stRUNg out.: Gratitude

“I wanna get back to my city by the bay...” ~Journey

What a difference a year makes. It can change a body, a mind, an attitude. From one year to the next you could have a baby, get a new job, move, fall in love.

Last year was rough. I was injured for the majority of it. I was told I shouldn’t run by several medical professionals. One told me that if they had met me prior to my running obsession they would have told me to pick a different sport. Another told me I shouldn’t run marathons.

Uh, PEOPLE? Those ships have sailed.

So, I spent 2014 toughing it out. Trying to fix what was broken ( a partial tear in the tendon that attaches my hammie to my glute) and trying to get stronger.

I was lucky enough to be an Ambassador for The San Francisco Marathon last year and didn’t want to miss on the experience. So even though I had to suffer through my very first DNS, I still went to San Francisco and volunteered for the weekend. I was so glad to meet my fellow ambassadors and the other members of the SF Marathon team and to be of service.

But I won’t lie, not running SUCKED!! Like, big time.

I needed sweet redemption. I needed to finish what I started. I needed to run the 2^nd half of the SF Marathon like a boss.

So I did.

I didn’t have the best time of my running career (that is STILL the 1^st Half of the SF Marathon in 2013), but I had THE. BEST. TIME.

I am just so grateful to be running. I’m so happy to be able to pin on a bib, charge up my Garmin and jump around to keep warm in a corral.

I feel 10 times stronger than I did a year ago. Even though I am slow and still and doing intervals. I’m getting better.

There is a statistic I read somewhere that said if you take more than 3 months off from running, it’s like starting over.

Well, I took 7 months off, but I didn’t have to start from scratch. I’m still thinner than I was when I started. Although I gained some weight while injured, I’m nowhere near as big as I was.

I am slower, but stronger. I spent 7 months in physical therapy working with multiple people to strengthen my legs and to run properly so I wouldn’t injure myself again.

I run smarter. It is AWESOME to finish a race and have tired legs, but NOT be in pain. And feel awesome the next day. I ran a half marathon on Sunday, did weight training (including legs) on Tuesday and speed work on Wednesday.

I have learned to be a better runner and that doesn’t mean going fast, it means running stronger. The rest will come. I’m taking off weight and building speed every day.

But for now slow, steady, joyful runs are what I have….what I’ve really always wanted.

I am filled with such gratitude for the team at TSFM for allowing me to represent them again in 2015. The people I met are so filled with a passion for running, mentoring and helping. My life is enriched because of these people and these experiences.

The dictionary defines gratitude in the following way: “The quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness”

I am thankful and I readily show my appreciation, but I don’t think I’ll ever be able to return the kindness that was shown to me.

But, believe me, I’ll do my best.