Some days you’ve got it, and some days you don’t.  My legs are toast today.  Every time I move, I pretty much want to cry. My quads are screaming.  After 3 days of doing almost nothing due to having the kids at home for snow days, I went and ran 15 miles yesterday.  And lemme tell ya, I’m feeling it today.  I guess, to say I did nothing on those snow days, isn’t entirely accurate.  I ran in circles and jumped through hoops trying to entertain 3 kiddos who were suddenly off school for a couple days.  And I shoveled snow, lots of snow.  I was the first person on my street to have a cleared driveway.  It’s the Chicago girl in me.  If I’m going to be stuck at home, it will definitely not be because of my own doing. It’s amazing how much of a workout shoveling can be.  But anyway, yeah, I got up this morning with the intention of running before or after boxing.  But alas, boxing is all I was able to manage today.  It was funny that on the jab-jab-roll-hook-cross-cross combo, David said to me, “Nice power.”  Because quite frankly, I didn’t feel like I had any power today.  And my roundhouse kicks were severely lacking in comparison to what they typically are.

So, today was a day that I just didn’t really have my usual stuff.  Of course, sometimes, on those days vanity can kick in and do incredible things.  A couple weeks ago, I had just that experience.  I walked into boxing on a Wednesday morning, and the first thing I said to David was, “You better start this class soon or I’m gonna lay down on the floor and go to sleep.”  I was tired and I didn’t feel like working particularly hard that day.  But something changed as soon as I glanced in the mirror and figured out that my eyes were not playing tricks on me.  Jackie Joyner Kersee was at the back of the room, taking the same class I was.  OMG, I get to work out with Jackie Joyner Kersee.  Holy Crap, that is so flipping cool!

You can bet I didn’t slack on that workout.  As tired as I felt, something in me kicked into high gear, call it pride or vanity or whatever, but I went full throttle when I saw Jackie.  No wusses here!  I was dripping with sweat by the time we finished.  Like, we’re talking eyes burning from the streams of sweat pouring down my face dripping.

When we finished, I hesitated.  I didn’t want to storm her as soon as the class was done, but there was no way I was going to pass up the opportunity to talk to Jackie.  (Yeah, that’s right, I’ve seen her again since and we’re on a first name basis.  Well, ok, I’m on a first name basis, she probably doesn’t remember mine.) Anyway, I put away my weights, had a drink of water, and was chatting it up with some of the regulars I know.  I put on my jacket, my black Fleet Feet jacket that I wear proudly so that people know I’m a part of the running community.  I grabbed my boxing gloves and my keys, and threw my sunglasses on top of my head, which is so classic Lindsey.  I looked around…where did she go?  Shoot!  Did she leave?  Oh, nope, she was on one of the weight machines.  I walked casually across the gym.  Ok, so, maybe I was trying really hard to appear casual.  On the inside I was jumping up and down like a kid in a candy store. She looked up and saw me coming.  I smiled.  Jackie smiled.  I spoke, “I don’t want to interrupt your workout, but I just wanted to say Hi.  I’m Lindsey.”  She extended her hand and I shook it, as she said something…I was in a fog, I think she said HI, or nice to meet you, or something, but I really couldn’t tell you which.  I told Jackie that I had received a finishers medal from her a couple times at the Bridge the Gap half marathon in Quincy.  She said, “Oh, I was just up there for the kickoff.  Are you going to do it again this year?”  I said, “Well, I’m not sure yet.  I’m signed up for the Vancouver marathon which is the week before.”  She kind of chuckled and said something like, “Oh, you marathoners.  I couldn’t do that.”  Are you kidding me?!  This is Jackie Joyner Kersee!  I’m just happy to be standing in the same room with her and all of her Olympic greatness.

We talked for a minute about Fleet Feet and the 5K race that Jackie’s foundation is hoping to start next year with the help of our race timing division.  Then I told Jackie I’d let her get back to her workout.  She made a comment about needing to get in shape.  HA!  I responded with, “I don’t think you have anything to worry about there.  But when you’re ready for new shoes, come see me at FLEET FEET”.  I really hope she does.

RRG and JJK at the finish of the Bridge the Gap half marathon in Quincy, IL