In last weeks blog I talked about Living. I wrote about my excitement and fear of running in a 1/2 marathon.
Surprisingly, I was not nervous when I woke up on Sunday morning the day of the race or as we headed over to the venue.
6:40 a.m. just before the start of the 1/2 marathon
I was prepared with my headphones charged, my music list set up just the way I wanted it, my knee brace secure and a hat and long sleeve shirt in preparation for the cold start and the sun that would come later in the morning. But of all these things the most important to me was the music. I run with music and take great care to select my play list but this time God or Karma or just Life had a different plan for me. Just as I stepped over the start line my music stopped. For the next 2 hours and 53 minutes it was just me. Counting my steps, hearing them as they hit the pavement noticing the water and the sunrise as we crossed the bridge, seeing the people around me and hearing the kind people who came out of their homes to cheer us on. I paid attention to the houses with some gorgeous gardens, the families walking in the park and the amazing trees that have stood stately for more years than I could imagine.
3 Hours Later....
There are times when distractions are necessary and I was hoping for some distractions at mile 7 and mile 10 but what I learned on Sunday is that when you have an opportunity to let the outside in and to open yourself up to all of your senses, to hear your feet hit the pavement, you need to do it. This became clear to me when I saw the pictures taken during the race. In almost every picture I had a smile on my face. I was in the moment and loving every minute of it. Because sometimes, maybe even most times the real race isn't the one you're running but the race you're having within yourself. The constant thoughts bombarding your mind, the inability to see, hear, taste, smell and feel anything around you because you're too busy to notice it.
Stop for an hour - really stop and enjoy the world around you. I promise you won't regret it and you may just feel like you won the race.
Grace, Peace & Healthy Living,
Lorraine
“In some respects, progressing through life is like running a marathon.
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