Hello. Nice to meet you. My name is Charity, and I've been on a blogging hiatus for the past two weeks. Just wanted to get those introductions out of the way just in case you don't remember me since I've been AWOL from my own blog for so long. The simple truth is I've been very busy living and enjoying every minute of it so much that taking time to sit down, collect my thoughts, and piece together a somewhat meaningful and close-to-interesting post has been a tad too difficult to pull off.
Two weeks ago I spent a whirlwind week in Indiana with my family and friends, a yearly trek that takes me all across southern Indiana with hopes of spending some time (read here: eating a lot) with those I love and cherish and get to see all too infrequently. Usually, this time involves A LOT of training, too, but this year was different as I am not in any sort of "real" training mode. Therefore, my working out was much more haphazard but much more enjoyable as it allowed me to do a few things centered on supporting those I care about instead of focusing on myself.
A few of the more enjoyable highlights:
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| True passion for running is multiplied when you share it! |
1. Riding 10-miles on a friend's hybrid bike with a pretty awesome kid I call my runner.
Zach is one of my former cross-country runners back home, and he's preparing for his senior season with some high-mileage weeks right now. When he called me on my first night home and asked if I had some time for him, I was so happy to say YES! I loved every minute of being his support vehicle and, even more, I loved that he wanted to spend time catching up with me and telling me all about his dreams and aspirations for his upcoming racing season and beyond. Although I am quite the cynic when it comes to the quality of our youths today (sad, I know, seeing how my job is in education, isn't it?), this guy right here? He's a good one.
2. Reminding myself that running isn't always about yourself.
Every time I visit my hometown, I am amazed at how the running community has grown since the time I moved back there in 2006. In those days, it was me and a few older runners who served as motivational guideposts for my growth as a runner. But this trip I was able to see former runners on my cross country team, still running as adults, out on a Saturday 5K. And a former classmate who I helped create a training plan for just a few years ago, is now running 21:00 minute 5Ks and winning races (wish my PLAN had something to do with that....alas, I think it did not). Not to mention lots of former co-workers who weren't even runners when I moved south. It's amazing to ponder how much running has transformed the lives of so many of the people I know in just a short amount of time. I didn't even think twice about starting my own Saturday long run late in order to cheer a few of them on and spread the running love before I turned my thoughts to my own running endeavors. Love is multiplied when you share it, and my cup runneth over....
3. Facing down my own open water demons while helping a great friend in his final tune-up for his own first triathlon.
My good friend Dan and I have covered a lot of training ground together, mostly of the mental sort. You see, Dan is pretty gifted. Me, not as much. However, we both have, through the years, aspired to similar tasks of physical endurance at the same times, so we've traveled those roads together and learned from one another along the way.
Although we went to high school together, we really didn't become friends until we coached cross country together for a few seasons. At the time, he was trying to qualify for Boston while I had my sights set on a 4 hour marathon (we're both still shooting for our goals on those fronts). Fast forward a few years to this past spring, and we both had new challenges we were facing down, learning to swim with the hopes of finishing our first sprint distance triathlons. You know my story, but I was happy to join him for the last few open water swims before his first race. I was happy to be there supporting him, but I was also happy to face down the demons still tormenting me since the Iron Girl....and I was elated to do it in the friendly confines of a lake I know amazingly well as I saw it nearly every day for my entire life..but never swam in it. And face those demons I did I'l have you know. I swam with some pretty disconcerting waves from boats on a busy Friday night and around redneck teens jumping on their raft from the diving area (think inflatable bed, queen size, and double-decker). I swam. Without panicking. And my confidence has been restored.
And Dan? He rocked his first tri. And I'm so happy to have helped him if only a bit!.
4. Running the roads of your glory days can re-ignite your passion for your future.
Running has been pretty tough for me over the past few months. I won't lie and say I'm some sort of eternal optimist who can keep her spirits even in the face of pain and disappointment. I've struggled with finding my motivation and my next goal and my will to just get my butt up and out the door. But there is something about revisiting the roads where you left so much sweat, blood, and hard work on the way to those PRS from your glory days that will make you refocus on your goals for tomorrow. Maybe it's just remembering the you that you used to be....the younger stronger faster you. Or maybe it's just the fact that, in that moment, it's you and the road and nothing else...no expectations, no time constraints...just you and the roads you know better than any others. Who knows what it is, but running my Mt. Pleasant 5K loop and my Field's Dirt Road 5 reminded me that I am who I am today because of what I did yesterday....and if I want to be that type of runner again, it's going to depend on what I do tomorrow and the tomorrow after that. Do I have a new, solid, tangible goal upon my return? No, but I know in my heart that the seed has been planted....and what I do tomorrow it going to nurture it....and it will continue to grown until it comes to life.
So, I'm back, and I intend to not let as much time go by before my next blog entry. Lord knows I have enough to write about after an entire week with our nephew, Liam. Let's just say, the GERMinator owes me....BIG :)
See you on the road! Peachtree Road, maybe?
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