I mentioned in my Race Report for Chicago that a serendipitous decision prompted me to carry my phone on race day, which I don't usually do. During that time, Dad started messaging me on Facebook, asking how my race went, and asking me to tell him how I did when I finished.
Imagine his surprise when I was still there and started sending him selfies from the course.
Ok, maybe don't imagine any surprise. The dude has known me for 36 years, so I'm pretty sure he can predict my every move...
Anyway, I would periodically give him an update, and sometimes it would be about how bad my leg was hurting. (I'm still having a hard time walking straight, if that tells you anything.) And he would sometimes tell me
Just keep easin' along
My Dad knows I am a Type A. My dad is NOT a Type A. My whole life,
this has been his response to me any time I have gotten overambitious and impatient.
Which is a lot.
Some awesome things happened to me this weekend because of that injury and because of that race. First, I finally met up with one of my virtual buddies of nearly a decade and a half. I have mentioned before that a lot of people I've met in person were not what I expected. Well, Jenn's been one of my best friends for a long time, and I was so excited to finally connect with her and to find out that not only is she exactly who she is online but that I loved her every bit as much in person. Maybe more.
Next, I am headed into the off season feeling relaxed. I won't be able to run for weeks, if not months. That means getting this damn weight off is going to be nearly impossible. And I'd be a liar if I told you I wasn't pissed about missing my chance to PR again this year. I only do one marathon a year, and I and still haven't broken 5 hours. And having the injury and the physical issues and the cause I was fundraising for and the extra weight would have made that PR 100% more glorious.
But I had SO much fun and I was honestly just so surprised I was even able to make it that I didn't care. I cannot believe that I had it in me to finish an entire marathon feeling the way I did.
All I had to do was
Just keep easin' along
Here comes my favorite part of the year: making goals and resolutions and plans for the next year.
I know better than to hang a bunch of expectations on ol' 2016 (no nickname for it yet, get back to me on that). I do know that this is my time to reflect, recharge, yoga my face off, enjoy unstructured training, connect with friends, celebrate IMOF and enjoy life. And I know, as long as I do that and then work hard, I can make 2016 into something awesome.
I'm sure I'll share some of those plans with you. Until then, just keep easin' along.
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