Reflections

As I got up this morning and got ready for work, I just thought to myself that it’s coming to an end. When I say “it” I mean my races. Obviously, after the Nike Women’s Marathon, I will take a step back from races and training, and just enjoy running on a smaller scale. I realized how much I have accomplished in such a little time.

It all goes back to March, 2009. This was a very VERY significant month in my life and it was a month where my life was never going to be the same.  During this time, I was living in Boston with my then boyfriend, Dan. It was in this time where I learned the news that my grandfather had Leukemia and given only a few months to live.  I immediately booked a flight to California to see him.

During my stay in California, I visited my grandfather often, my other relatives and my 3-month-old little nephew.  I also enjoyed the beautiful sunny weather because it was cold and miserable back East. It was about two days into my visit that I get a call from my manager giving me the option of relocating to RTP, NC or San Jose, CA. Humm..not a tough choice there. Mind you, I have always wanted to move to Cali, but in due time……….not 4 weeks. The call was bitter sweet. Yes, I was excited to move out Cali to be closer to my ailing grandfather, family and nice weather, but bitter because that would mean that Dan would have to move away from his family and friends with such short notice. 

The other revelation I made during my stay was incorporate running into my workout regime.  Honestly, I have always hated running and could seriously only do about 1.5 miles before becoming exhausted.  To keep myself motivated into running, I signed up for the San Jose Rock n Roll Half.  I was a nervous wreck when I hit the “ok” button when I registered because this would mean that I would have to run 13.1 miles in the next 6 months when 1.5 miles already hurt.

That little button unleashed the obsession that I never knew existed in me, and that was the obsession to run....from my 1st 10k, my first Half Marthon, to my first Full Marathon. It is rather funny when I do look back because during my first full, I wore a veil on my head a a sign that read "Getting Married 3-20-2010". Now during my races I wear a sign that says "Baby on Board".

My trip came to an end and with that, came a lot of emotionally baggage. When Dan picked me up from the airport, he greeted me with a dozen roses. As we were driving home, we grabbed some dinner and low and behold, a diamond engagement ring was attached to a rose. Right there, in the parking lot of Bugaboo Creek, he got down on one knee and proposed.

So looking back at my 2^nd year at the San Jose RnR….it made me reflect back at how much that has happened.  I moved from the East to the West, I was engaged, I ran my first full marathon, I lost my grandpa, I got married, I got pregnant, and now I am going to run my last marathon (for now).