Four Life-Changing Miles

Saturday morning, I ran my first "long run" since I was cleared to run by my doctor.   It ended up being a very reflective run.

Backing up a bit...in September 2013, I fell and injured my foot while training for the Chicago Marathon.  Five weeks before.  Things haven't been right since.  I finished the marathon but it wasn't pretty.  I didn't run for weeks after and went on to complete the Savannah half marathon in November - I like to refer to that as my 13-mile walking tour of Savannah.

Since November, I've rested my foot, been to a sports medicine doctor and got orthotics for my shoes, got new shoes, tried running and finally gave up/in and went to a podiatrist.  The good doc put me in a walking boot - up to my knee.  I cried when he told me it was a must for 4-6 weeks.  He, in turn, told me that runners are the craziest group of people that doctors deal with because we don't ever, ever, ever want to hear that we can't run.  Period.  For probably the first time in my life, I strictly followed doctor's orders because that was the fastest way to get back in my running shoes and on the road.

A week and a half ago, the boot came off.  I have strict instructions to take it slow and to start over with running.  I ran one mile last Monday.   I ran 2 miles on Thursday and Saturday, as mentioned earlier, I had my first long run with my running group, The Runagades.  I ran 4 miles.

When I got into mile 3, I thought, "I'm just getting warmed up and I have to stop in less than a mile?  I want to run!!!!"  And then I thought about my very first long run...

My first long run was with Team in Training in August of 2006 - 8 years ago.  The training schedule called for a 4-mile run.  When we started, I was quite sure there was no possible way to cover that distance.  Four miles was stupidly long and impossible and crazy and what was I thinking!?!  My coaches, Kenny and Jackie, were by my side and got me through it.  It was pouring rain - the rain was coming down so hard it hurt when it hit my skin.  But we didn't stop.  There was no stopping.  I was registered to run a full marathon in Phoenix 5 months later.  There was no time to waste.  I recall thinking, "How in God's name will I ever run 26 miles if 4 seems so impossible."

Five months later, Kenny crossed the finish line with me in Phoenix and it was magic.  When I returned to my hotel room, I retrieved a voicemail from Jackie congratulating me and telling me that he was proud of me and it was perfect.  It was a magical, perfect day.  And it was the beginning of my running addiction.  

Ironically, those are the only two runs I remember from those five months of training.  There were 2-3 runs per week for five months and I only remember those two.  The first one and the last one.  I remember the friendships that bloomed and the breakfasts we had together, etc., and I even  remember being out on runs and enjoying my time with the group, but the only runs I specifically remember are the first one in the rain and the last one that had a finish line.

For me, both of those runs were life changing.  I found running and in all the places I've run since and at the 20+ races I've completed, I found a fraternal group of people who no matter the speed, the condition, the size or the shape, accept and embrace one another due to a common love of putting one foot in front of the other and covering the distance.  I found a strength and determination in myself that I didn't know existed.  Most importantly, in Kenny, Jackie and the rest of the running group, I found a family of friends that without running, I would have never met.  We come from all different walks of life, range from 20s to 60s, from various professions, from different parts of the country and are all at different stages of life.  They are all priceless to me.

What I realized Saturday in my little ol' 4-mile run is that first 4-mile run almost 8 years ago has turned out to be the one that means the most to me.  It actually changed my life.  Without Kenny and Jackie right there, in the pouring rain, guiding me through those 4 miles, I have no doubt that I would have stopped at mile 2 and said, "To hell with it!" which means so much would be different.  With their encouragement, I finished and I was so proud and in that moment, I believed that 26.2 was possible.  I believed that with the right people by my side, I can do anything.

I ran again last night.  It was hot and really humid and I was a sweaty, heavy-breathing mess at the end.  But when I got the 4-mile-beep from my GPS, I smiled and very quietly said, "Thanks, Coaches."

Jackie & Kenny, you are so special to me.  Thank you for those four life changing miles.

More to come.

Running TALL,
Julia