ENCOURAGED AND INSPIRED BY...YOU!

HI AGAIN! I POSTED MY PREVIOUS NOTE, SO THAT I COULD ADD IT TO MY LARGER NUMBER OF POSTS THAN MY HUSBAND's. HE DOESN'T KNOW IT, BUT WE'RE IN A RACE FOR THE MOST POSTS...IT'S THE ONLY TIME I CAN BEAT HIM IN SOMETHING. :)

WELL, ALTHOUGH NOONE REALLY RESPONDS (HO-HUM), MANY PEOPLE SAY THEY'RE READING THE BLOGS OR HAVE READ MY RECENT COLUMN IN THE "ON THE MINDS OF MOMS" MAGAZINE (WWW.ONTHEMINDSOFMOMS.COM) "MARATHON TRAINING FOR THE SEXES..." I'VE HAD GOBS OF CONVERSATIONS, AND HAVE BEEN BLOWN AWAY BY SO MANY OF YOUR STORIES. YOUR JOURNEYS. THEY RUN THE GAMUT OF TRAINING FOR A FIRST-TIME-EVER 5K RACE, TO 26.2 (S)MILES OF FUN...I LOVE HEARING, SO PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SHARE!

YESTERDAY, I WAS RUNNING AT GOFAR WOMAN, MARK'S NEW GYM IN SOUTH FARGO (WOW! I'M LIKE A WALKING, TALKING ADVERTISEMENT!). ANYWAY, I RECOGNIZED THE FRIENDLY-FACED WOMAN RUNNING NEXT TO ME, FROM SEEING HER HUFFING IT OUT ON NEIGHBORING "MILL." TOWARDS THE END OF MY RUN, AND AFTER MY NEED TO FOCUS ON NOT FALLING OFF THE BACK EASED, I STRUCK UP A CONVERSATION WITH HER. I'LL CALL HER "D" SINCE I DIDN'T ASK PERMISSION TO TALK ABOUT HER. CAUTION: BETWEEN WRITING A BLOG AND A COLUMN IN THE "MOMS" MAG, NO CONVERSATION OR SITUATION IS OFF-LIMITS. :) ANYWAY, "D" TOLD ME SHE'S RUN 10 MARATHONS, WITH 8 OF THOSE ENDING UP IN QUALIFYING TIMES FOR BOSTON!!!!! EIGHT!!!! HELLO. SHE IS NEARING 50 (NOR SURE HOW CLOSE), AND HAS ONLY BEEN RUNNING SINCE TURNING 43!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LISTENED TO HER IN AWE AS SHE RECALLED SOME OF HER GRUELING MILES, DURING RACES, AND HOW SHE STRUGGLED TO OVERCOME "HITTING HER WALL," AND GLORIOUSLY FINISHING. I WAS PRACTICALLY HANGING OVER MY SIDE-RAIL ON THE TREADMILL, AS SHE TALKED. SHE WASN'T BOASTFUL AT ALL, JUST ANSWERING MY QUESTIONS. I AM SURE SHE SENSED MY PRIDE IN HER ACCOMPLISHMENTS, SINCE I WAS STRADDLING MY MILL AND PRACTICALLY HANGING ON HER EVERY WORD! SHE'S AMAZING. I CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO IMAGINE QUALIFYING ONCE, LET ALONE 8 X'S!! SHE'S NOT A PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE (ALTHOUGH, SHE QUALIFIES AS ONE, IF YOU ASK ME :)). SHE'S JUST A WOMAN WITH DETERMINATION, SPIRIT AND GOALS. LIKE ANY OF US...ONLY FASTER, CLEARLY. I AM INSPIRED BY YOU, "D!" I AM CHEERING YOU ON, AND WISH YOU MILES OF SMILES AND LUCK!

THEN, THERE'S A WOMAN WHOM I REALLY THINK IS NEAT AND HER STORY BROUGHT ME TO TEARS LAST NIGHT. SHE'S LONG-SINCE HUNG UP HER RUNNING SHOES FOR MOTHERHOOD AND A CAREER. BUT, SHE'S DECIDED TO TAKE THE PLUNGE THIS YEAR. SHE'S RUNNING THE 5K WITH HER DAUGHTER. WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT. A SHINING EXAMPLE FOR HER LITTLE GIRL. A GOAL THEY'VE SET TOGETHER. SOB. THIS WOMAN IS NERVOUS AND EVEN A BIT SCARED. IT'S BEEN A LONG WHILE SINCE SHE'S RUN ANYWHERE. BUT, GUESS WHAT? SHE'S REGISTERED. THEY'RE REGISTERED. TAKING THE PLUNGE...TOGETHER. THEY'RE DOING IT, AS A TEAM. WHAT A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN FROM EACH OTHER, TO LEAN ON EACH OTHER AND TO GROW AND EXPERIENCE THIS TOGHEHER. NOW, I KNOW DREW REALLY DISLIKES WHEN I SHOVE MY FINGERS IN MY MOUTH, AND WHISTLE LOUDLY. BUT, GUESS WHAT, HONEY? I PLAN ON FILLING MY LUNGS TO THE MAX AND LETTING OUT THE BIGGEST, LOUDEST, MOST PROUD WHISTLE I CAN MUSTER FOR THIS TEAM, WHEN THEY CROSS THAT FINISH LINE ON FRIDAY NIGHT. THIS MOMMY IS FIRST-RATE.

I HAVE TO ADMIT, I REMEMBER RUNNING MY FIRST RACE, A 5K, TOO. IT WAS THE BREAST CANCER ONE, IN PHILADELPHIA, MANY MANY YEAR AGO. SO MANY PEOPLE. I THOUGHT, "WHAT HAVE GOTTEN MYSELF INTO." I WAS SWEATING WELL BEFORE THE GUN WENT OFF TO START! MY BLOOD WAS PUMPING, AND I WONDERED IF I WOULD FINISH. THE RACE MUST'VE OFFICIALLY BEGUN, BC I CAN REMEMBER EVERYONE PUSHING AND MOVING FORWARD, ALL AT ONCE. IT WAS EXHILARATING, AND SCARY, TOO. BUT, THE FINISHERS T-SHIRT WAS IN SHAMBLES, BY THE TIME I RETIRED IT. I WORE IT ALL THE TIME. I WAS PROUD OF THAT RUN. THERE WERE NO RECORDS SET. THERE WERE MANY WHO CROSSED THE FINISH LINE BEFORE ME...AND AFTER. BUT, ONCE I GOT INTO A GROOVE, I REALIZED, "THIS IS MY TIME. MY RACE. MY RUN." TALK ABOUT GLORIOUS. YOU'D THINK I JUST WON A GOLD MEDAL!

MY POINT IS SIMPLE. WHETHER YOU RUN 3 OR 26.2: VICTORY AWAITS ALL OF US! WE ALL WIN! GO GET 'EM! BUT, DON'T FORGET TO SMILE FOR THE CAMERAS, WHEN YOU CROSS THAT LINE!