Marathon Training : Week Five / Restoration

Running Recap:

• Tuesday / 3 Mile / Interval (personal record for this year!) 
• Wednesday / 6 Mile / Pace
• Thursday / 3 Mile / Trails 
• Saturday / 12 Miles / Easy 
• Sunday / Cross Train / TBD (likely hugging and tickling my niece, but maybe a bike ride) 

As I set my intention for Week Five, I was looking to give myself time to relax, rest, and restore before my family comes to visit for an entire week.  I love having them here, but know I will spend the week joyfully playing cruise director, collapsing into bed each night from pure exhaustion.  So I wished to peacefully tuck away some time for myself, focusing on restoration of my body and soul before their arrival.  I think of myself as a socially-ept introvert.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not shy.  I like being around people, I have fun in social situations, and value time with friends.  However, I LOVE time by myself.  There is nothing more satisfying than time alone to read, cook, cuddle my pugs, do yoga and watch the most boring documentaries which I could not possibly subject another person to view with me.  (Sidebar: I'm presently watching New York: A Documentary Film...14.5 hours of the history of the city.  I am enthralled!)

My lovely soon-to-arrive visitors! (Photo from 2008!!! Kiara is now 10 & there's NO WAY I can give her a piggy back) 

I started out the week great, cooking up a storm of healthy body fueling/nourishing/restoring Thug Kitchen offerings: smokey veggie burgers, broccoli chickpea burritos, pasta salad, potato salad and my Mommabear's dill cucumbers.  The weather finally flipped from being like the Devil's armpit to cool and crisp.  My runs were amazing for the first time in, well, forever!  Then I had some soul sucking days at work.  And my Grandpa Willie, who has been fighting lung cancer like a prize fighter for twenty-one months took a turn for the worse.  My heart has been smashed to pieces.  I found myself in a carb-induced fog following a comfort food binge: frozen pizza, java vanilla stout, praline pecan ice cream, and a coffee cake.  I somehow managed to eat half the cake through sobs so wracking that I could hardly breathe.  Definitely not pretty crying.  With chunks of cinnamon crumbles and cake all over my face.  Definitely not pretty crying (oh yeah, I said that already, right?!) 

The last time I saw my Grandpa was in May, and he asked me about my running.  I told him that I had gotten into the Marine Corps Marathon and he asked me the most common question most non-runners ask: "How long is that, kiddo?"  26.2 miles, Grandpa.  He laughed.  He told me, "Well, you look great, it's working for you!"  If you have ever met my Grandpa, you'll never forget his laugh.  And that's the sound that's in my head and my heart as I know the time to say goodbye is near.  That's the sound that is restoring my broken heart.      

Often our days and weeks don't go the way we plan.  We get news that rocks us to the core, even when we know it's on the horizon.  We set out with best of intentions, and life takes us in the exact opposite direction of where we want to be.  We end up ugly crying and face-stuffing a coffee cake.  These are the times when we need to lean on what we know we can do, what we are capable of, and find a way to move forward.  One step at a time.  

Week Six Intention: Joy