Seek New Horizons

This morning was a typical Saturday- typical for me anyway. I woke up at 6:30am, brushed my teeth, put on my running clothes, laced up my Saucony shoes and met my friends by 7am. By 7:55 we were at the starting line of our third half marathon in the last 5 months. We've also done 5ks, 10ks, Turkey Trots, Jingle Jingles and any other race we can sign up for. We run in the heat, in the cold and in the rain. If it snowed in Hilton Head SC we'd run in that too. We train together week after week and I don't see that changing anytime soon. We're a team.

Having a team has been incredible for me. They encourage me when I need it, push me to be better, deal with me being late on a regular basis and basically put up with my bullshit. We support each other when it comes to our health, physical ability and most importantly running. My team has also become my friends. We spend hours together every week and most of that time are chatting about personal lives, work...whatever comes to mind at that God awful hour in the morning. I believe having each other, combined with running, is an outlet. By the time we're done our run we're ready to face the world with an optimistic and energetic disposition. My running group has changed me. And I like it.

Joining a team was a catalyst for a lot of changes I've made over the last year or so. I've joined a book club, been more social with different types of people, started treating my body better than I ever have, began volunteering and now pay more attention to this blog (even if no one reads it). I jump on opportunities to go out of town and be adventurous. I feel like I have things going on. I'm not just going to work and going to the gym. I'm living my life and having fun.

I've said it before and even if it's redundant here I go again: Running is my metaphor for life. During my race today I pushed myself harder than I ever have. I looked up at the steep bridge at miles 4 and 5 and then again at 9 and 10 and thought to myself "I can push through this. This is no sweat." And I did. I conquered that bridge, then ran several miles after it, crossing the finish line at the best time I ever have on flat pavement. I knew my husband and our two dogs were waiting for me at the finish line, and I sprinted my last tenth of a mile like someone was chasing me. It wasn't easy, but it was possible. That's the way I'll continue to live my life: accepting challenges, staring them in the face and then owning them.

"Once upon a time, we believed the world was flat- that beyond a certain point, there would be nowhere to go. And though we know the world is round, we still fear falling off imaginary edges, too often thinking there's only so far we can stretch, so hard we can push. The most dangerous limits are those in our own head. When you feel you're at your edge, look again. You can go farther." -Self Magazine