On the Sidelines

On the sidelines....not my favorite place to be. A week go, I was set up to be running a 10K with my sights on a 1/2 marathon on June 1st. These weren't just any races to me...I have been doing speed work and training 6 days a week in order to set personal records. Not only that, I have a dear dear friend flying in from Montana to run the 1/2 marathon with me - we have been counting down the days! So why the sidelines you ask? My last run before the 10K, I trip on the edge of the asphalt, roll my ankle inwards, and fall down an embankment. Not one of my finer moment as I am howling at my running partner while sitting in some thorns, and spectators on the trail call an ambulance.  I do have to say that my running partner Susy and I have reached a new level of friendship! Even though I am yelling at her while she she is trying to extract me from the thorns, she held my hand and prayed over me.  She made a million phone calls for me and took Josie during my ambulance ride and ER stay. I know her heart is broken just from seeing the how ordeal. As much as my heart is broken (I think I cried more tears over my race dreams disappearing than I did the pain), I am so blessed to have such a special friend. One that runs with me, complains with me, runs with me some more, laughs with me, pushes a stroller when I can't, leaves me in the dust, runs with me again, and is by my side in prayer and tears in the pain. My ankle is not broken, but is a borderline 2nd/3rd degree sprain. That just means it is really really bad. As I write this post it has been a week since it happened. I am more mobile thanks to a walking boot, but in constant pain every time I bear weight. Life has been put in this strange holding pattern of no cleaning, no carpools, no food (as in who can drive to the grocery store), and maybe a shower every other day. It has been hard on the whole family but we are managing to limp along one day at a time. I have another appointment in a week to see how healing is going...the hope then is that maybe I can get on a stationary bike and be driving by then, and maybe I can still "run/jog" on June 1st but there will be no personal records.  I am trying to remain hopeful!

In the meantime, being on the sidelines has shown me something in my kids that I never new existed - a spirit to run.  Maybe I just focused on my running too much and never gave them the chance. Joel and I disagreed on giving Asher my bib for my 10K race even though they let us switch it to the 5K. I didn't think he could run that far, especially by himself. Joel's positive attitude (and Asher's) won me over. Joel predicted a 40 minute 5K for him, I predicted a 35 minute. And I guess since Asher was running, why not sign Anna up for the 1 mile fun run. Then Josie said she wanted to race too...so Joel decided to push her in the stroller. While Jesse and I sat on the sideline and cheered out little hearts out! And my kids shocked me! Anna ran a mile in 7:15, being the second girl to come in. And Asher rounded the corner coming towards the finish line smiling from ear of ear finishing in 27:53! I was so shocked and unprepared that I didn't even get a picture! He placed 68th out of 275 people! Now both kids are begging to be signed up for more races and have been running a mile just about every other day in "training". I am ecstatic that my love for running may be something I get to share with my kids now. I never would have given them this chance this early if it weren't for this injury.

 The sidelines pre race. It was a chilly morning!

Another pre race photo.

My speed demons.

And I can't forget to brag about Joel! He ran the 10K with Josie (who kept bragging about "her race" too) and did reach a personal record, finishing in just under 50 minutes! I know he was a little disappointed because he had a different goal, but I know from experience how a stroller slows you down. He did amazing!