Fairhaven 15K Therapy...

A few weeks ago I was having one of my more recent moments of being emotionally unstable due to life and all that's happening in the present. I'm not ashamed to say that I have minutes (sometimes hours) where the tears have no shut off switch and the desperate pleas with God for health seem more like yelps for help. 

With Tim's job, come weekends or evenings of tag along dates that usually end up with me enjoying a five star meal or solid nights rest with no midnight wake-up calls. (If you're in the Seattle area, I recommend eating at Barolo's...best meal I've ever had...and that's saying alot as it was rabbit!)  Lately, we've been able to have two overnight weekends in Seattle where I've been able to recharge my batteries, catch up on sleep, regain my bearings and do some much needed ME retail therapy. It's been years since I went shopping for me and not for the other four in the house. Yes, I did strike some clearance sales for the kids but I'm dutch and saw a good deal that I couldn't pass up. It was on the way home where Tim politely spoke up and had asked in the most kind, sensitive way if I could find a new therapy. 

"I think we need to find you a new therapy that's not so expensive. Maybe you could take up reading the Bible or running?" 

In the moment, I laughed. I needed too. But in all honesty, running has been a form of therapy for me and it's becoming addictive too. Yes, it has it's wears and tears on my body and geriatric knees that follow, but it is mind-over-matter that can be challenged and pushed through when the adrenaline kicks in and the gun goes off. My girlfriend Jackie and I have been running distance together, chatting up the county roads and at moments searching for a random farm outhouse in case of desperate needs to pee. We laugh, cry, pray, and find it refreshing when we can find a sitter for the kids and push through ten miles. Last weekend we ran from Lynden to the foothills and even snagged some water from the Everson 10K! It's rewarding to accomplish 11.5 miles and the therapy is free...most of the time. 

Yesterday was one of those moments where I could hear the feet moving, find steady breathing, smell the bay, and hear the final cheers feet from the finish line. Fairhaven Waterfront 15K was the therapy Tim was looking for when asked to find a new therapy. 

The kids, Tim, and my parents were there at the finish line to cheer me on and give me sweaty hugs in the end. I love being able to show our kids healthy activities and to experience the excitement in a race. Two weeks until the half marathon...I'm ready. 

{ Melissa, Jackie, and Myself }

{ Thank you Jessica for helping rid the knots and working the IT band massage on Friday. I was as loose as a goose and felt great }

{ My Hero won't be able to be there at the 1/2 marathon so she sent me flowers to greet me at the finish line with my banana lovin' baby }

{ Jackie, Melissa, Myself, & Jenna }

This was a gorgeous race (if the fog lifted) along the bay and Boulevard Park. My knee had some moments thinking it would give out on me but I forced through the pain in the end and reminded myself that My Hero can do years of treatments...

keep running sis.