I realized I haven't done a post since the end of June. A lot of life & chaotic schedules kind of took over July & bled into August. But I thought I'd sum up a few of the things since our last race happened. (reminder HERE)
We went on vacation. We went back to Colorado! We didn't think we'd be able to do a whole lot for vacation this year due to monetary depletion (we did have a GRADUATING SENIOR & such), so we were trying to come up with something on the cheap. It came to our attention that we could use a shared discount on a condo in Colorado, very close to where we stayed last year, for a killer deal! So...we took it! And we spent the week of Independence Day at Lake Dillon. A parade in Breckinridge, a concert & fireworks by the lake, as well as some other things. Like? Mountains.
Ahhhh...mountains! My hubby & I love the mountains. And with us picking up running (reminder on my journey HERE), we were excited to take in the scenery during our runs...as well as the weather.
As we planned our runs in the high elevation, we knew it would be odd breathing as we ran & tried to brace for it. We did run slow & not nearly as far...but running around the lake's dam AND having the mountains around us...during the sunrise...in 50-something degree weather...was magical. I would like to throw in that we were running 3 miles at 9,016 feet...thank you very much.
We had also heard that once we came back down to sea level, our running would increase & be amazing. You know what? It felt amazing to run when we got back! And? I even ran a whole 4 miles shortly after our return home!! CRAZY!!
But then something happened. I felt it. It was a lot like the feeling I had for the week before we lost my grandmother 3 years ago (reminder HERE). I'm in MUCH better shape now, though. And I couldn't breathe on my runs. My last living grandparent, my grandmother who I had so many of you PRAYING FOR last year, had been in not-so-good health. We knew she may be slipping, but I didn't want to believe it. The time was coming that I had been dreading so hard for so long. And I was getting that feeling. I didn't like it. I couldn't even run for a mile & a half because it felt like someone had me pinned down with a steel boot on my chest...even while I was upright.
After a couple of days of this, my concern was heightened for my grandmother. We were being told we should probably see her very soon. I already made up my mind we were going on Monday, July 21st. We would make it work, and that was that. She was not cognizant & was seemingly snoring loudly. The hospice nurse with her was talking about seeming all of my grandmother's CDs & noticed a lot of gospel & hymn themed collections. So...she found an all-hymn station on her iPad, turned on the bluetooth option to play thru my grandmother's TV, and just played hymns for my grandma as her body was failing. The nurse told me she could see my grandma's eyebrows going up and down & her jaw was moving...we guessed she was trying to sing along. The nurse simply said they were enjoying having church. Loved it. We spent a little while there with her, letting her know we were there & letting her know we loved her. It was hard to see her that way...so hard. Then...on Tuesday morning, July 22nd...my dad called to let us know she'd gone. The day I had dreaded for years. Wow...it hurts all over again just putting that back out there...
I was grieving so hard...I had to take some time off running. It hurt to breathe. And it was hard admitting that. My physical grief had taken over & I just turned my focus on helping getting things prepared for her funeral. Which was SO hard. I'd known this woman for 40 of my 24 years. And I wasn't looking forward to the funeral (duh! right? I know...I know...) because I knew it would be the very last time I would gaze upon her. That may be weird to think about...because it wasn't her...just her shell...but still...the very last time.
After all of that, I knew I needed to start running again. Why? I had race a week later! And hoping I could pull myself together to get thru the 3 miles of the Royals Charities 5k at The K (aka Kauffman Stadium) that even includes running the warning track of the field! So...I got in some distance, a bit easier, and even some hills...
I wasn't even looking to PR (set a Personal Record) this race due to my training set-backs. But I wanted to run for my grandma, and someone brought up wearing an angel pin during the race. She had so many angel pins, I could have quite a pick. I also decided to write her name on my arm...and then to just go have fun. Especially since I probably wasn't gonna PR anyway...
My hubby was running, as well as my friend Beqi (who also ran our last race)...and our encourager from our last race, Rob, ran this one, too!
And...Holi Stromboli! My hubby is a stud & PR'd in a HUGE way!! He was a RockStar!! And...AND?? I totally PR'd, too!! You wanna know what else? Well, I'm gonna tell ya anyway. I decided I would pose for the camera. Especially since I "wasn't gonna PR". LOL!
That's right...I finished the race by doing a grande jete' over the finish line...as a dancer/runner should.
Also, I came in 508th over all of 1500+ racers, 23rd in my division. HUGE!!
Then, in the time since then, we've gone to Chiefs' training camp and been getting the kiddos ready for school. Also...I haven't lost any weight, but it's been redistributed & I'm down a dress size.
We now are getting Teen Girl ready for college...and then another race.
I've picked up my training & getting ready to do the Blacklight Run in a couple of weeks...the first race I ever registered for. Ever!
Mourning my grandmother's passing while coming across so many reminders, and also continuing training...so many changes gone thru & still to come. It's been a lot. But still going...
Stay tuned...
God Bless, AM~Erica
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