Love Affair

Charlotte is sleeping and I should be doing a million other things, but truth be told I've missed blogging, and I have to tell you about something.

For the past two weeks Mike has been working the overnight shift at the hospital. It's been pretty brutal for him. He would leave for work at 6:15 p.m. and come home the following morning about 7:30 a.m. head to our basement to sleep until about 5:00 p.m. and repeat the process all over again. It was a long couple of weeks. Poor Mike was always tired and Charlotte and I sure missed having our husband/dad around.

If you know me at all you know I hate being at home at night by myself. I don't sleep well. My mind lets unrealistic thoughts creep in which lead to nightmares, and movies going on my lap top nonstop through the night. This is the third time he has done this rotation and it's always a bummer to go through.

I'll tell you what made the evenings more bearable this time around on this rotation, my current love affair with Kristin Armstrong's book, Mile Markers The 26.2 Most Important Reasons Why Women Run. Once Charlotte was in bed and Mike had left for work, I'd cuddle up with this book and read until my heart's content.

P

I LOVE THIS BOOK

I can't think of anything better than a book about running. Reading and running, two of my greatest passions, what could be better?

I don't usually get into these types of books, but I haven't been able to put this one down. Kristin so eloquently says exactly how I feel about running, mothering, discipline, relationships, and life in general. Mike makes fun of me for how much I love this book, but really Kristin says it perfectly, and nails it over and over again.

Let me share some of this goodness,

page 88 "We can't do anything well, not one single remarkable thing, without reaching far enough beyond ourselves that we are bound to fail from time to time."

page 251 "I train because I want to be someone better than I would be if I didn't train."

page 241 "My own talents and reserves often feel like a drought, insufficient for the harvest. And yet somehow God carries me beyond my expected yield."

page 81 "When it comes down to it, determination has a greater impact than giftedness"

page 69 "When we run we are showing our children, teaching without words, that we value ourselves, our hearts, our fitness, our health, our friendships, our clarity, and our balance."

Don't you love those? I could go on and on, but really you should just go buy it yourself. Whether you are a runner, or wanting to be one, buy this book. It will get you out there, help you to love it and see the good in becoming a runner.

Now Mike would really make fun of me for this one, but I ran a race over the weekend in St. George and I swear reading this book helped me get a new PR (personal record) in the 10k distance. When I hit another uphill in the last mile, I'll be honest, I wanted to slow down, I wanted to walk but I thought of what Kristin Armstrong said about facing hard spots in a race/life, "When you reach your limit, your wall, the end of yourself---what happens next? What do you find there? Release? Relief? Grace? Do you have a breakdown or do you break it down? Do you make a plan or an excuse? What gives-the terrain, your goal or you?....That's when you find out what you are really up against and, in that same sweet moment, what you are really made of."

Ok it's not like I was running a marathon, not even a half marathon but I was pushing myself harder than I have in a long time and I could feel I was losing steam, but thinking of these words helped me push through to the end. It made me question What am I really made of? How am I going to react when I reach my limit? Fo me, I want to keep going whether that's just in a 10k or surviving being a single mom for a month while Mike is spending endless nights and days at the hospital.

Seriously go get this book. I've already sent it to one of my sisters, who wants to start running,and she has loved it as well. And once you've read it call me and we'll talk all about it.

PS Lance Armstrong seriously blew it when he lost Kristin. What a loser.