Knock, Knock, Eugene...I'm Back.

So I am going to try really hard to talk just "running" for this post. It will be challenging as running is not where my mind or heart has been the past month. However I am feeling blessed for the opportunity to go to Eugene. Yes. Eugene is just 3 sleeps away and only 1 more sleeps until race weekend. Last year I had signed up for the full but darn PF caused me to have to downgrade to the half. I ran the half with one long run of 10 miles the week before. I was able to finally meet Meredith and her friend Marnee, who is now my friend as well. You get close real fast when you sleep with someone and get up at the crack o dawn for race day.
It really was a joy and blessing. I loved the course and did not want to stop at 13.1 but the cheers of the stadium somehow drew me in.


Here we are a year later and my life has been forever changed since that day a year ago in Eugene. I have come to know the Lord in ways I never imagined. My faith has been stretched to the point of barely hanging on. When I signed up for Eugene this year it was for a distraction from life. I needed to find someway to battle and stay strong. It did seem a little crazy. Chemo, Grad School, 3 kids and a full Marathon...why not?? I have to say signing up for Eugene has been one of the best things I have done. I had no training plan. Well actually I did, but I lost it for 2 weeks so that kind of shot that idea down. It was also a good reminder that plans are not something I have the luxury to experience very often these days. This "training" has been full of blessings. Short runs, missed runs (lots of them), long solo runs, runs with my buddy Quads, and even unexpected runs from distant buddies.

A few shot of some sweet friends who drove 6 hours to join me on my long run. We had so much fun and ended the adventure with well deserved cheeseburger bonding.

The running community has come along side me in prayer and encouragement as I have been slowly try to grind out the miles to get to Eugene. I have sweet friends who have loved me through a lot.

So here is what we are looking at. I ran 14 this past weekend, which I know is a little long but I needed the confidenece boost. Monday: 20 miles on trainer
Tuesday: 4 miles.
Wednesday: 25 minutes on trainer
Thursday: REST
Friday: REST/Travel

I haven't had much motivation to run...must be saving it for Eugene? Right?

Tomorrow I leave for Eugene with my good friend Quads. I am anticipating a fun road trip! I am also going to meet with Jess from Run with Jess for a shake out run on Saturday. This just sounds cool...even though I have never done it before. It will be chill and probably just a few miles. Then off to expo and waiting for my Vancouver posse to arrive. Best of all we have found a way for my hubby to be there. This was not the original plan but I knew if he wasn't there my motivation and heart would be low. I can't wait to get to that finish line. I am going to enjoy every step. I will be running for Boston and the people still hurting. I will run for my husband. Each mile I pray brings us closer to a miracle of healing. No P.R. in sight. No stess in sight. Just want to be there with my friends and husband. I am fully prepared to run through the pain. Pain that is so much more than physical.

God continually reminds me that I can do nothing without Him. There is no accomplishment or feat that will make me worthy or more bada$$ in his eyes. He loves me just as I am. Each and every step will come from Him. There is no training plan or number that will make my life more significant in His eyes. I share this because I feel that the world creates a culture where that is what counts. That is how you measure success. In reality that can be an empty lonely road. I am not saying you don't need goals or growth, this is all good. It is when those goals over shadow life that I feel it can get tricky. Bottom line we all want to get to the finish line of "something". Then after we do...we say what next or that's it? When really it can be just the beginning. I want to look around and say who do I need to thank, who can I help along the way and give thanks for my able body that got me there. So I will run, skip, walk, shuffle and crawl my way to that finish line as I know it is just one way God has me "strength training" to get through this thing called life. I won't be boasting that I am hard core, because I am not. Far from it! (which reminds me of a great post from my friend Kerri that made me laugh) I really don't have any desire for that. Instead I will say this. I try. I try everyday to balance my life and come to know God more in all I do...and that includes running 26.2 in Eugene!


Now...let's do this.