Today was an awesome training day. It started out like most training days.... lots of procrastination and excuses. I finally decided that I just needed to get it over with and laced up the sneaks and headed out the door. My first 1/2 mile was torture. My shins hurt, which made me feel like my knees were going to give out, which seemed to travel to my hips. I was a mess! Knowing that today was "an easy" 3 mile training day didn't make anything better. I hurt and wasn't having fun. This was probably a reflection of how the last few days have gone for my family. The last couple of days have been horrible and I haven't gotten much sleep at all. I typically only get about 5 hours of sleep a night, so getting less really isn't good for me. I was running along in a fair amount of pain and just closed my eyes and ran for about 45 seconds (the length of one of my intervals) and hoped that I didn't hit the edge of the pavement and fall down and twist my ankle. I was trying to re-group because I knew that there was no way that I could continue my full run the way I was going. I seemed to collect myself enough to be in a good spot to run. In the distance running towards me was a very fit woman, probably 10 years or so older than me running and looking like she was having the time of her life. In a few split seconds I had a few decisions to make: was I going to look down and try to run fast to get by her without making any eye contact or was I going to keep my pace and flash her a quick smile. I decided on the latter and as I was looking up I noticed that she was looking right at me and started clapping and cheering me on. She yelled, "It's a great day for a run, so glad that you are taking advantage of it." WOW, just what I needed! I thought about her for the next 15 minutes or so. It was so easy and simple of her to take a few seconds to cheer me on and encourage me. It could have been because she could tell that at any point I could have dropped from my body just giving out on me! LOL I wondered if she knew what a difference she made in the next mile of my run. My stride seemed to be more consistant, my body seemed to be more in tune with what it needed to do and my heart began to enjoy my time in the outdoors.
I was on my usual 3 mile route that goes down my road 1.55 miles and than I turn around (to make it an even 5K). I was running back toward my home and saw that same woman again, the woman who was cheering me on at the beginning of my run. This time, she was walking toward me and eventually stopped right in the path where I was running. I stopped and got a bit flustered because I wanted to turn my running app off so I could keep accurate time and turn my music off because I don't use headphones and it would be a bit disturbing to have it on while I was talking to someone. She introduced herself as Maria and said that on her run God asked her to stop me and assure me that He was with me and that as long as I am running for Him and asking Him to help carry me in my runs that whatever goal I was working toward would happen. WOW! You could have blown me over with a feather. I know that God knows everything, but how did He know that is just what I needed to hear at that time? I mean, really. What does He care about this Princess Half Marathon that we have decided to do? My heart was renewed today. I don't know anything else about my running angel, except that her name is Maria. I hope to "run" into her again someday!
