Happy Monday everyone!
Well I know things were quiet on the ol’ blog the last bit, but like I said on Saturday….things have been CRAZY around here.
So crazy in fact, that I ran away….
Just kidding. I didn’t run away, but boy I did RUN!!!
13.1 miles to be exact!
On Sunday, my friends and I ran the DC Half. A half marathon and relay race held here in Washington DC that winds its way through the monuments and parks. It’s a gorgeous route, and it’s pretty neat to see the city shut down the roads for SO many folks and carry it off so smoothly. This was my second half marathon, and I’m not sure if it was easier (I REALLY didn’t train for this one like I did the first!) or if I am just more used to pounding the pavement by this point, but it was really FUN! Miles 2 and 3 were actually harder for me, but by 7, 8 and 9 I was really enjoying the pace. Things went pretty smoothly even though I’m slow (I definitely don’t run for a fast time y’all) until mile 11 and 12…at 12 I was really starting to slow down and hurt a little more.
I’ll preface this by saying, something I haven’t really interacted with as a solo runner has been the kindness of the folks in the running community. I don’t run in groups, so I hadn’t experienced the kind of camaraderie I really saw yesterday fully…it was SO beautiful!!! Along the entire route, people would clap each other on the back, shout encouraging words, slow down to run beside someone slowing down and remind them they could do it. People along the side of the road showed up with signs, popsicles and CHEERED so hard for everyone to keep pushing.
Maybe I’ll sound silly for sharing the following, and that's okay. But on my last mile I was so DONE y’all. Like I said, I didn’t train for this race like I had for my first one, and I was starting to slow down big time. A little voice in the back of my head kept saying “eh it’s ok, just walk a bit and chill out you’ve done this much.”
Sneaky little voice.
When I started to slow down, someone came up behind me and patted me on the shoulder. She kept running, but slowed to my pace and yelled “NO! Don’t you dare quit now we’ve got this. COME ON! DON'T YOU DARE QUIT!” I’m not gonna lie, my first reaction was “Hey lady don’t yell at me!” and my second thought was “Oh, you’re right.”
She kept sending encouraging words my way and slowed down to match me step-for-step until she saw I wasn’t going to quit, before speeding back up to her original pace. She did that the whole way to the finish line, encouraging others and keeping everyone going. It was such a beautiful “domino effect," because as I sped up in that last mile, I got to pass it along to others and keep reminding them they could do it too. I fell into step with a gal who had been slowing down on that last quarter mile, and we shouted encouragement and cheers at each other right up till we hit the finish line and that final mat. Honestly I might have cried a little, some from relief (what a feeling to be done in under the time I was originally shooting for!) and secondly, because I really relied on others in that final mile, and they showed up for me. The kindness and encouragement of others was what saw me through, and it felt like such a beautiful gift.
I’ve been pondering that experience since Sunday morning, and after a hot shower and LONG rest, realize it is such a beautiful metaphor for life. We constantly feel exhausted, like we simply cannot continue on and it might be okay to just quit…we’re so very tired and deserve to stop. But then, the people and community we surround ourselves with enfold and encourage us. Push us to keep going, and to try just a little bit harder and a little bit longer.
Sometimes, a helping hand and a friend reminding you that you can do something is all that is needed.
If you’re close to quitting today friend, I sure hope you don’t. I hope you remember you have a community and friends here who love and need you. You have people who want to see you win and find joy and satisfaction in knowing you didn’t give up. Whatever race you’re running right now, I hope you remember you can do this. God has got you, and we’re all here to cheer you on towards the finish line on the tough miles.
Hugs my friends,
xoxo
(A slightly sore) AB
