Hello Friend!

I knew I was going to have to blog again after this past weekend – but mostly because I wanted to share a “true friendship” with all of you. Not that all of my friendships aren’t meaningful, but this one is worthy of sharing, today.

My weekend started out with a dinner at my friend Anne’s house. I met Anne the summer before 9^th grade – so I guess that would be the summer of 1987. That would have made us both 14, at the time. Anne was new to our neighborhood in 1987 – the product of a military family. We shared the bond of moving around the world and became fast friends. Anne and I were inseparable. For nearly 2 years we ate together, slept over one another’s houses every weekend, shopped together – shared a love for the band U2 together – and ultimately we stayed together everywhere we went. Our sophomore year of high school was a defining moment for both of us – I was cut from the volleyball team; she made the cheerleading squad. Our worlds were moving in opposite directions, but we tried to hold on. Friends outside of our immediate circle could not begin to understand how a preppy-cheerleader and a geeky new-wave-girl could have anything in common. And, sadly, just before the end of the fall of our sophomore year – we “broke up.” It was devastating (for me). I had never had a friend like Anne.

So, the month after I left my husband (one year ago, this week), Anne and I were reunited on Facebook. It was, coincidentally, ANOTHER elementary school friend from the SAME neighborhood who, in essence, helped us reunite. An even stranger fact – not only did the 3 of us grow up in the same neighborhood (literally seconds from one another’s homes by foot) we now all lived within miles of each other in Arizona (1500 miles from the tiny neighborhood of Patricia Gardens in Fairview Heights, Illinois).

I tell you this back story as I think it’s important explain this weekend. Anne and her husband made a delicious dinner for Dennis and me on Friday night. And, when I found myself pacing the house on Saturday, Anne was quick to suggest we spend the day shopping for some of the household things I needed. We laughed as we picked out the exact same pair of pants and held them up to show the other “how cute they are!” The day went by and we laughed, reminisced and ultimately enjoyed the day.

But it was Sunday (you know I always get around to making this about running – so here it is) that made me realize that, while there was a halt in our friendship from 1989 to 2008, not a moment was truly lost. Anne had asked if she could “Sherpa” for me on my long 20 mile run on Sunday. I was elated that Dennis would FINALLY be off the hook – poor guy has spent 2 years “Sherpa-ing” my runs (Thank you, Dennis!). Worried about giving the responsibility of water and Gu to someone new – I graciously accepted – trying to put my worries aside.

On Sunday, I got to mile 8 and there with a HUGE smile was Anne. She uncapped my “room-temperature” water, chatting away about looking like a hooker standing on the side of the road in the somewhat-dark. It made me laugh – which was awesome. Unfortunately, I was already sore and could only utter “can you pick up some Ibuprophen and bring it with you to mile 14?” I know I shouldn’t take it, but the 7 mile hike from the day before was felt EVERYWHERE! I continued on my trek around the corner, thanking Anne for being there – RIGHT on schedule.

The next six miles weren’t awful. I passed a lot of people; it was an absolutely gorgeous morning by Arizona standards. By the time I saw Anne (once again in her traditional “hooker-pose”) at mile 14, she was standing with her bike, two waters (at room temp), Gu, tissues, Ibuprophen and a smile. She knew JUST what I needed – someone to get me through the last 6 miles. I had been running for 2 hours and 17 minutes at that point and was really ready to quit, but Anne reminded me that she was “really looking forward to a little exercise.” Little did she realize she’d be peddling at a snail’s pace.

After a mile and a half I told her I wanted to quit – she wouldn’t have it. She told me to take some more water and that we could walk for a stretch. I made it past the point where it was possible to shorten the run and we were off. I ran and while she peddled she told me hysterical stories – the hooker one was my favorite. She talked about our love of U2 as 14 year olds, college bar scenes, her life in Chicago and how annoyed she’d be if the Cubs Spring Training Facility moved from Phoenix to Florida. She made me laugh and kept me thinking about anything but the pain in my legs and butt! At mile 18.5 I asked to walk a little – she agreed, “but only to that bush – or maybe that street sign,” she protested. “You can see the tops of the buildings at the street where you’re done; so, come on!” I felt like I would let her down if I didn’t continue. Anne has had a series of difficult health-related issues over the last few years and I needed to show her that I could do this – for both of us.

As we approached the final light – and yes, I did start up at the street sign (NOT the bush), the light turned green and she said, “come on, you can make it through the light!” I did and was never so pleased to have had THAT kind of slave-driving Sherpa at my side! 20 miles and 3 ½ hours later, I was done.

Nearly twenty years had passed and we were together – through some of the hardest times – again. Hugs!

New day - Nov 1, 2009

So, my cousin Jackie complains that I don’t blog enough – well…at all. This is for her – and anyone else remotely interested in my passion for running and life.

Here it is exactly 2 weeks from my 37^th birthday and it’s fair to say – I don’t feel 37. Since August, I have been training harder and longer for the Phoenix Marathon (in January), again. I remain committed to completing it in under 4:30. I know the answer is endurance – I tend to crap out somewhere between mile 17-20 and then simply want to slow to nearly a walk. The 2010 Marathon will be different – I am convinced I can do it at 37, even if I was unable at 35 and 36.

At 37, however, it feels much more important to meet my goal. I have endured a lot, this year. I spent the beginning of 2009 unemployed and scared – scared that I would never find the job I wanted. I interviewed tirelessly for positions I was willing to take – worrying as I left each interview that this was it; this was to be my future. However, amidst the weirdness of interviews came a position within Student Life and Leadership at Mesa Community College – and regardless of the pay, I knew I needed to get THAT position. My 6 month anniversary – and the end of my probationary period with the district – comes THIS week. I am grateful for the opportunity. I absolutely adore the work and the people with whom I work!

Additionally, in conjunction with unemployment and finding new work came divorce. I spent the better part of 2009 feeling guilty and ashamed. I never wanted to be one of them – the 50 percent who married and couldn’t stick with it. It wasn’t for a lack of trying – but the love was gone and today I am divorced. I am no longer ashamed and guilty – rather free and excited about my future. I thank those who were supportive and understanding. Sadly, some of my friends passed judgment without entertaining that they may not know the whole story. I am glad to say that I have picked an amazing group of friends (and family) – and I should probably spend an entire blog thanking each of them. Fortunately, I am fairly certain they know who they are.

As I ran this morning, I thought about this blog. I thought about how, without running, I would be in a very different psychological place. For those of you who don’t run – or who tell me you can’t run – running saved my life. When I was scared of never finding another job that I loved as much as my work at UAT, running motivated me to get up early every morning and think through interview questions, or a new sentence in a cover letter. When I was upset by the loss of “another” friendship, running showed me that I can do things that others cannot – and I should keep it at the forefront to prove to myself that anything is possible, even if alone. Running isn’t just about putting one foot in front of the other – it’s about accomplishing something and committing to the future. It’s about creating goals and seeing them to the finish (line). One needn’t go 26.2 miles to have accomplished their goals – sometimes it’s a 5K or their first mile without stopping. But, regardless of the distance – running makes you realize that you CAN do just about anything – no matter how painful and difficult.

In 2009 I endured unemployment and divorce – and I am hopeful for my future, thanks to running.

I’ll leave you with this final little story… this morning, as I ran through downtown Tempe and the ASU campus at 630am, I passed several young people still in Halloween costumes from the night before. I cackled at most of them as they made their ways to their apartments, dorms or the local breakfast joint. But, the best moment came just as I finished my 4^th mile. Two guys, CLEARLY recovering from the evening’s festivities saw me and one of them stuck his hand out as I ran passed him. I stuck my hand out, somewhat incredulously, and he gave me a high-five yelling as I passed, “you’re my inspiration.” I admit that I laughed and continued on my journey. But, for the remainder of my 10K run, I smiled. He actually made my day. At 6:30am, I was someone’s inspiration – if only for a moment. It was a little cheesy – but I didn’t want to be anywhere else, doing anything else at that moment. I hope I see him again, one of these days… in running shoes.

(I promise to blog more, as I get closer to the marathon. Thanks Jackie – and Nugget – for being my inspiration. I love you.)