This weekend...ahhh! So much to say! Some emotions and experiences just can’t quite be put into words. Chris and I had a much needed weekend away! If you know us well, you know how rare these are, but 6 months of planning, we finally got one! Coordinating a trip away with four little ones isn’t easy but we are so grateful to those who understood our need and helped with the kiddos, allowing us to have this two days together...we are refueled and ready for whatever the weeks and months ahead have for us!
If you told me a year ago, I’d do what I did Saturday and like it, I would’ve laughed. I’m so glad I had the courage to try. I’m forever changed by Paris Mountain, my first trail race, my first 25k. I’m forever changed by the weeks of training it took to get there. (I’m learning each training cycle has its own set of victories, struggles, triumphs and failures.) It may seem trivial...running, fitness, healthy living...but it’s a challenge. It is hard. And yet it’s freeing, humbling, and cleansing. Our bodies were designed to move and be fed good food and nourished spiritually. When I connected with that innate desire to do so, it made me better. Made my failures easier to swallow, my disappointments in life less crippling. It made me a better wife, mother, Christian...a better me. It has created such a constant, firm foundation and opened the door to amazing adventure and opportunity. It’s somewhat quieted the busy that’s constantly in our face. I am so grateful this life found me. And I’m so grateful for where it will take the two of us and our four little amazing people in the future. ❤️
I’m so grateful for the experiences and the person, who has, for the better part of my life, been my greatest supporter and my rock. He told me I could climb Paris Mountain AND go a further distance than I’ve ever been. I believed him. And he was right. I can. And I did. And mostly because of the support he and my four children gave me. They, along with a handful of close friends have supported and encouraged me sooo well. They have seen the work put in it. They understand my relationship with not just running, but life, and they support me, and it's everything. It took all summer...Early mornings, big hills, long runs, healthy fuel, and lots of heart...it’s been work and yesterday it was all worth it. It’s made me better.
Life is full of so many choices, so many decisions, so many aspirations, successes, and failures. I’ve learned over the last several years, that even as an adult...even after you’ve married, graduated school, had a career, grown a family and are continuing to nurture your family, you don’t lose you. You are never too old, too far gone, too weak, too whatever to set a new goal. To aspire to do something. To do something that is important to you. Something maybe you’ve never done before. That’s what life is all about. Constantly pushing yourself to new goals, new achievements, always trying to be the best version of you.
I’m excited. Bursting with excitement of how training and completing my first 25k changed me. It was HARD but I did it. And every minute of that 5 hours, every mile of that 16, and every foot of that 3000 foot climb taught me something about myself, who I am, who I want to be, what’s important to me, and who I’m important to. It was a very difficult course. Very technical and exasperating at times, but I'm learning those are some of the most valuable times of a run. I am so glad living a healthy life and running after what seem way too big goals didn’t scare me away from trying. I know a lot of people don’t get it, but it makes me better and I’m so grateful. It’s easy to get in a rut. To just be. There’s ALWAYS something to work on and improve. There’s so much to do better...physically, emotionally, spiritually. But find something. Something to get after. To aspire to do and be. You don’t have to just exist because your mind tells you, you don’t belong there. Or it's too hard to change. Or you aren’t capable of achieving that goal. Try. You might just surprise yourself....
I would encourage you to find your thing. To set a new goal...spiritual, physical, emotional...whatever it is, but commit to it, do it. And when you reach that goal, set a new one! And run after it. And another and another! You won’t be sorry. It doesn’t stop the bad things from happening or the chaos from leaving your head spinning on occasion, but it makes it all manageable and doable. Find your tribe, find your thing, find your adventure and un-apologetically go do it! Live the good life. Make a life you don’t have to run from but run for! I never thought I’d be a runner but I know without a doubt I’ll run forever...
A before pic and a picture after one of the hardest 3 mile climbs I've done! Enjoying the view from the top and taking it in.
After! Done! I did what I thought I couldn't!
This weekend was pure magic! This past 6 months have been hard, and this weekend was healing. My heart, my head, my person...it's all refueled and ready for what's next! I couldn't be more grateful <3
