Momentum Monday: Renewal

Hello Monday morning!!! 

Hope you all had a fantastic weekend and have wonderful plans for this week ahead of you! I'm coming off a jam packed race weekend myself and my butt is really dragging today.  It took me three tries to order and iced coffee this morning.  ICED COFFEE!!  That was the order, nothing more.  Iced coffee.  I swear what was coming out of my mouth wasn't English and no other language I know either, so the barista was highly confused.  Le sigh...

So today I wanted to dabble a bit in my race feelings for the Momentum quote today, without giving up too much for my recap tomorrow (race recap!!! I'm so excited to actually be typing those words!!).  So today's Momentum Monday is:

 

Yesterday was my first race since the St. Pat's Dash in March, so to say that I was excited about racing, and running in general, is a huge understatement!  I had planned to run a race a month and try to increase the number of half marathons I ran to get better at that longer distance. 

 

Then my back issue happened and sidelined me from running for over a month.  I waited, not so patiently I will admit, for me to get better and be strong enough to get to run again.  I had to train my head and strengthen my muscles to allow me to run again with no pain.  I never thought I would get back to the point of having no pain.  My road wasn't as long as others, but it was no less arduous for me and more importantly, a lesson on what I need to do to help my body.  Running your body into the ground isn't a good way of going about training, apparently.

 

So on Sunday when I was running my race, I was elated, I was excited, I was...really out of shape.  Whew!  Man, the first mile or so of running any long distance is rough to get your breathing and body in sync, but hot damn, this was much tougher than I had remembered in the past.  The rolling hills through the route were killing me and my quads were profusely protesting this run.  I was in trouble!

 

Then it was as if it was written into the script of a movie, there was a clearing in the woods and the sun was shining down on the route and there was a peace that came over me.  Suddenly my strides were easier and faster, my breathing was natural and I got goosebumps all over my body.  I started passing people with ease and was smiling!  There were a couple of photogs on the route during that time and I don't think any of the pics they took of me didn't have me smiling.  Just that giant toothy grin and open mouthed laughing smile.  It was incredible, I felt incredible and the finish line was quickly approaching.

 

I felt this coolness wash over me as I crossed the finish, I felt renewed and energetic.  I felt like I could go the route again (though I think my quads would have something to say about that!).  I just felt like I had finally crossed over from that dread of not being able to run again, to the realization that I've been given another chance.  I need to take this chance to strengthen myself physically and mentally for running. If this is going to be a lifelong journey, then I need to pack accordingly and wisely.  I have a renewed sense of being and running, and I can't wait to get back out there!