Bold Moves

It seems that I can never learn this lesson enough — appreciate what you have!  God reminds us, “this is the day the Lord hath made, rejoice and be glad in it!”  Yet, it is so easy to get caught up in the chaotic pace of life, the drama that can happen, the small things that seem big at the time.

Appreciate what you have.  I was struck by this lesson yet again as I’ve battled a terrible case of the flu.  The ferocity of how it attacked my body was both shocking and humbling.  I had just completed my first half-marathon of 2013, the Chocolate Rush Half-Marathon in Overland Park, Kansas.  It was a brisk 28 degrees out that morning with a cold breeze but the sun was welcoming as approximately 600 runners stepped up to the start line.  This was a “tune up” race for me, a way to assess my training status and make adjustments before the bulk of my races come around in April.  I wasn’t looking forward to running in the cold but I was excited to get my first race of the year under my belt.  

I ran a great race, for me anyway!  I was surprised about that too because I can’t say that I felt particularly wonderful for the first half of the race. My legs felt really heavy for some reason so I decided to NOT focus on my mile split times and run by feel.  I looked at my pace only at the water stations to see if my pace was as slow as I felt.  I was pleased to discover that I was running at my target pace, despite not feeling great.  As the route unfolded I began to recognize some of the trails since Team-in-Training runs many of these parks.  Normally, I would be excited about recognizing a route but this time I knew it meant a lot of hills — ugh!  For most of the race I played my favorite game — pick a runner ahead of me to pass.  I began to feel much better around the 10 mile mark and my legs felt normal again.  I glanced at my Garmin around mile 11 and realized that I had a good chance to PR!  Although the finish was uphill, I managed to squeak in a PR at 2:23:06.  I’m not an “elite” runner so I race against my own time, striving to improve at each race.  Starting off 2013 with a PR was beyond my expectations so I was ecstatic!  

Right after the race I dashed to my truck and set off for Blue Springs, Missouri to watch Morguen play in a basketball tournament.  I missed her first game but could catch the second if I hurried.  She had a great game but I noticed that she was coughing a lot.  Afterward, I could see that she didn’t feel well and by the time we got  home, she really felt awful.  By that night she was running a high fever with all the classic flu symptoms.  On Monday morning, I woke up with the same symptoms. 

Tonight I will run for the first time in 8 days.  I wanted to run all week but the chronic coughing and wheezing were strong red flags to back off. I missed running.  I went from a great high at the race to not being able to run at all.  I yearned to run, yet just walking fast or walking up and down stairs left me hacking and gasping for breath.  Appreciate what you have. 

I am so excited to run tonight.  Even though it will be on a treadmill because I am traveling for work, it doesn’t matter.  I will once again feel my body working well, not gasping for breath. 

Think about your blessings today.  Your family, your home, your work, your hobbies, your church, your health.  Be thankful, and Appreciate What You Have.