test of faith and there is something that I am suppose to learn from the obstacles so I work hard to see what is I am suppose to learn patience, compassion, love, gratitude, obedience. I am learning to have grace with myself and the process. I have been enjoying the process of finding God's miracles wrapped up in all this wonderment of the journey. 

In the end and to be cliche, it is not the destination - it truly is the journey  I am enjoying my journey to the fullest! Life is simply not about the achievement of something but for me it the lesson learns, the people you met and the experiences that change you to your core. I am content, I am Happy, I am supported by the best in the business of coaching and healing and I have the faith a 1000 men.  Life is simply beautiful!!! 

And one more thing to note, I had another rockin MP workout today. I think my coach had me lessen the volume of the run but make it a bit quicker. Really trying to get my body use to what marathon pace should feel like. Again I really had to commit to running this pace and not letting off the gas as when my mind was not focused on the effort I would find myself slipping to the 7:40s. There comes a point in both a training run and a race that you have to commit to the discomfort and not back off. Today was another day is helping me to prepare. For whatever reason, my body or mind just didn't feeling like working today but somewhere in the second mile I just committed myself to this run and finished out right on track. 

2 miles easy, 6 miles at 7:27, 7:31, 7:30, 7:33, 7:31, 7:24, 2 easy cool-down 

Here is another VLOG post