running for cade – or walking in my case

please be sure to read about cade

(bigger images at the bottom)

the originally  plan was to run a few miles (it’s been too long since i’ve run to go straight for 11).  due to me needing to get to the post office on time and wanting to include our older pup for a walk – our outing was a bike ride and then a walk / play time in the river.

a teeny part of me wishes i had been able to fit the run in – it was the perfect reason to start running again.  something has been holding me back since my burn out – and for the first time i was excited to run again.  hopefully i will get to this week.

to the bailey’s: i can only i imagine what you’ve been through.  i wish you & your family the peace and happiness you deserve.   you are a wonderful role model for anyone going through a hardship – bringing hope, inspiration, & joy from sadness – that is what people will connect to the memory of your son.   thank you for the inspiration to run.

please read below for the explanation & inspiration of today and these photos.
(maybe more tomorrow if we get home in time for a run.)

In 2000 when I was pregnant with my first son Ben, I had the blessing of meeting via an online pregnancy support group, “October Babies”, Dione Bailey. Dione was pregnant with her son, Cade. We kept in touch off and on over the years and shared their developmental milestones and lives with each other.

Sadly, at the age of 9, Cade contracted a virus, with a fever and vomiting in the days after Labor day. It was a normal tummy-bug that turned evil and his body allowed a brain & spinal disease in. In very short order he deteriorated and passed away just short of his 10th birthday on September 21, 2010.

In the coming years I kept in contact with Dione and came to know her incredible husband Jimmy. He has been her rock and is an amazing man who promised his son that one day he would run a marathon. Cade enthusiastically said he would be there to support him. Sadly, he never got to see that day, running the Twin Cities Medtronic Marathon in memory of his beautiful son.

Jimmy has asked us runners if this Mother’s Day weekend, we could all honor Cade by remembering him on our “11th mile”. Whether running a half, a full, or just the combination of miles in a two-day run, or ANY MILES FOR THAT MATTER, if you could honor him and post your run here – pictures are a plus! I know his family would be forever grateful.

Cade LOVED superheroes. Spiderman was the big one, but his first was The Hulk. He was just getting into Johnny Storm of the Fantastic 4 and Jim and him had plans on seeing the new Marvel movies coming out of Captain America and Thor. So if you are so inclined to wear a cape or any superhero symbol, that is appreciated as well!

Cade was a very special boy, just as all children are, and he is deeply loved and missed. Thank you VERY MUCH for considering doing this and being a part of my running community. Your outreach to this family that continues to painfully feel his absence, means a great deal. GOD BLESS AND MAY YOU ALWAYS RUN HEALTHY AND STRONG!

rejuvination

after a week or so of getting down on myself for being so close to a goal, yet missing it, i was renewed in my motivation and spirit to run.

i live in hill mountain country (this is a nearby event).  when i moved here a bit over 4 years ago it took me about a month to get acclimated enough to run.  with all the beautiful trails i soon found myself loving to run up hills.

ever since my recent decision to attempt one fast marathon (st george this october) my focus changed to running flat & downhill routes (in order to run the suggested training speeds).

as a result my ability to run hills suffered, as did my feelings towards these runs.

actually, for a few runs after missing my goal my feelings towards running in general suffered.  because i was still recovering and i was working back up to the energy required to run as fast as i had been in previous training runs frustration was reached with great ease.

my next step was acceptance, or so i thought.  on a long run i took off my GPS watch and ran whatever pace felt comfortable.  for that day this was what i needed.

at the same time i let myself do other training days far below my best efforts,  i’ began to make do with being “comfortable” in my endeavors.

a week or so ago a friend and i drove part way up a local road in order to hike further up and then ran down.  after returning to the car, as we were headed back down, we said hello to another local running up the road.

something in me remembered how it felt to run up those hills.  how great it felt to get to the top of a trail, or hill, or turn-around point with the knowledge that i ran some, most, or all of that ascent (trails were almost always short stints of running).  i missed that.

my body is ready to work again.  it may be slow going.  it may be frustrating at first knowing what i am capable of and how it compares to where i am currently at.  also knowing some days need to be relaxed, easy, fun, little effort.  and this is ok.  this is what helps prepare mentally for those days where limits are pushed.

• patience with myself
• acknowledging where i am at physically and mentally
• remembering each and every moment is it’s own (ie attempting to be present)

these are my new goals.

how do you overcome obstacles?  where do you find motivation?

simple

simple (adj)

• easy to understand
• of humble condition
• straightforward

origins

• 1175–1225;  (adj.) Middle English  < Old French  < Late Latinsimplus  simple, Latin  (in simpla pecunia  simple fee or sum), equivalent to sim-  one ( see simplex) + -plus,  as in duplus duple,double  ( see -fold); cognate with Greek háplos  ( see haplo-);(noun) Middle English:  commoner, derivative of the adj.
• early 13c., “humble, ignorant,” from O.Fr. simple, from L. simplus “single,” variant of simplex (see simplex). Sense evolved to “lowly, common” (late 13c.), then “mere, pure” (c.1300). As opposite of composite it dates from early 15c.; as opposite of complicated it dates from 1550s. Disparaging sense (mid-14c.) is from notion of “devoid of duplicity.”

i’ve colored the meanings within the origins that i think of when i hear the word “simple”.  the notion of something being just what something is – not more, not less – basic, pure, uncomplicated, simple.

recently there was a celebration.  the world gave me a gift – the ability to see and appreciate simple joys – at least for the day.  i hope to keep this vision, as it tends to fade, hide, and be taken for granted.

the simple joys

• our newest addition, sugar bear, and our full of love cat, yem, touched noses.  this event was free of hissing and swatting.
• making onion bread – similar to flatbread (kind of a mix between crackers and “bread” bread)
• enjoying my track work, simply thanks to having some friends there
• being humbled by the human spirit & ability to give

want more details? . . .