Homeless or Runner?
Only two kinds of people are up at 5 am. Homeless people, and runners. We share those early morning hours, and acknowledge each other. For now, I am a runner.
Even though, I say I am a runner, I don't feel like I am a runner. I feel like I am a writer, a mom, a Mormon, a New Mexican, and an animal lover. If running went away, I think I would still be me. I could fill the need for physical activity with hiking, yoga, basketball, or other exercise. If I took away the other things, I would need to re-define myself.
Back to running.
Last Saturday I ran a half-marathon. It is a very unfortunate name for a long, hard distance. I think 21K would be more appropriate. Also a 13.1 miler, would be fine. Putting "half" at the beginning of such a daunting distance is disrespectful, and I choose to be offended.
I have been training for this race since June. All of the runs except one have been early morning runs. I ran 4-5 times a week for most of the summer around 5:30am. Once school started we had to run at 5:00am because my running buddy also teaches early morning seminary. (Seminary is scripture/religious study class for high schoolers. My friend Emily is amazing/inspiring/awesome. Can I use this slash again/repeatedly. Oh yes, I did).
10 days before my race I ended up with a calf injury in my left leg. In high school I had an ACL replacement in that leg, and I sprained it really bad on a backpacking trip my summer before college. It is my prone to injury leg. It decided to get really tight in my calf and make walking hard. I was very worried I wouldn't be able to run. Walking is more important than running-to me, anyways. I decided to rest it, no running at all, and then give the race a try. My friend Megan who has been running longer than me, and considers herself "a runner," taught me about KT tape, icing my leg with frozen water bottles, ibuprofen regimens, rolling pins for muscles, and Deep Blue by DoTerra. I followed her instructions like they were written on stone. I didn't want to pay a co-pay to a doctor, that would refer me to a physical therapist, that would tell me to rest my leg, so instead I listened to Megan.
After church, Megan taped my leg in the women's bathroom. Purple KT tape. Then, I drove to Colorado Springs from Nebraska on Sunday after church. I brought my 8 year old with me, and she was adorably reading Harry Potter book 6 in the car, so she wasn't the best company. Harry Potter is compelling, and I understand. I had a lot of time to think about my race prep. and all the scenarios that could play out. It came down to me regretting not trying more than sitting this race out.
Emily had a motel booked for us, and had even picked up my packet for me. If anyone is shopping for a friend, I suggest an Emily. Emily had asked her big sister Julie there to help watch my little girl for me while I raced. There is nothing cuter than Big Julie and Little Julie eating waffles together. We also had Emily's baby girl staying with us. She is the perfect baby: big eyes, chubby thighs, sucks a binky, and lets me hold her.
Emily and I woke up really early and headed to the race. We only got a little lost. We took a little warm up jog, which was the most I had run since injuring my leg. It felt OK, so I just decided to stop and save the running for the race in case I had a limited number of steps before it exploded.
It was so fun. Seriously, so fun. I had an i-pod with music in one ear, and a fabulous friend to run with in the other. I felt very prepared, and completely fulfilled. How often do I set a goal, prepare months for the goal, and then accomplish it? Honestly, not that often. It was hard to wake up early. It was hard to go on long runs on Saturdays when I would rather sleep in. It was hard to recover after being sore and starving the next day. But, it was also really awesome. I had amazing conversations, saw beautiful pink sunrises glowing on clouds, watched the corn fields grow tall, and breathed in the fresh morning air while running through Nebraska farmland. I felt beauty.
It is also very humbling to run a big race like I did. I was beat big time by a lady who was probably in her 80's. There were athletes who beat my time by pretty much an hour. There were runners who were way behind me who had to walk, and the ones who were really struggling to breath and keep moving. We all shared that trail together, and it was wonderful. It was unifying, and humbling, and inspiring.
My most emotional moment was watching Emily's sister finish her marathon. Amy ran the full marathon. She is a mother of four, and had to fit those training runs into her schedule. I know how hard that is, because I did it, too. Only, she ran twice the distance I did. Tears were falling out of my eyes watching her finish the race, her children holding her hands running beside her. I was her in that moment. I was the mother of four who did something really hard, and it is a big deal.
I still don't think of myself as a runner. But I am up at 5am, and I sleep in a bed and pay a mortgage, so I should probably start calling myself a runner.
If the shoe fits, run in it.
Even though, I say I am a runner, I don't feel like I am a runner. I feel like I am a writer, a mom, a Mormon, a New Mexican, and an animal lover. If running went away, I think I would still be me. I could fill the need for physical activity with hiking, yoga, basketball, or other exercise. If I took away the other things, I would need to re-define myself.
Back to running.
Last Saturday I ran a half-marathon. It is a very unfortunate name for a long, hard distance. I think 21K would be more appropriate. Also a 13.1 miler, would be fine. Putting "half" at the beginning of such a daunting distance is disrespectful, and I choose to be offended.
I have been training for this race since June. All of the runs except one have been early morning runs. I ran 4-5 times a week for most of the summer around 5:30am. Once school started we had to run at 5:00am because my running buddy also teaches early morning seminary. (Seminary is scripture/religious study class for high schoolers. My friend Emily is amazing/inspiring/awesome. Can I use this slash again/repeatedly. Oh yes, I did).
10 days before my race I ended up with a calf injury in my left leg. In high school I had an ACL replacement in that leg, and I sprained it really bad on a backpacking trip my summer before college. It is my prone to injury leg. It decided to get really tight in my calf and make walking hard. I was very worried I wouldn't be able to run. Walking is more important than running-to me, anyways. I decided to rest it, no running at all, and then give the race a try. My friend Megan who has been running longer than me, and considers herself "a runner," taught me about KT tape, icing my leg with frozen water bottles, ibuprofen regimens, rolling pins for muscles, and Deep Blue by DoTerra. I followed her instructions like they were written on stone. I didn't want to pay a co-pay to a doctor, that would refer me to a physical therapist, that would tell me to rest my leg, so instead I listened to Megan.
After church, Megan taped my leg in the women's bathroom. Purple KT tape. Then, I drove to Colorado Springs from Nebraska on Sunday after church. I brought my 8 year old with me, and she was adorably reading Harry Potter book 6 in the car, so she wasn't the best company. Harry Potter is compelling, and I understand. I had a lot of time to think about my race prep. and all the scenarios that could play out. It came down to me regretting not trying more than sitting this race out.
Emily had a motel booked for us, and had even picked up my packet for me. If anyone is shopping for a friend, I suggest an Emily. Emily had asked her big sister Julie there to help watch my little girl for me while I raced. There is nothing cuter than Big Julie and Little Julie eating waffles together. We also had Emily's baby girl staying with us. She is the perfect baby: big eyes, chubby thighs, sucks a binky, and lets me hold her.
Emily and I woke up really early and headed to the race. We only got a little lost. We took a little warm up jog, which was the most I had run since injuring my leg. It felt OK, so I just decided to stop and save the running for the race in case I had a limited number of steps before it exploded.
It was so fun. Seriously, so fun. I had an i-pod with music in one ear, and a fabulous friend to run with in the other. I felt very prepared, and completely fulfilled. How often do I set a goal, prepare months for the goal, and then accomplish it? Honestly, not that often. It was hard to wake up early. It was hard to go on long runs on Saturdays when I would rather sleep in. It was hard to recover after being sore and starving the next day. But, it was also really awesome. I had amazing conversations, saw beautiful pink sunrises glowing on clouds, watched the corn fields grow tall, and breathed in the fresh morning air while running through Nebraska farmland. I felt beauty.
It is also very humbling to run a big race like I did. I was beat big time by a lady who was probably in her 80's. There were athletes who beat my time by pretty much an hour. There were runners who were way behind me who had to walk, and the ones who were really struggling to breath and keep moving. We all shared that trail together, and it was wonderful. It was unifying, and humbling, and inspiring.
My most emotional moment was watching Emily's sister finish her marathon. Amy ran the full marathon. She is a mother of four, and had to fit those training runs into her schedule. I know how hard that is, because I did it, too. Only, she ran twice the distance I did. Tears were falling out of my eyes watching her finish the race, her children holding her hands running beside her. I was her in that moment. I was the mother of four who did something really hard, and it is a big deal.
I still don't think of myself as a runner. But I am up at 5am, and I sleep in a bed and pay a mortgage, so I should probably start calling myself a runner.
If the shoe fits, run in it.
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I love your writing. I love this post. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! It IS such a big deal. I am very proud and impressed.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree, "half-marathon" is a complete slap in the face. :) It is HARD and worth all the early mornings...once you have finished. :)
ReplyDeleteGood job, Evelyn. Good job on being a runner. And good job on your ability to write so beautifully. I love you for both of them. And I never thought about the name half-marathon, but for crying out loud, you are RIGHT! half nothin'! That's 13 miles! I cried at the part where you cried watching your friend cross the finish line. Anyway, congratulations on accomplishing that big 21 K run! You are heroic.
ReplyDeleteGlad to read about those testaments to dedication on blog sites. It must have been a wrenching battle for you to go through that vocation of yours, despite the type of injuries that would impede it. I believe trusting the right health treatments to help you surmount and even transcend such maladies and hindrances will do you best. Take care!
ReplyDeleteMathew Triano @ US HealthWorks
I loved living your running day reading this! I am so proud of you even months later! You are a great writer and a runner:)
ReplyDelete