Elumandme

The Flying Pig Half Marathon

It's been 4 days since The Flying Pig Half Marathon and I believe my legs have finally thawed out.  Walking around this week has been challenging.  Going down steps?  Yeah, it was more like tumbling down.  Imagine elephant legs.  Nothing bent or moved.  It was just two big pieces of "something" trying to carry a buck and some change around the city of Dallas.  Not pretty.  But it was proof that I earned this past Sunday's medal.  

I was hooting and hollering after the San Francisco Half Marathon, but this one.....Jajaja.  Everyone warned me there were hills.  "Be careful.  Lots of hills.  Take it slow."  Their caution wouldn't hit me until mile six when I could see the first incline and heard other runners say, "See you at the top. Good luck. Okay, you are on your own now." Hugs were offered.  I looked at Patrick (who was kind enough to run with me) and said, I think this is where it starts.  3 miles of hills.  And so it was.  Each man for himself....from mile 6 - 9. The top. 900 ft above sea level. 

And as I walked, jogged the hills my sister, Sonia, a mother of four, and with almost no Race Day training, would climb the hill like Rocky.  One foot in front of the other.  No time for fear.  No time for second guessing.  

She would simply JUST DO IT!  

It was hard to take at face value the cheerleader's words, "You are almost there.  No more hills."  Because every time they said it, a few minutes later, I would prove them wrong.  I wasn't almost there.  What was there, was another hill. But finally, at mile 9.5, everything felt easy.  Everything was down hill and running went back to the version of truth that I know.  Sonia would finish at an impressive 2:06:51.  HOLLA!  And Patrick plus me would finish just south of 30 minutes later.  Definitely not a personal record, but a personal best considering I got out of the Dallas flat land and not only tackled, but survived, the hills of Cincinnati.  Hands down a tough course.  And hands down, a beautiful life lesson.

You see, what I realized about this course was that we all face life obstacles, challenges, hills.  Some, like San Francisco, go up and come back down just as quickly.  No material pain.  Others, like Cincinnati, last a long time.  But when you have someone next to you, or when you know that you have to give it all your fight, like Rocky, the pain becomes easier.  It becomes a little more manageable knowing that at the finish line, we did out best.  We gave the race, and life, everything that we had.  WE DID NOT QUIT!  And that, my friends, makes us a winner.   

And for the crew this past weekend, we were so blessed to have the amazing brother, Robbie, and Tabatha's father, Cruz, not only along the course, but at the finish line to celebrate our efforts.  

As some of you have heard, I don't need a repeat of this course.  But should life throw me a hill, I'll be happy to take it on in the same fashion that I did this past weekend.  With someone right next to me, with someone ahead of me to model strength, and with someone at the finish line to know that no matter what happens, they will be always be there for me!    The Flying Pig Half Marathon - The Hero Lies In All Of Us!  

                      

And a special shout out to Patrick, Sonia, Tabitha, and Robbie for playing Paparazzi all weekend.  I forgot my camera so the above is a hodge-podge of everyone's pictures from Race Weekend.  Just another example that life is better when we live it together!  Holla!

The Man in the Arena

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.  

And who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.... 

I was so moved by this passage (Theodore Roosevelt's famous 1910 speech at the Sorbonne, Paris) that I had to share.  It's not my first time reading these words and it won't be my last.  It gets me every time.  It reminds me that life is tough. It doesn't always work out the way that we want, or hoped.  But life is meant to be lived.  Not watched.  Or followed.  So be brave, take a risk. Jump. Cry. Love. Laugh. Dance. Run. Ride the highs.  Celebrate the lows.  And enjoy living life in the Arena.  

Because we are runners

Hey guys,

Just wanted to check in and let all of you know that I am thinking of you!!!  I don’t know about everybody else, but I have been immersed in Monday’s horrific events.  From the moment I read about the explosions at the Boston Marathon and through all the texts, FB posts, news, I haven’t been able to digest the facts. 

I thought the 3 miles I ran last night would clear my thoughts, but watching Anderson Cooper’s special episode on the Boston heroes at the same time that I was running kind of messed with my plan.  Go figure.    

But tonight I am. 

I’m letting go. 

I have to.  

At least until I finish this note. 

LACE UP.  LACE UP. LACE UP.  LACE UP. LACE UP.  LACE UP. LACE UP.  LACE UP.

By now you are probably wondering what the real purpose of this note is, so let me get to the point.  LACE UP!

It’s that simple friends.  

Lace up your kicks and run.

And when you do, think about the lives lost in Boston.  Think about the hundreds of innocent people injured, the number of limbs lost, the life changing surgeries, the families that will never be the same.  Think.  Think about the tears shed and the beautiful city of Boston.  Think. 

And then think about the hundreds of heroic, brave stories that moved our hearts.  Think about the photos of selfless, courageous acts that created a window of hope and optimism for our country, each other, and our running community.  Think.  

And then think about the finish line.  

The one that you saw countless times at the Boston Marathon.  With an explosion in the background.  And then think about the first time you crossed a finish line.  YOUR finish line.  The moment when YOUR life changed.....For the better.  Will you choose to see another finish line after Monday’s events?  Or will you say, No more.  I’m done.  It’s not safe.  

Lace up this weekend and ask yourself these questions.  Think about your answers.  It’s part of the healing process.  And if it takes a long time to come up with your answer, take the time.  Remember, “It’s not how long it takes, it’s simply that you finish.”  So finish asking the tough questions, but lace up while you do it. 

I can’t answer this question for you, but I can share that from someone who has crossed 25 finish lines (20 post cardiac arrest) I will be back.  May 5, 2013.  The Flying Pig Half Marathon.  Without a flight to Cincinnati, I have spent the past few days pondering the idea of not showing up.  The race bib is bought.  The flight, not.  Sign up, show up?  I think most would understand if I didn’t follow my own mantra.  But I can’t.  I won’t.

If I have the choice, and God willing, I will cross my 26th finish line in two weeks.  And I hope that your heart allows you to see another finish line, too.  Whether it’s 26.2 miles, 13.1 miles, a 10k, a 5k, or just one.  I truly hope that you will be back.  And for some, I hope that you will start running and cross your FIRST finish line.  The running world is amazing.  The support.  The generosity.  The sacrifices.  Why else do you think I always say, “Living and racing life together.”  Why else are friends posting on FB, “If your faith in humanity is lost, watch a marathon.....If you are trying to defeat the human spirit, marathoners are the wrong group to target.”  Because runners are made of strength.  We fight.  We don’t quit.  We support each other.  We live life together.  We accept pain and know that in the end, we will be stronger.  We will be better.  Together.  We cross every finish line with each other and one step at a time.  Because we are runners!!

So lace up this weekend.  Run.  Be blessed.  Be safe.  And always remember that you are a runner. You are strong.

San Francisco

After 4 1/2 months off, we are finally lacing up for the 1st race of 2013!! San Francisco Rock 'n' Roll Half marathon. Thanking the Big Guy for simply having the breath and health to cross today's starting line. Let's DO THIS!

The Starting line.

 

The Elumandme crew.

The hills.

And the lovely Golden Gate Bridge.

Check out more great shots of the bridge and the course on Elumandme's Facebook page.  Hands down, you need to add this race to your 2014 calendar.  I have not run any other half marathon like this one.  So amazing!!  

Good Reads

I may not have logged the miles I was hoping for prior to this weekend's half marathon, but I have flipped enough pages to keep my thoughts occupied across the Golden Gate Bridge.

Rip.  Hadley.  Tony. A.J.  Judy.  (To name a few.)  Thank you.  Thank you for keeping me sane when the laces were untied.  I guess if you are going to swap the long runs for something, it might as well be with a Good Read!

And yes, you read correctly.  A half marathon this weekend.  The first of 2013 - Rock 'n' Roll San Francisco.  My legs may not be as ready as I would like, but my heart and mind are ready to cross the starting line.  That's where life begins.....With the first step.  And in this case, across the Golden Gate Bridge.  Sign up, show up.  Here we go!!