Day 97 - Cross AND 3 MILES!!! (32:34)

"The positive thinker sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible." - Unknown

Miles Ran: 313.19 Dollars Raised: $1,658.60

Yayyyyy!!! Ugh, it felt SO good push through the pain and use those muscles again!

After not wanting to read anything about running last night, I had a dream that I went out with my team on the course, and after starting off slow I caught up to and passed some of my teammates running at a 9:00 pace. Maybe that's an omen?

I woke up this morning and stepped out of bed for the first time with no pain....granted, that only lasted for about 5 minutes but it's a start! After eating breakfast and getting myself over to the gym, I did 45 minutes on the bike while reading Shopgirl (reading makes the time go by so much faster). As I was biking I thought, "mayyyybe I could just try to run a little bit, mayyyybe just try for one mile."

After I got off the bike, again, no pain. I tried to take advantage of this period, like a power-play in hockey, and got on a treadmill right away. I was really anxious.. I started walking at 4mph and quickly learned that my normal on-the-balls-of-my-feet stride was not going to work, so I adjusted my stride and brought the speed up to 5mph. This wasn't so bad! Again, the smallest things were huge victories. I was astonished at how quickly 1/2 of a mile came up and thought, hell, I'll try for 2 miles. After one mile I brought the speed up to 6mph, because, how much harder could it be? At 1.5 I made the decision I was going for the 3.

The entire time I was just trying to think positively, telling myself YOU CAN DO THIS! KEEP TRYING! YOU GOT THIS! When 2.75 miles came around, and I got to 7mph (what I normally start at) I was thrilled. I got off the treadmill soaking wet, not in TOO too much pain (still walking with a limp), and proud. It's funny to think that the girl running next to me had no idea of the struggle I was going through, or the achievement I felt at the end. Which is probably another reason why I love running with a team--they ALL understand.

This was another moment where I wanted to cry. It made me feel like things are going to work out. There's been a lot of these moments over the past couple months...maybe that's why Rick described himself as an emotional guy when we first met him. This training just takes so much out of you, and gives so much back, you become overcome with DEEP feelings you've never experienced before.