PACE: Prepare. Achieve. Celebrate. Evolve.
It's pre-marathon eve and I took a great 5K stretch run this morning from Charlottenburg Palace to the Olympiastadion-Berlin originally built for the 1936 Olympic games. When I approached the stadium, I was overcome by a sensation difficult to describe. You know that awesome feeling...when there's something bigger than you ahead of you.
If you don't know this feeling you aren't living. Get up and do something to find it!
In July after a full 8 months of slow training to get myself to Berlin I fell on a 16-mile run - it was dark and I twisted my right ankle and pulled my heel. The doctor thought I had a hairline fracture (not usually a good prognosis for a runner). Instead it was a bone bruise with the stern recommendation I stop running for 2 weeks to heal. Two weeks to heal a heel is eternity, especially during peak/high mileage running.
I went home that night feeling down. Okay, 'down' is a nice way of saying I was "pissed". I remember thinking how far I'd come and how easy it would be to just drop out of this year's race due to injury -- that's what I did last year?!. My mind raced ... "This isn't for me, right? It's not supposed to happen so c'est la vie!"
Have you ever been punched in the face so much you wanted to just give up? Ever rejected so many times trying that you just wanted to walk away?
My husband was a hero that night when he asked me why give up now? Those four words saved me. Why give up now when I've come THIS far - after all I did have ~8 weeks left to train? So, I sat for 14 very long days, just as I was told. I babied my legs, I prayed, I cried, and did whatever I could to keep my faith alive and began training again.
My running has evolved over time. With each race, I have learned something new. Truthfully I've hurt more than I did in July and have fallen many times. Evolving is about taking what you learn and applying it to the next "thing".
Oprah says ...'The whole point of being alive is to evolve into the complete person you were intended to be.' Tomorrow I take to the streets of Berlin to continue that evolution. After I finish, I will ice my legs and prepare (P) and PACE to finish whatever is next!
What are you doing to PACE? to celebrate your awesomeness? to evolve?
PS: Thank you Mark for believing in me and kicking my ass when I wanted to throw away this race. I love you.