We freaking MADE IT!!!
I wish I could bottle this happiness.
The first part of the week was a little rough for me. By Thursday it was all better again. Tabitha, Marina, Kara and I hit the trail after work and it cleared a lot of the bullshit I was working through.
Thursday night , Jeremiah wanted to sleep with his auntie and mommy so we made this queen size bed fit us all. I had little feet on my back and kicking me in the head all night, but having him there is always fun. Same story on Friday night. We sat in the backyard with a fire in the pit and talked all night before we found our way back up. I am loving having them here every other weekend!!
Saturday morning we got our shit together and headed out to the trail. This one KICKED. OUR. ASS.
I am always in awe of my own life when I am out there. When my training kicks in I know that I am on the right path. I heard Dan yell down from an upper switchback as I was running down, “You go, Kristine!” I have decided what I want to do and I know that physically there is a lot of work I need to do and probably a couple of years of training before I am PHYSICALLY ready to do it. I know MENTALLY there is a lot more work and with more training and SO MUCH trial and error.
I walked into Fleet Feet on Thursday and finally said what I want to do out loud for the first time. I said to the woman, “I have a goal and I will need a lot of coaching. Can you help?” She walked me through the store and showed me the trail running shoes and the keys to be able to do what I have put my mind to. “Start with a 5k.” she suggested after I told her that I just got off the couch last September. “I’ve done that. The time wasn’t that impressive.” Not really caring what my time was, I finished it and that’s all I wanted to do. “Don’t worry about your time. Next do a 10k. Then a half. Then a full. Do a few of those.” We talked about how the street running isn’t going to help with my goal, but in the process of doing them I will learn my hydration level and I will fail over and over again and in those failures I will figure out what works. “Stay on the trails when you can, stay off the streets unless you’re a few weeks out from a street half or full. Figure out what you can eat, can’t eat, how much you’ll need. Try all the Gu and after you’ve done a few of these, you’ll have it figured out. READ! READ! READ! Then do a 50 mile race. Then do another. Fail and figure out what works for you.”
I’ve told her that I have read all I could find. I read about the failures. I read about the success stories too.
What I learned most is the support system of getting through is what is important.
So for the last month every time my feet hit the trail I have a mantra, “Western States 100 Endurance Run…physically and mentally getting ready!” Every step, every stop, every sprint uphill is working towards that goal.
Now it’s Easter and my body is recovering from the hardest 4.4 miles I have ever done. No, WS100 isn’t something I am going to do within the next couple of years, but by the time I turn 45. Shhh, I’m going to sucker Tabitha and Dan into doing it too!
What a beautiful life I have. I hope for everyone this Easter 2011 that you make your life everything you never imagined it could be. That was the thought I had as the world opened it up to the beauty of the river yesterday. “I did this, I made this MY life. I changed my whole life, my body and my mind…and it’s only the beginning.”