So since my last post I logged about 10 runs in the month of September... not so good when you are training for a 50 miler. Although I accidentally got ahead of myself in the training and put in a strong 30 mile run early on in training and so I do not feel bad about the missed runs in September. I had time off while studying for the MCAT and then the subsequent trip to New River to raft the Gauley and then I ran the Helvetia 10K which took place on September 15 (not logged on any GPS devices.) The following week, I put in runs on Tues, Thurs, Fri, Sat & Sun (taking a Wed off but replacing it on Friday.) Then, on Tuesday, September 24th, I put in 9 miles on the Hatfield & McCoy trails located behind my house and left that night for NYC. I stopped off in St. Albans to pick my friend up that evening and we hit the road, driving all night, to NYC, arriving around 11:30 the next morning. By the time I found parking and got my dog reaquainted with his buddy, Sam, in NYC. I changed clothes and hit Central Park for a nice run - 5 miles, my usual Wednesday run. I have to say after running trails here in WV, the CP run was quite boring and so on the way back, I hit the streets of New York and had much more fun bobbing and weaving through the streets - it was the closest thing to trail running you can get there. It was fun and I was impressed with my pace (8:16) given the fact I had been up for 30+ hours - I was running on adrenaline and caffeine. I didn't get any running in for the rest of my trip while I continued the caffeine trend just to make it all the activity planned.
On the way home, my car breaks down in Maryland - 20 minutes away from my best friend's aunt & uncle's house. Getting straight to the point.. it was no accident my car stopped there. Her cousins had been in a terrible car accident and I am certain G-d had planned this otherwise unexpected stop so that her company could brighten up the spirits of the little ones and injured. Selena has a way of bringing a smile to everyone's face. She spent the entire week following my mother's death with me and my family, never leaving our side. She brought a smile to our faces and laughter to our home during a time when it was needed.
We spent two nights in Maryland while trying to figure out what to do about my car before renting a car and heading home. Selena put the car rental in her name. The entire trip she had not been feeling well and her discomfort had worsened daily even though she had been taking prescription antibiotics that were prescribed to her for when she has this type of problem. And so, after seeing how much pain she was in, I urged her to stop by her hospital in Morgantown since we would be passing right through. You see, Selena has beat death a few times in her life. And, I didn't want her to have to face that again. So, we stopped at Ruby Memorial on our way home. I spent the night with her in the ER until I knew that they were going to admit her. Well - I stayed on after that, but it was then I knew I needed to call my father to drive up to pick me up so I could get back to the office and school. By this time, I was way behind on work that needed to be done and had missed 3 Organic Chemistry lectures. My father arrives around lunch time & I had to say my good-byes to Selena & head home. On the trip home, my father tells me that the trip out of the house had him feeling 10 years younger. Well - again, I was able to see G-d working in my father's life this time through what appeared to be yet another disaster in my path. You see, my father has been having a very difficult time with the loss of my mother & has not been getting out and about as he should. He agreed with me when I told him that G-d wanted him to get outdoors & see what He has created for us and to enjoy the beauty around him of the beginning of the fall color changes.
The reason I tell this long story leads up to some happenings on my runs this past weekend. Even though I had been through what my sister called the "female version of The H@ngover" G-d allowed me to be in a place where I could see him working through difficult circumstances. And, so I came home in a very grateful mindset, thankful for not only the blessings in my life, but more so for being able to see the good He was working through my series of disasters - mindful of HIS presence in my life.
I am almost always in a prayerful state on my runs...or try to maintain one, especially during my trail runs that I do alone. I see it as an opportunity to speak to G-d and meditate on the energy I want to create within my world. I focus on the blessings I have in my life & ask for guidance and discernment while sending positive healing energy to people I have come in contact with whether family, friend, acquaintance or stranger. I do not attend a church, temple or synagogue - but rather call nature my church for this is when I feel closest to G-d. When I was going through a very difficult time in my life I used to look at the clock and began being drawn to the time 1:11 or 11:11. I do not think I am special nor am I superstitious; however, it is something that I began to associate with hope. I mention this because while on my run Saturday, I am feeling great. My body is recovering from the stress I exposed it to while traveling and eating a horrible diet - and I feel the cleansing of the run & my energy begins to switch from sluggish to peppy. And then, out of no where, in my path is a bobcat. I was in awe and if you ask around it is very rare to run into one in nature. At that moment, something told me to look at my watch - it read 11:11. My spirits were completely uplifted and I saw this as a message from G-d, telling me HE was with me at that moment. I was thankful and felt very blessed.
The next day my training run was in Chief Logan State Park. My body was tired from the 20 miles put in on the Hatfield & McCoy trails on Saturday, but I again began my run in a prayerful mode, thanking G-d for my blessings and remembering the bobcat from the day before. I thanked Him for the reminder that He was with me and continued on my run in this prayerful state. Along the path I came across a bird that let me run right up on it before it took off, and when it took off, it flew low to the ground and along the path, almost as if it was guiding me. It took my breath away it was so beautiful and again I thanked G-d for putting this bird in my path & at the same time remembering how I found peace and truth through birds during the same period of my life in which 11:11 brought me hope (this was years ago and I rarely even think about it anymore - which is why, too, I think I was reminded of it - to remember what He has brought me through, the strength gained, as well as the spiritual growth spawned from it.) I then rounded the bend in the path the bird had led and was jogging when I came upon the same bird which let me run right up on it again before taking off once more in the same manner, flying low and leading the way. This time I lost my breath at the beauty and immediately thought to myself, "LOOK AT YOUR WATCH!" This time, my watch read that I had been running 1 hour 11 minutes and 50 seconds... which tells me if I had looked at my watch the first time the bird led the path, it would have read 1 hour 11 minutes and 11 seconds. I immediately felt closer to G-d than I ever had. I knew He was with me right there. I saw how He had answered many prayers and some being answered on my recent road trip. I had prayed for understanding of when He was working through me or when He was using me as a conduit for His work. He had answered that prayer when everything seemed to be falling apart and everyone felt sorry for me, I could see the good in what He was doing. I also saw it as a message that He is always with me and that He will guide me through any and all situations in which He leads me to. A peace washed over me like never before and I immediately began praying for healing to come over all the people in my life who are dealing with different traumas.
I felt it necessary to share this story because people need to be reminded to not just pray, but have faith in the process and the situations G-d brings into our lives. We must trust that there is a good in all things even when we can not see it ourselves. G-d doesn't always answer our prayers in the way we think He will and it may take a very long time for them to be answered, but He is there none the less, and wants to hear from us. In His time, things will make sense. When we stop trying to figure things out with our brains and listen with our hearts, He will begin to speak. We have to tune in. And the best way to do this is through quiet time.
And, now - I am under an incredible amount of pressure to get things done. I have made some commitments to myself and to my work. I have many challenges ahead of me and a ton of work to do and have spread myself very thin. However, I am reminded that I am capable because He is there with me. I have many projects that I am working on all while applying to attend medical school. I am blessed to be in the position I am and am grateful for the opportunity to be able to help myself while helping others around me. I am blessed.
With that, here are my runs since my last post - I would like to say at this time too, that after my 50+ miler, I will begin training for triathlons! and, so I have been spending more time in the water and will be swimming on my Friday & Monday run day's off. This morning I spent 50 minutes on the stationary bike and 50 minutes swimming laps and doing lap drills. I will most likely also be doing more of my weekday runs on the treadmill as my schedule is running tighter and tighter as I am working on so many things at the same time. last night, I had to put my 9 miles in by getting 3 in on the treadmill before I taught swim lessons and the other 6 in same place AFTER swim lessons.
Here are my runs since last post:
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Looking back this was not a bad pace at all considering it was pissing down rain the entire time
Same workout logged on MapMyRun
this was supposed to be a fivehour training run, but something told me to go home and check on my dad and dog and cut the run short. I was tired but my legs felt strong. Plus I had so much time off beforehand I didn't want to sprain anything and risk injury. the minute I felt like I should come off the mountain and cut it short, I looked at my watch, it was 1:11 and so I listened - lol, probably a subconscious thing by this time, but I acted maybe on superstition this time ;-)
Took Smith on this run :D
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