WOW! What a week! This week dawned bright and early Sunday morning (3:30 to be exact) when we headed to catch the bus in Monterey and went out to run the Big Sur Marathon in California.
Amazing. Beautiful. Brutal.
This will be one of my all time favorite moments to look back on when I am old and gray. The scenery was outstanding and we were serenaded by the Pacific ocean as we ran our 26.2 miles of pure hills. We headed down the PCH from Big Sur to Monterey, at one point climbing a 2 mile hill at a 7% grade...Hurricane Point. It was somewhat of a selfish endeavor. Running is my guilty pleasure...as I have written about before...but this was extra special. I have spent the past 4 months of my life training with Mat and our running partner Lindsay for this marathon. Training with the two of then was lots of fun, except that I got injured part way through and spent a month cross-training. I truly had no idea how the run would go. Thanks to prayer and awesome PT, it went better than I could have asked for. I can't express how awesome it was to run and finish this goal with Mat.
Can't wait for our next marathon!
On the way...
Hurricane Point
Post Run Beer
The week wrapped up today with a 5K in which my little running group participated. Some friends& I coach a little running club of about 75 kiddos - The Cardinal Racers - that not only encourages kids to become better runners, but to focus on the character aspect of running:
hard work, encouragement, goal setting, responsibility, etc.
It's a blast. We run 2 races each year and enjoy every moment of it. For these students, its especially special. Most of these students don't play club level sports - or are members of any sports teams for that matter. Most are happy having a meal on the table consistently. Most can't afford the $12 race fee. Most run in ratty tennis shoes and jeans. ALL have a blast. I have a BIGGER blast watching them set and accomplish their goals. It is my most FAVORITE part of the year. There is nothing like cheering on a racer on the sideline and all of a sudden they kick it in gear and run their little hearts out. Or running beside them and hear THEM cheer on other runners in the race. Or thank the volunteers at the water station, or the policeman directing traffic. Or to hear them tell you they beat their goal. WOW. This program has such a big place in my heart....
So what a week... A week getting to do one of my favorite past times. RUN. From Marathon to 5K... this week has been so rewarding - on so many levels.
