glad to have you.
i'm busy and scatterbrained this week. i have a lot going on, a lot under the surface. a lot on top of the surface. i'm kind of everywhere right now and some might say i'm on the cusp of having too many balls in the air...
but i have two things to say.
one.... i'm loving it.
and two.... thank you.
i had a really good run this week. wednesday i got my garmin out for the first time in... a long time. figured it was about time i figured out how slow i'm actually running, so i can stop convincing myself i'm still running's next big thing, and...
turns out maybe how slow was the wrong choice of words. i ran pretty fast.
for me, i ran pretty damn fast. and somewhere, right around the 2.5 mile mark, i started to get all kinda dorky mushy proud of myself.
i was running to crossfit. its just over 3 miles away and on nice warm days.. i like to run there. and its exhausting, crossfit after running, but...i try my best not to miss it. i try, not just because its a good work out. not just because i am so close to that damn pull up, because i desperately want to have visible triceps or i might have found something i'm actually better than other people at... (balance. i might be better than some at balance. which isn't saying much but damn if i won't take it!)
i like to go there because of all the other people that go there.
my crossfit people. my kcm people. my friends, fellow athletes, amazing inspiring really supportive people that i like to surround myself with. people i feel i finally belong with... i like to go there to be with them.
but on my 2.5 mile run... looking down at my garmin, checking my pace and seeing it still, still hovered around 10:30, i knew they wouldn't get it. i knew being proud of a 10:30 run, the kind of proud i was, the kind of disbelief sappy proud... i knew they wouldn't get it.
because they didn't know me then.
they wouldn't know what it means. they wouldn't understand how far i've come. how much i've worked to be a better athlete... a better person.
and for a split second i thought... damn. if only i had someone to share this with.
and thats when i thought of you. my RBFamily. my friends, fellow athletes, amazing, inspiring, supportive people that would get it. that have been there, and that will understand my pride in a 31:27 3-mile run.
and i just felt thanks.
i felt thanks. and i didn't know how to say it then, and i guess i don't really know how to say it now... besides just saying... thank you. for inspiring me. supporting me. listening to me rant and rave and coming back for more.
regardless of how amazing and fantastic the people in my life are right now... you've been there from the beginning.
and i just wanted to say thanks.
Comments
Awwwww. You've worked hard and you should be very proud of a 10:30 pace. You've come a long way. It's been a joy to share in the journey and to be inspired as well.
Posted by: Laurie | March 16, 2007 12:23 PM
Shucks, Hermanita. That's what big brothers are for.
A.J. Rocks.
Posted by: Greyhound | March 16, 2007 12:36 PM
I know what you mean about how great it is to have peeps who know your story and support your efforts.
I'll bet you anything you could tell those crossfit buddies that you ran over in 31 minutes and that you it was great and that you feel great and they would totally get it. They would get it because they know that you know your capabilities and if you are excited about your improvement then they will be excited about it, too. I find that most athletes get what it feels like to find yourself a rung higher on the achievement scale regardless of where your scale starts or how it compares to their scale. Hey - maybe I should write about that on my own blog!
Posted by: 21stCenturyMom | March 16, 2007 12:36 PM
Wonderful post. I most definitely understand where you are coming from. Not many of my friends know about my life with blog-land, but they wouldn't understand. It's amazing how much support and advice one can receive as being part of the RBF'ers! Great job on the run to crossfit! What a WONDERFUL pace! Keep it up, girlfriend!
Posted by: Teacherwoman | March 16, 2007 12:46 PM
That's a great run! and yea, I get it, got it, will keep gettin it!
Posted by: Wes | March 16, 2007 01:22 PM
I get it!!! Boy do I get it. We're all each other's heroes, my friend. You're mine!
:)
Posted by: jeanne | March 16, 2007 01:31 PM
Yeah, we get it! And thanks right back at ya for all of the inspiring you do for everyone else. When I first started training and first started blogging, it was you, little miss runner pants, that inspired me more than any other. You were about 6 months ahead of me on your journey and knowing you had done it, helped me to believe that I could as well. This little RBF of ours is an amazing thing!
Posted by: runnergirl | March 16, 2007 02:00 PM
Of course we get it. And as a fellow slow poke...I AM SO PROUD OF YOU!!! We need to run together whenever I make it back to Kansas City so you can be my rabbit.
For what it's worth, I still think you're running's next big thing.
Posted by: RunningJayhawk | March 16, 2007 02:23 PM
You *should* be proud - you've made great improvements and things can only get better!
Posted by: Sempre Libera | March 16, 2007 02:47 PM
You totally ROCK! I wish I'd been here from the beginning - but even if I haven't, I think that pace is awesome! And you're awesome for putting in the amazing amount of work it takes to see that pace climb. Keep on keepin on little miss thang! And ROCK that pull up bar, girl. Kick. Its. Ass.
Posted by: Larissa | March 16, 2007 02:55 PM
You ROCK! Awesome job. You earned that pace.
Posted by: Denise "Firefly" | March 16, 2007 04:45 PM
WOW!! That really is something to be proud of!
Posted by: Siren | March 16, 2007 05:51 PM
We are proud of you because we are out there everyday right beside you in spirit and in cyberspace. Everyday each of must put on the shoes and head out the door and do our best. Keep up the great job. We are all in this together.
Posted by: Spokane Al | March 16, 2007 06:46 PM
Good for you for staying in shape! It's been a while since I've visited, but I re-read your first marathon recap, and it's just as good as when I first read it. I've wanted to run Nike Women's for a couple of years now, and I got in this year.
Posted by: Dori | March 17, 2007 01:42 PM
I love reading your blog because YOU inspire ME!
Thank YOU! We're so proud of you and your hard work. Rock on Ale!
Posted by: Patrick | March 18, 2007 10:40 AM
Your doing great! Congrats on the good run!
Posted by: Kurt | March 18, 2007 05:44 PM
Hmmm, 10:30 miles. I know LOTS of people that would kill for that pace. And I know a lot of people that won't even step out the door to see what pace they can run.
Improvement is awesome. Something has been paying off. Crossfit, regular training, whatever. Great job. More improvements are right on the horizon. You just have to run over there and see what they are.
Posted by: Iron Pol | March 19, 2007 08:26 AM
girl, i wish i went to crossfit with you... you motivate me over the internet and email, i would die of excitement to be your friend in kansas city! i KNOW you can do that pullup! 2007 is gonna be our year. LOVE YA!
Posted by: Kim | March 19, 2007 11:28 AM
you're good and we do get it. keep on running girl!
Posted by: susan | March 19, 2007 04:44 PM
Someone's comment about killing for a 10:30min/mile, that would be me. :) I love your blog and you are awesome!
Posted by: Julia | March 20, 2007 10:43 AM
Every milestone is a great one. I was running typically about a 10-10:30 pace when I started and it slowly moved up (as weight went down in part) and now an easy run tends to the 9 minutes...so I totally understand your elation (and hey, send some of those tri exercises my way, I'm so wanting defined tris!!)
Posted by: Danielle in MN | March 27, 2007 03:09 PM