Runner Back!

On this last post of 2014, I thought I would end on a positive note…

[And the people rejoiced.]

I pulled myself together for a 3.5 mile trail run in Mountain Park today.  I haven’t done much in the way of running over the last week  two weeks or so – and before that, it’s been base building stuff, so I knew that a trail run – a mountainous one, at that – would be just what I needed to shock my system (or to make me swear off running for all of 2015).

I ran the first half mile down to the park at a nice pace.  Got to the park and proceeded to huff and puff and heave my out of shape body up the trails.

Lawd. Running is hard. (Why I am always surprised at this revelation, I don’t know).

About 1.5 mile in, I come across a group of hikers – hiking sticks and all.  (What they were doing looks much more fun, I thought to myself.)  They were deep across the trail, and I couldn’t really run past them without knocking them all down or shouting, “Hey move.”  Neither of which is nice, so I just slowed down and kinda waited a bit…

I guess one of the ladies heard me (heaving and huffing), and she turned, and shouted to her group, “Clear the path!  Runner back!”

“Thank you,” I said, and went flying (ha!) past them, and up the next climb like a mountain goat (ha!).

It took about five minutes, and I realized what those little words meant.

Runner Back!

I know I write about it all the time – the importance of being a runner, no matter how pokey you are, that you have to believe you are a runner, and say, “I am a runner.”

As I was floundering and flopping all over my 3.5 miles today, I realized that, no matter how hard the run was… I was out there running.  To the point where other people saw me, and said, “Runner back!”

Runner? Hey, they were talking about ME!

Equally as symbolic was the words “Runner Back” – as in, I am back.  Every time I take a break (whether intentional, unwanted or forced), there is always that first or second workout where my legs pedal faster or I pick up the pace on the run… and I say to myself, “Hey, I am back. Welcome back, Mere.”

Today.  Runner [is] back.

And it was nice.

I wish you all a wonderful New Year… full of promise and joys and goals that knock your socks off.  Love to you all.  xo.

***

And today… most of all, a very happy 6th birthday to the Swim Bike Girl, Stella… who has the spirit of a fighter, the soul of a superstar and a sense of humor that kills me. I love you, baby girl.