Saw A Dear Friend Today!

You will never guess whom! Or, maybe you will because I keep talking about it.

My friend the Sun!

I did not get to hike today like I said I would. I am not disappointed because much of the start of the day, about up until noon time, was spent outside watching people and hubby replace the well pump that died last night. A night without water was fine and in less than twelve hours, we had water flowing again.

Brogan persuaded gullible people to throw his ball all morning, Chevy hung out with the cows and ate their poop (much to my dissatisfaction about it) and I stood in the Sun, anxious for my impending run early afternoon when everyone left.

Like good friends do, the Sun lifted my spirits and turned around my whole day!

I turned right out of my driveway today instead of left (like I always do). I started my run with the big hill. It was great. Got my heart pumping early on and it was "new" for  my muscle fibers. They were happily confused and I could see this was going to be a good run.

I made it about two miles, maybe a little less, when I got the pain in my left leg again. A tightness that has been holding me back almost this entire week. I slowed to almost a walk and I knew the decision I had to make. I could stop and walk the rest of my loop and feel utterly defeated like I have been or try something new. I wanted to see how well I could pick up the running again after resting for some stretching.

Up until this point in all the weeks I have been running, once it got to the point where I needed to walk, it felt impossible to just take a break and start again. I knew I needed to change that if I was going to up my miles in the coming weeks. I slowly jogged to a road sign before turning onto the next road and did some leg stretching. It felt so good to do so! I started running again. People, I never stopped.

I have mentioned before that I am a true believer in signs. Well, it would just so happen, about 3/4 of the way done running my loop, lost in thought, I looked up and there (s)he was - a bald eagle! Flying low at the tree tops, a mighty totem animal also cheering me on!

I cried people. I don’t know why. I think it was the running high, seeing the eagle, the fact that I was hauling ass, loving my music, knowing I was going to run the entire four miles and overcoming the mental block I have been fighting all week. I was just overjoyed. My goal of running a half marathon seemed a little more realistically attainable at the sight of the eagle. It is beyond words to even write now. It is that feeling you get when you know everything is going EXACTLY how it is supposed to. Had I not stopped to stretch and take that break, or if I walked the whole way, or if I never started running at all, I never would have seen that eagle so close as I did. It is the little things. I hope that everyone experiences those moments in life.

I am also happy to report not only back in the game, body and mind AND spirit, I improved on my splits as well. Mile two was long on MapMyRun, but I didn't stop the recording when I stopped to stretch. That is okay though, as the other splits speak for themselves.

So, fellow readers, have you had that moment recently? I would love to hear about it!

Until next time!