What a moment at the finish line…All of  this hard, work paying off…It was three hours and twenty four minutes of running…not a second of walking!   Most of that smiling..laughing in fact at the damn weather!  Encouraging others who looked bewildered , as my team mates have encouraged me,  these past few months..
“Who am I?” I kept thinking..  Who is this girl who a few short months ago couldn’t even walk a mile…  Who is this girl who just sailed past mile 7 goofing for the camera?  Who is this girl… I kept thinking who is pumping it up these hills?
Who is this girl about to finish running 15.5 miles?   Who am I?
A Road Warrior that’s who…I love you all more than you know…

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There are nerves…they are with me almost every waking hour being that the day is almost here.
Yet, it is thrilling to look back and see how far we ALL have come.  And anticipation for Saturday…yes, the anticipation…heavy.   Steve Kelly who works with me was a road warrior a couple of years ago…and he has been one of my “go to” guys when I have fears or questions..
He put me at ease Friday when he said “Michelle, you are not gonna believe how much FUN the whole day will be”! This made me happy…and, if you think about it…those of us first timers…why do ALL of these runners KEEP coming back  to THIS race??   Yes..it must be a fun day and I can’t wait.

Now here come the tears…I have never felt so close so fast to a group of people…we couldn’t BE more diverse…yet we kinda made family.  And the fact that all of this is coming to end…makes me a little bummed..I’m not gonna lie.

When I feel like this…and I know you feel it too, I just think of all of the new friends I have made…smiles I have seen and mostly what I have learned about myself through all of you!

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How about those fabulous understanding spouses!!   You…who married this person knowing (or maybe not) that they have a passion.  You…who stays home and cooks and watches the kids and explains again to the people who call the house that your partner is NOT home because they are not only running themselves…but TRAINING a bunch of beginners to endure long runs… To you…we say THANK YOU!

For all intense and purpose you have given  ”up” or should I say given “us” your spouse!   Thank you Roy (Sheila’s hubby) for giving us Sheila for the past few months.. We know that you work hard and have to shuttle kids and rearange YOUR life to let her train with us..so thank you…she has taught us so much about running, strength and friendship..Thanks Roy…we love her too.

And to Lisa…You must be super women to juggle kids and allow Mike to live his passion. You are a gem.  Please know that Mike is our backbone…he has been both tough and soft…it’s a delicate dance but Mike pulls it off.  Even last night as you were managing the kids birthday party..You allowed us to share Mike too.  Thank you…he’s a good one.

Jeff…it was fun to get to see you and know you too!!  We know that Brooke and you have two little ones at home and we actually got to spend time with you AND Brooke…a gift really…Jeff you have allowed us to get to know your wife and the mother of your kids…thanks for sharing her…We adore her.

Thanks spouses for loaning us your partners. maybe you can have them back….but only for a month or so…Cool??
Signed,
The Warriors

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I am the youngest of 5. A large loud Polish/Italian family…I was the last one…number “5″..Tammy, Joe , Jill, Vince and “The little one”..much like the “Gilligan’s Island” theme…and the rest… It is here that I find my place..in fact I revel in it.

I believe being last has made me who I am…a little louder, to be heard. a little happier as all my brothers and sisters have paved the way…and a little more at peace, knowing that there is no one nipping at my heels.
That is a comfortable place for me…last…it has taught me to excell in areas where most people can just glide.

So, when I ran the Strider’s 10 mile race…yes I came in last…not a little behind but dead last…now before you say “aawww at least you finished” or “hey think of where you were when you started”…let me just say this,  it’s peaceful and I smiled that entire race.. I really enjoyed the fact that I wasn’t gonna give up… of course that is not an option anymore.  I love the out and back runs because it gives me a chance to hi five and smile at my fellow warriors…and other new friends…and I am happy and singing in my head…at mile six I shed a tear knowing how far I had come and when that hill came at mile seven I conquered it hard…alone and last…but, was I alone???  I may have been out there after everyone else but I was not alone.   ALL OF YOU got me through!! I laughed out loud!! Rachel I talked to you in my head…Sheila I was hearing one of your stories and laughing, Mike I pictured you in the pink Gazelle shirt that Brooke better get for you…Jill I was still picturing you flying up that hill…Adam and Jordan you guys were sailing too!!   And Jen the apron makes me laugh…Melissa I don’t think I have ever seen you without a smile…Walter you are always an inspiration…Jack..the grey sweats came to mind…and Jeff you in the KISS outfit…all of these thoughts swirled in my head…I was relaxed and just moving…I finished and in all of the pictures that were snapped of me during that race…I am smiling..
It was my Dad’s 77 th birthday…I called him after the race to tell him happy birthday…he had already talked to my sister…so he knew I got through it okay…and just before we hung up he said “Hey Michelle, just think if you were running backward you’d be FIRST”! ha!!!

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We have all been running together for a few months now…we have all made new friends..seen new faces and lots of smiles and even a few tears.

But…can running rejuvenate old friendships??  Maybe we have drifted away from friends and have been looking for some “common ground” to get back into the groove of an old pal.
I found a way. A road back to a great friend who I have drifted away from…RUNNING.
I drifted away from one of my closest friends a couple of years ago..I got busy…she lived in another state and I got lazy and complacent..I became a crappy friend.
About a year ago…I really wanted to get back to her..I wanted to tell her how sorry I was… Was there something I could do to fix my mistakes??
 

I watched her finish the Grand Rapids Marathon last year…feeling like an outsider..till now. I started to run and she started to read my blogs and ask me all about my training…And she even offered me tips.
It brought us back together.

Just this weekend I flew out to Minnesota and ran with her on Saturday morning. We ran over the Mississippi River and through a beautiful park. It was glorious! After, we laughed all day and shopped and had a blast.
Running can not only renew your health, heart and soul but it can renew friendships.

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