Why Barefoot??

WHY BAREFOOT????
Because being barefoot to me is being raw. Feeling every sharp rock, lush clover, spiky thistle, cushioned blade of grass, slimy covered stones, fragrant feathered flowers, cereal of sand, bead of water, element of litter, and the mash of mud.

Being Barefoot is the promise of prancing in the moonlight, leaping in the waves, running through a meadow, dancing on the porch, and doing all this while enduring a long journey to the end.

Saturday, June 16, 2012

So you had a bad day....

This is the song that best represents my Legacy 1/2 marathon. But after a month of pouting, I am ready to talk about it and really after looking over the pictures, maybe not so bad.


Sara and I before the race she gets so nervous. (So do I, but not as bad)



Aunt June, I love her!




Aunt Pam and Uncle Randy this was Pam's first 1/2 marathon Race! She did awesome! Totally inspiring to me.



Patricia and I, she once described our friendship like this, "I could call you if I had to move a body!" It is true!



My Gen, I can show up out of no where and hang for how ever long I need too.




Terri, my brother in law beat his time by 17 minutes wow!!


Nathan, He believes in my running capabilities, (also Gen's husband and lets me have her from time to time.)


Karen and I (it is Karen's first 1/2 marathon she rocked it!)


Me trying to joke about how bad my legs hurt.



Look at the home crowd bringing me home! Makes me cry every time!



I really cannot explain how hard this was.


So the "run down" started off the race with Karen, it was her first 1/2 marathon, and I felt honoured to run with her for her first in what is to come many journey's. Game plan was to run to every water station and then walk through the stations and run again. Mile 1 grand, Jim and Anita there so great! Also, see Dad driving in the car cheering me on. Mile 2, cousins Emily and Jocelyn, lost there Mother years ago to breast cancer this is why the race was organized love them.  Mile 3, so cute staff from the Cardston Jr High, especially the Nunn's, still feeling great! Mile 4 is Aunt June, she gives me a hug. Mile 5 Doig's Karen knows them really well. I am not feeling great I find myself walking. Mile 6 Hall's water station legs are killing me, but the turn around is just up head. Mile 7 okay legs have never hurt like this before Karen goes on without me. I am mad what the "H" is wrong? I walk with Pat Hall who just lost her son from an avalanche accident he was a wonderful husband and father of four. I find out that her other son has just had a baby with serious health complications, wow, talk about getting kicked while your down.  Mile 8 is pain, walk run trying so hard to get my head in the game. What is wrong, did I not train enough? I get another hug from Aunt June!  Mile 9 David (my brother) shows up with some of my kids and one of my niece's run's a while with me. I try to put on a brave face. It's okay I can finish. Also back at the Doig's water station. Mile 10 still walk run, pass the Nunn's again, I say "three miles I can run three miles right?" They yell "oh yeah totally you can do it." Mile 11 Cousin's again turn off the highway ok ok ok ok you are almost there. Mile 12 the pain is so bad that all I can do is run a power pole walk a power pole. No really that is all I can do I try and run two power poles but physically cannot do it. David shows up in sandals to run and walk the last bit with me I am crying, so disappointed in myself, don't understand what is going on. Thanks to Him, I am now laughing a bit at how hard this is to finish this race. Turn the corner to the end make a goal to walk to the water station and then run to the end. There is a crowd of people running out to me so they can run with me to the finish I am trying hard to hold it together but "I am a MESS." I really do finish and there is so many people I love there and once again I am trying to stop crying but my legs hurt so bad, I am scared to sit down. I feel like an idiot. I feel so stupid. I keep saying "that was hard" while trying not to cry. What I really needed to do was go find a corner and ball my eyes out, but I don't.  I look up to see this coming towards me.




My knight in shinning armour. He holds me I cry. He sends me in for hot chocolate. I go.  Another battle fought and won????? While at least still standing, I guess you could call that winning. 

xoxo
Barb

6 comments:

  1. Another song for you: "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger!" Can you here me singing? Sorry!
    Still standing, of course that is winning!!
    Go Barb!

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  2. You did it! You can do hard things! Thanks for encouraging me to run run this race!

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  3. Barb - you're awesome! Congrats on your race -- you are so inspiring -- Love ya!

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  4. Barb! You did it. You really did it. I cannot even fathom running 13 miles and you did it. I got a little emotional reading this Barb. To finish when you were hurting and not feeling good about yourself says a lot! Determination is what you have, even when it is hard.

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  5. Oh Barb! Sometimes things do not go as planned, but it is through your struggle that you show others that no matter how hard the "race", we need to do all we can to finish....AND we are not alone in this "race". There are others cheering us on.

    YOU ROCK, WOMAN!!! Thanks for posting this. It gives me the motivation I need to get back on track and training again.

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  6. Great pics, Barb. This is a race I keep wanting to do. If you remind me I'll do it next year.

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