We Run United!

Good morning, everyone, It’s been sooo long since I’ve written… Not for lack of trying. I’ve been really busy doing research for future blogs, dealing with health issues, and picking up extra hours at work. I want to share a little positivity this morning as we begin our week!

Over the weekend I participated in the Cap City 5 mile race, along with many of my fellow running-crazed friends. This year looked much different than I anticipated; as with many things where we hope for a specific outcome, sometimes we are thrown a curve ball that causes us to change and adapt to the circumstances. First, I want to say, that I’m not the only one who struggled to run this year. Most of my friends in run group, those who typically run the half or full marathon, had to go down to the 5 mile race instead. I don’t mean to say that the 5 mile isn’t still a great race and challenging in its own way; but I’m proud of all of us for recognizing what our body needs in the moment, what we can handle and what will help us be successful in our future runs. Most of the runners in my group were injured. I know this because every week they show up at run group putting in the time and doing what they can; this can look like walking instead of running or simply showing up to show support for others in the group.  I’ve been running for most of my life, and I know that there are seasons where I feel great and seasons when I need to rest. I’ve learned to adapt to the changing cycles, but even when I’m resting from an injury or fatigue, I’m still moving my body and trying to maintain my strength. I do something every day to help me maintain my fitness level and make me feel strong in my mental, emotional and physical health.

This can look like taking a yoga class, strength training, going for a long walk, or spending extra time in an Epsom salt bath. I’ve had some challenges lately with my health: with back and hip pain, sciatica and a large ovarian cyst that I just found out about a couple months ago; with all these challenges, I haven’t been running much at all, but Thursday I had a great run, so I thought I was good for Cap City! Well, when I was only about 2 miles into the race, my cyst flared up and I had to stop and walk, or hobble, for a couple more miles.

What helped me through the last mile was seeing all my friends gathered on the sidelines cheering me on! I’m so grateful for the love and support from my friends, who are always there offering support and cheering me on despite their own setbacks. Though I had my own challenges, my friend Alisha is the real hero! She ran the half marathon, despite having a broken toe and acute back pain. She has been battling her broken toe for many months, which grew into back and hip pain, and has been receiving massage, chiropractic care and seeing specialists to help her get ready for Cap City. During the race she said she was feeling dizzy, nauseous, and said her toe went out and her back hurt really bad. I called her while she was still running, asking if she needed us to come pick her up; but she said, “No, I need to finish!”  

As a runner, I’ve been through pain like this before… I’ve cried many times, during a run and many times after I’ve finished. After I got off the phone with Alisha, I waited with several others about a mile from the finish line, and it was a beautiful thing to see everyone gather around her as she ran by us; making sure she was ok and able to keep going. This is what I love so much about Cap City; what truly matters is the love, support and comradery. We’re all running our own race, but we are together none-the-less, supporting each other in our own individual journeys. Yesterday's race was truly an inspiration, and a whole lot of fun! I'm lucky to have such an amazing group and support system surrounding me. I'm truly blessed ❤️❤️❤️