This past weekend I ran double halves. No, really. I intentionally laced up my shoes, glided my body and ran 13.1 miles on Saturday and Sunday morning in 96% and 81% humidity respectively on purpose. No one has ever called me sane, why should we start now. I was with an amazing group of women, all of different sizes, paces and passions on this trek who motivate me all in their own way. I also had an additional amazing group of friends and family I have know forever and friends I only know virtually or met a short time ago cheering me on from afar and supporting me whether they realized it or not. All about the live and virtual cowbells people.
I once posted an entry about why I run. I have written about running being a team sport, okay, so I wrote about it twice - I am a writer, it's what I do. It is a team sport, and if you have ever run with a group, be it 1 mile or 100, you know that.
But I digress, as I often do - I know.
Too often we set goals for ourselves, realistic or maybe not so much, and when we don't hit them, we feel like a failure. When we don't crash through barriers, we feel like finishing alive isn't enough and I am here to tell you IT IS ENOUGH. I didn't set any PRs this weekend, heck, my times were some of my slowest ever but I still ran 13.1 miles, twice. I still ran through the finish line both days and heard my name "eRun Erin D Reilly has finished." I still completed 2 half marathons and got the bling.
Saturday I ran into a friend that I met at a New Year's race and helped him through the last 4 miles with wicked calf cramps, didn't think twice about stopping to help him stretch them. Didn't think about the time that I would be posting as I ran over the finish line with him into the arms of my wonderful man who came to cheer on my victory. This was my 10th half, it was supposed to be my PR - life had many other plans so it was, and always will be, my 10th half regardless of time. It was awesome.
Sunday was made of all hills (yes, a town in Texas that has NOTHING BUT UPHILLS) and when my body told me enough, I actually listened and walked up those hills (I still ran down, I am only so reasonable). I ran with my wonderful friend as long as I could then made the trek myself. I met a 13 year old girl and her mom who were running together, it was the 13 year old's first half and I had the honor of experiencing it with her and it was motivational.
Both races I finished with my awe inspiring friend, who I watched run many many years ago and swore I would never run. She is the one who paced me through my first half and to my yet beaten PR. She came back both days (finishing way before me) and ran the last half mile or so with me cheering me all along the way. It is just what she does, and it was great.
I will admit, the end of day two I felt down that I still was slower than I may have wanted to be. I was wondering if I would ever pick up the pace again and then I watched a video my mom sent us. I didn't cry, the girls were around, but I was on the inside. No matter what, good days and bad, I am Who I Am and am loved by so many. I wanted to share it with all of you - YOU ARE WHO YOU ARE and YOU ARE LOVED!!! I don't care if you walk, run, sit, crawl. If you feel like you have no friends or a million you are loved. You are amazing.
You are a winner in my book, life doesn't always give us actual bling to show us that we are winners, but I would give you each bling if I could for your everyday victories. Mine was realizing that fast or slow, I succeeded. What is yours? Now, wear your bling with pride.