{"id":723,"date":"2015-06-04T18:03:39","date_gmt":"2015-06-04T18:03:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ramblingrunnergirl.com\/?p=723"},"modified":"2015-06-04T20:43:10","modified_gmt":"2015-06-04T20:43:10","slug":"a-new-chapter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.ramblingrunnergirl.com\/?p=723","title":{"rendered":"A New Chapter"},"content":{"rendered":"

Yesterday was National Running Day.\u00a0 Now, to someone like me, who is used to running most days, you wouldn\u2019t think that would be very significant, other than the opportunity to celebrate what I love.\u00a0 But yesterday was different.\u00a0 Having not run at all in almost 3 weeks since a marathon, followed by a lengthy stay at the Mercy spa, it was definitely something to embrace.<\/p>\n

This recovery process has been longer and slower than I expected which leaves me feeling a little frustrated.\u00a0 I\u2019d say I\u2019m back to about 85-90%.\u00a0 I\u2019m feeling mostly like myself again.\u00a0 But that last 10-15% is the fatigue that is hanging on, reminding me to let my body rest.\u00a0 I\u2019m falling asleep a lot earlier than usual, frequently taking mid-day naps when time allows, and even simple things, like a few hours at school, a short shift at work or making dinner, can leave me feeling wiped out.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m taking things as easy as I can, ordering pizza when necessary and not scheduling any activities that would be considered \u201cover doing it\u201d.\u00a0 But yesterday, I needed to make a comeback.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t much, but it was something.<\/p>\n

After I dropped Ethan off at a friend\u2019s house so they could go off to the Cardinals game, Silas and I were hanging out on the back porch while Ally was upstairs in her room packing for their trip to Chicago this weekend with their dad.\u00a0 On the way home from dropping Ethan, Silas had spotted a garage sale and since he had $5 burning a hole in his pocket, he insisted we stop.\u00a0 He found a table hockey game, some Legos (like we really need MORE???) and a \u201cdecorate your own football\u201d.\u00a0 So we were sitting out on the porch, painting a football\u2026arts and crafts mixed with athletics, perfect.<\/p>\n

I said, \u201cHey Silas, it\u2019s National Running Day.\u00a0 Want to go around the lake with me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, ok.\u00a0 Can I ride my scooter?\u201d<\/p>\n

While this seemed mildly like defeating the purpose to me, I agreed since I think the bigger idea is really just about getting out and doing something active.\u00a0 Also, since Silas struggles with asthma, running can be tough for him.<\/p>\n

So I changed into running clothes, Silas grabbed his scooter and we went down to the backyard where we got on the path.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to beat you!\u201d Silas teased. I smiled.<\/p>\n

Yes, I\u2019m sure you will today, Little Buddy.<\/p>\n

And we were off.\u00a0 Slowly.\u00a0 At first, running felt almost foreign.\u00a0 I wasn\u2019t sure how fast or slow to even go.\u00a0 But after a few steps, just like riding a bike, it came back.\u00a0 About a tenth of a mile from the house, we came to the bridge.\u00a0 We stopped just before and I pointed out some baby ducks near the water\u2019s edge.\u00a0 As we crossed the bridge, I noticed something perched on a log.\u00a0 As we got around to the other side, Silas and I stopped to check it out.\u00a0 Upon inspection, we realized it was a bird, but one we didn\u2019t recognize.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can look it up in one of Ethan\u2019s bird books when we get home,\u201d Silas said as he took off again.<\/p>\n

But we stopped almost immediately when we saw several turtles sunning themselves, it looked like a mom and 2 kids.\u00a0 And some were swimming nearby.\u00a0 We, of course, had to count them all.<\/p>\n

Then we continued on our way.\u00a0 But the rest of the journey was much like that, go and stop.\u00a0 We saw more baby ducks and a really big turtle.\u00a0 We got to the lighthouse and headed up the hill.\u00a0 We rounded the corner at the clubhouse and started back down the hill.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan we go to the dock?\u201d Silas asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cSure.\u201d<\/p>\n

Just before we got there, Silas called me back to look at something.\u00a0 \u201cWhat is it?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a dead squirrel.\u00a0 You can look but don\u2019t touch it.\u201d I said firmly, knowing how his mind works.<\/p>\n

And then Silas ditched his scooter on the grass and walked out onto the dock.\u00a0 We watched a tiny little turtle scoot off a log and plop into the water.\u00a0 We watched a mama duck and her babies swim by.\u00a0 We were enjoying being out on the dock.\u00a0 Just a few months ago, it wasn\u2019t even floating.\u00a0 You see, less than a year after I moved into this house, all the water from the lake drained into the Missouri caverns below.\u00a0 It had happened a couple times before, but they thought the problem had been remedied.\u00a0 Unfortunately though, I\u2019ve spent the better part of my 3 years here, staring at a mud pit, rather than the pretty lake I saw when I moved in.\u00a0 It\u2019s good to have our scenery back.<\/p>\n

Silas grabbed his scooter and I walked up the hill to get back on the path.\u00a0 \u201cLet\u2019s take the short cut!\u201d Silas yelled as he zipped past me down the hill.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhich way is the short cut?\u201d I asked confused since there is only one path.<\/p>\n

He used the driveway.\u00a0 I guess that\u2019s the short cut?<\/p>\n

We continued on, at one point waiting for the geese to clear the path so we could go by.\u00a0 Past a barking puppy.\u00a0 More baby ducks.\u00a0 And back around to the other side, our side, of the lake.\u00a0 And then we were home.<\/p>\n

I stopped my Garmin. (Yes, of course I wore it.)\u00a0 We had gone not quite a mile and a half, averaging about an 11:30\/mile pace.\u00a0 For someone who is used to running 26 at an 8:30-45 minute pace that could seem less than successful.\u00a0 But the truth is it didn\u2019t matter.\u00a0 I ran.\u00a0 It felt good.\u00a0 It was slow, but I took it all in.\u00a0 I was with my little buddy.\u00a0 And if that isn\u2019t what National Running Day is all about then I don\u2019t know what is.<\/p>\n

That little 1.5 mile run was so symbolic of life, the cycles we go through.\u00a0 Sometimes we run, sometimes we walk, sometimes we have to stop and catch our breath.\u00a0 Sometimes the scenery is beautiful, sometimes we are curious and need to take a closer look, sometimes we see things that we really didn\u2019t want to see.\u00a0 Sometimes it comes easy, and sometimes it\u2019s a world of frustration. But eventually, it all comes back around.<\/p>\n

There is another cycle in my life that is coming to a close.\u00a0 And while I know that it\u2019s a really good thing for me, it\u2019s still hard and I have VERY mixed emotions about it.<\/p>\n

Exactly 4 years ago this week, I walked into Fleet Feet in Chesterfield valley, for my very first shift.\u00a0 I was excited about what might lie ahead, but I was nervous about everything I had to learn.\u00a0 I immediately felt right at home with great people, who have become amazing friends, like Faith, Pam and Jess, who I\u2019m pretty sure were all there that first day.<\/p>\n

When I look back on everything that Fleet Feet St. Louis has been to me over the past four years, it is so much more than \u201cjust a job\u201d.\u00a0 Fleet Feet gave me purpose at a time that I needed something to hold on to, and it reignited my passion for life.\u00a0 Fleet Feet has given me the opportunity to learn and grow, and has reestablished my confidence to a level I never expected.\u00a0 After almost 10 years as a stay at home mom, Fleet Feet gave me a chance.\u00a0 When I moved from Chesterfield to help get the Town and Country store in SBR up and running, it was both a learning experience and what felt like a reward for my efforts.\u00a0 Most importantly though, Fleet Feet has given me a community.\u00a0 The relationships that I\u2019ve formed are extraordinary.\u00a0 Friends who are like family.<\/p>\n

And that is what makes it so hard to say goodbye.<\/p>\n

At the end of June, my time at Fleet Feet will come to an end.\u00a0 I\u2019m going to spend some time this summer enjoying my kiddos and my life, before school really kicks into gear in August.\u00a0 The last couple months have been tough being a hero\u2026school, work, kids, marathons.\u00a0 I\u2019ve proven I CAN do it all, but in doing so, I ran myself right into the hospital.\u00a0 It\u2019s time to take a step back and remember what matters.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s time to refocus and reestablish some balance.\u00a0 Change is hard.\u00a0 But it\u2019s time to let go\u2026<\/p>\n

This part of my journey is complete, but I\u2019m excited to see where the next 4 years go.\u00a0 It\u2019s the end of one chapter and the beginning of a new one.\u00a0 And while I\u2019m saying goodbye, I\u2019m not going far.\u00a0 You\u2019ll all still be able to find me on the streets and trails and race courses of the Lou.\u00a0 I\u2019ll be easy to spot. \u00a0I\u2019ll be the one wearing Fleet Feet red.<\/p>\n

\"National<\/a>

National Running Day with Silas<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Yesterday was National Running Day.\u00a0 Now, to someone like me, who is used to running most days, you wouldn\u2019t think that would be very significant, other than the opportunity to celebrate what I love.\u00a0 But yesterday was different.\u00a0 Having not run at all in almost 3 weeks since a marathon, followed by a lengthy stay […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"aside","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[11,9,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-723","post","type-post","status-publish","format-aside","hentry","category-conquering-fears","category-lessonsfromrunning","category-randomthoughts","post_format-post-format-aside"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4eO4v-bF","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.ramblingrunnergirl.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/723","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.ramblingrunnergirl.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.ramblingrunnergirl.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.ramblingrunnergirl.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.ramblingrunnergirl.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=723"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/www.ramblingrunnergirl.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/723\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":727,"href":"http:\/\/www.ramblingrunnergirl.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/723\/revisions\/727"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.ramblingrunnergirl.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=723"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.ramblingrunnergirl.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=723"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.ramblingrunnergirl.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=723"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}