Run Your Heart Out

Did I ever tell you about running cross country in high school? You probably think because I write/post so much about running that I was really good at (you know, like I am now, LOLFOREVER), but I wasn't. I thought it would be pretty easy, only I was young and dumb and out of shape. I finished every race, though. Last.

So, whatever. Here were are (OMG) fifteen years later and running is like...a thing. And, more importantly, it's my thing. It isn't that I'm very good at it, but I can do it, and I like it! I mean, I can't tell you that I loooooooove it because no one actually loves running. It's a great stress reliever and basically allows you to eat a lot. Rungry is a thing, okay?

Okay, the point to this is that I crossed something off my list this weekend. Something I actually didn't even give a second thought to until this time last year. Now, I don't have a bucket list or anything. I feel that if something is cool and I want to do it, then one day I'll try.

Apparently I thought running a half marathon was cool.

So I did it.

And it was amazing.

We (my running buddy, Michelle) started training in September. LOL, two teachers starting training for a half marathon when school starts. Yeah, we were laughing too, only not really. Training was hard to keep up with, especially with school and my busy social calendar. That's a joke, by the way. In October we did a ten-miler that got us pretty pumped for thirteen. It didn't hurt that everyone we know who is a distance runner told us "Oh, just another three! That's no big deal!". You're all a bunch of liars, okay?

Eventually all of our almost training paid off, however. Saturday we got up dark and early and headed to Walt Disney World to get our run on with a few thousand of our closest friends. Yeah, some people think you're insane because you love running. Or because you pay to run. Or because you wear your Captain America socks with the wings on them while running.

Whatever, Ma. Everyone else liked them. :) 

So being at Disney at 4AM is not quite as fun as it sounds. Especially when it's forty-five degrees out and you're born and raised Floridian with thin blood. Here's the thing...it was totally worth it. I had been stressing for weeks about whether or not I was going to make this race. I was worried I hadn't trained enough. I was worried I wasn't going to make it. I was worried I was going to get hurt. 

It was awesome. 

There was so much excitement surrounding us that it left absolutely no time to be nervous. Also, there were so many people around us that it didn't matter if it was your first or your hundredth race, because everyone was about having fun. The best part was that I made it and I made it with one of my best friends. We both know that it would have been difficult had we not taken this journey together (she's texting me motivational pictures trying to talk me into a FULL marathon as I type this), and it probably wouldn't have been as much fun. 

also got to meet Mer and Brooke from ScootADoot AND IT WAS AWESOME. I once said that it was my dream to run with Mer and then it happened. Sigh. They're both so pretty. 

I look so stupid because I'M SO EXCITED

But really, I can't really describe the feeling that I got when I crossed the finish line. It was mostly relief because I'd been up since 2AM and was hungry and cold and sweaty. Yeah, that's a thing that can happen. But also...I don't think I've felt that proud of myself about something in a long time. When you're an adult it's hard to come by those things, you know? Aside from like, getting married and having kids or something. (LOL.)

During this whole process I've been consistently amazed about what a body can do. Actually, what my thirty-one-year-old body could do that my sixteen-year-old body didn't really feel like doing. It's amazing what can happen when you put your mind to it. And what you can do when you're motivated by the right people and have good friends to get you through stuff. You can do really cool things when you try. 

Now you do something awesome. Do it for you. Or go out and do something awesome for other people. 

I'm going to leave you with some pictures and go lather on the BioFreeze. 

Well, now it's real.

The castle! And Elsa! And Anna! And Kristoff! 

Magic Kingdom selfie!

Medals! We made it!

Beermosa. Congrats to me! 

Worth it. 

Go do something.

It'll Be Okay

Is this week over yet? No?

It's been a tough one, that's for sure. It probably has to do with not having to set an alarm for over two weeks. Or maybe it was the full moon. Perhaps is was the students all hopped up on Christmas break and presents and cookies (oh, the cookies). Any day after a long vacation is like herding cats, in my opinion. I've never actually herded cats, but they're just like children, right? 

Anywho, it's been a day. A day from a place. A place that rhymes with smell, if you catch my drift. (You do, I know it.) Lucky for me, I'm not the only one who had the day-from-a-place-that-rhymes-with-smell. How do I know, you ask? I can see it on their faces, it's like looking into a mirror. 

It's comforting, though, really. It's good to know that we aren't the only ones who have bad days. Not all days are bad, but they aren't all good either. Children aren't perfect, the world isn't perfect, you are not perfect (no matter how hard we try or want to be). 

So, it'll be okay. Will it be great? Eh. Is it going to be awesome? Probably not. Will you make it through? I'm sure it doesn't always feel like it. 

You will, though. 

You've got friends to help you get through it. People to empathize with you and give you advice. Advice is my favorite thing. It used to be (a long time ago) that I didn't take advice very well. Now, I thrive on it. And if people come to me for advice? I'm flailing on the inside, but trying to act cool, okay? 

There are other thing to keep you going, too. Your job doesn't define you. You define you. I wasn't very nice a couple of times today, but that doesn't mean that I don't love those little stinkers  kids a lot! 

Each and every day I try to focus on something positive that happened, even if it doesn't always happen with my job. Maybe traffic wasn't too bad, or something was on sale on Target. Maybe I got a free drink at Starbucks, or my cat didn't vomit while I was at work. 

Or maybe...maybe it's just the fact that you woke. You got out of bed. You went to a job where you are appreciated. Maybe you made a difference even though you didn't know it. Maybe one day down the road some kid is going to remember something you said, and that kid ends up changing the world. 

Who really knows? 

Or maybe...maybe your good thing is that you get to home with those you love. You get to do something you enjoy. Maybe it's because Friday is just around the corner. 

Whatever your little thing is, I hope it makes you smile after a shitty day. 

My little thing is that I don't have to work Friday. (Sorry, suckas.)

Peace.