It's a New Year! Yesterday J and I ran our last run of the year and the first run since Christmas eve, a week ago. We'd been doing well and had planned on running on Friday, but life got in the way. Actually saying good bye to my son got in my way on Saturday and so J decided to work out with her Cindy Crawford tapes and sadly hurt herself. The pain of her pinched nerve seemed to take a back seat to her disappointment in not being able to run - I was so proud of her ... she never wanted to give up, instead she seemed to focus on how much she missed running and by Wednesday she was back!

Though J was sidelined Monday I knew I had to keep going, besides, she's already running faster than I am so off I went. My 8 year old granddaughter went along with me and we discussed math problems as they relate to time and miles running. As we talked, it occurred to me that J and I had already ran a marathon - sure, it may have taken us four weeks - but we did it!!! lol

Anyway, J's doctor gave her the go ahead to begin running again so yesterday we ran. It almost seems apropos that our last run of the year was the first run where we both felt like we were r-u-n-n-i-n-g instead of the jog/shuffle we've been doing. During our second interval I noticed our strides and in those seconds I saw a glimpse of how far we've come. In that instant I knew I was a runner, not fast, but a runner! Besides, this isn't about racing anyone -- it's about fulfilling a dream. I want to someday love running for running's sake instead of fearing I'm going die. Yesterday as I saw us moving, running, I felt for the very first time that I can actually run. I will overcome my fears and someday, in the not too distant future, run for the love of running. J and I are feeling proud of ourselves and are looking forward to logging our runs for an entire year as we begin 2009.

Go Us!!!