My word journey

JOURNEY

1: an act or instance of traveling from one place to another
2: a trip, especially a fairly long one 
3: travel or passage from one place to another

I am not sure if I have ever shared the story of my "life word", it's discovery and what has happened since. 

The Julia Roberts movie from last summer Eat Pray Love and best selling book had a interesting part that I related to last summer while in Utah.  Julia, as the main character spent the entire movie trying to discover her "life word" to describe herself.  I was fascinated by this and while I was at Fitness Ridge last summer I was very quickly able to identify my life word as SHAME. 

I realized very quickly that it sucked.  What a crappy word that you feel is your life word is.  After the movie was over, I shared my word with my friend Brewer, who I had seen the movie with.  We talked about why I felt that was my word and very quickly they were able to make me see something I had never realized in 23+ years.

Brewer asked me if I knew what the opposite of shame was and I said no.  Brewer said, "the opposite of shame is...forgiveness."  I had the most unbelievable feeling when they said that.  Oh, my goodness, of course that is the opposite and until I realized that I must move to a place of forgiveness, I would never move forward in my life.

So, I spent 8 months really focusing on my new word of forgiveness.  I would chant it to myself when I was running.  I would remind myself that I needed to focus on forgiveness or that I would be staying in a place of darkness.  And, I really came to a great place in which I stopped looking backwards.

Then my word changed.  I do not remember why it changed, just that all of sudden I started talking about the word journey.  For example; on March Break Megan found us those awesome bracelets with the word journey on them.

 

When I returned to work in May from my cancer surgeries, my staff gave me the most amazing gift...a Journey Jar.  It is full of quotes, comments and notes from the department to me for inspiration.  Some people were so creative and the comments were extremely heart warming, charming and made me so happy. 

In June, I got the word journey tattooed on my back with the cancer ribbon as the letter "e" and a butterfly to represent my thyroid - it is the symbol because your thyroid is shaped like a butterfly.

Then, last week I returned to my office to see the most beautiful lettering hung on my wall.  My co-worker and special friend Rene had snuck into my office and hang the letters J O U R N E Y on my wall with ribbons.  She and her kids sanded and painted the letters and then hung them in this big open space I had on my wall that I was struggling to fill with something special.  Man, is this special. 

I love the fact that my life word keeps popping up everywhere I go and that it is such a positive word.  Man, I needed to have come a long way and have.

"Heyyyyy Mr. Postman la la la"

I love snail mail, yep I said it, I love snail mail.  In this world of instant, immediate and right freaking now...I love getting stuff in my "normal house mailbox".  My favourite letters are Christmas cards.  As most know, Lennie and I send almost 100 cards a year including a photo and letter and we love to let everyone share in our year and hear our goals for the next.  I love getting Christmas cards that have photos of people's kids in them as Lennie and I are always amazed at how much they grow over the year and how much they look like their parents.  Lennie and I often race to the mailbox to be the first to see what we received.  Recently, there has been very little except ads or flyers as it is just not the way that people communicate anymore.  A couple of thank you cards and wedding invitations have graced our box but that is about it.  Until now...

In Canada right now there is a huge postal strike with rotating strikes throughout the provinces so I was little bummed that not much mail would come in this week.  I have been waiting for a letter from the endocrinologist to confirm my radiation stuff and a letter from Airmiles for a hotel stay we have booked, but nothing. 

Until now....surprise, it was just like Christmas around here.  3 days, 3 awesome things.

Firstly, was the July issue of Runner's World magazine.  An entire issue dedicated to cancer and I am so proud to be seen on page 87 under the Comeback article.  Huge highlight for me and my family in this somewhat dark period.  Back in April, I received an e-mail request to speak to their senior editor Christine about an article for the issue on tips for cancer patients who are still training while going through treatment.  We spoke on the phone and I submitted photos for the article and I was a tad disappointed that no photo made it but a quote is just too cool for words.  I continue to love Runner's World for their classy mag and amazing story writing.  I will get a photo in there some day but for now...thrilled with a quote.

Second to arrive was the official 2010 Chicago Marathon finisher's guide and I too am found in the pages.  So pleased to have run, finished and qualified for the guide (if you finish under 6:30 you make it)((let's just say that I was a tad too close for comfort)).  I am already planning on moving up the ranks in the 2011 finishers guide as I was on the last page of this one.  5:45 is totally possible and I can already picture myself crossing the line in October.

Lastly, a package from my brother and sister-in-law in Victoria arrived.  They send us great stuff monthly including photos, cards and always cute drawings made by our niece Felicity.  This month was a tad different as their package contained a beautiful doll cut out made by Fel and gifts for my husband as it was his birthday.  The highlight was a shirt that they found and sent and I freaking LOVE IT and will wear it everywhere.  I am wearing it to the movies this afternoon and I am sure no one will tell me I curse too much when I am wearing this.

Thanks Mr. or Mrs. Postman for making it to my door this week.  

Next week, could you please bring me my test results from the endocrinologist and then everything will be perfect.

"Road to Chicago"

Yesterday was the start of week 1 of 19 weeks to the Chicago marathon.  I could not be any happier with my thoughts surrounding my journey to another marathon.

Thursday I got a tattoo I have wanted to get for a long time and will add red hearts every time I do a marathon so that it links up with my ankle one.

Saturday I got all my clothes, water belts, gel stock, hair bands, watch and music ready to go.  I love preparing all my stuff and laying it out in the spare room.  You never realize how much stuff you need in order to be successful and I am a bit of a freak when it comes to being organized. 

Lish, Lindsay and the rest of the BA crew have chatted about our schedule so I made up the 19 week training plan and put it on the fridge.  It is based on the Running Room schedule with some modifications.  First of all, we are starting out doing 14k and add 1k each week instead of the suggested 10 10 13 13 16 16.  We knew we could start out longer but move up more slowly.  We have also built in a race in August - Midsummer's Nights race http://www.amidsummernightsrun.ca/.  It is a 30km in Toronto and fits perfectly into our schedule.  The other ladies ran it last year and loved it so I am looking forward to it helping with our preparation.  Also, we are all on the MS Rona bike team with a 2 day bike race in July.  The cross training on Thursdays and Saturdays will be a huge benefit too. 

Remember my blog post setting my goals for the 2011 marathon? 

Below is the list I made so I could take 43 minutes off my time in order to run a 5:45 marathon (I am going to be 43 years old too on race day).  I am happy to say that many are underway to being accomplished or done already including buying a new Garmin (I lost my first one in July on a plane to Seattle :( expensive lesson learned)

• don't freak out about the hot weather - "suck it up sweetheart"
• drop 14 pounds - don't know what I weigh but it is less than last year
• see a podiatrist about my foot pain - done and have the orthotics
• learn to run faster - done already have taken 7 minutes off my 10ks and my average pace is way faster
• don't high-five so many people  - race day plan
• run in the middle of the road - race day plan  - worked well in last races
• run more to practice no more 10:1s - done only 10:1ing on Sundays during long runs
• only walk the water stations - race day plan
• less sightseeing - race day plan
• take Cold FX so I don't get sick the week of the race - race week plan
• carry 2 more gels for energy - race day plan

Having the Garmin, more race experience and a positive attitude is really going to give me more success. 

What I also am so happy about is my goal race pace.  I ran a 7:22 at the last race and my Sunday long runs are about 8:15, I was faster than that yesterday for our 14k.  Running long distance is so mental and knowing that having great friends, experience and a solid training regime will get me my goal time. 

Screw the cancer!!!!!

National Running Day

Happy National Running Day to all my running friends, future running friends and anyone who thinks about running.

Running has literally saved my life...here are some of my favourite running quotes.

Hugs to all

Most people run a race to see who is fastest. I run a race to see who has the most guts.

~Steve Prefontaine

Runners just do it - they run for the finish line even if someone else has reached it first.  ~Author Unknown

Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did.

~Newt Gingrich

It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer.

~Albert Einstein

There is no telling how many miles you will have to run while chasing a dream.

~Author Unknown

I may not be there yet, but I'm closer than I was yesterday.

~Author Unknown