If you read my post about running five miles (found here), you’ll know what an accomplishment that was for me. I haven’t gone such a distance since I was in the military many years ago. I was SO proud of that five miles!
I had done four miles the previous Friday, and so I asked for advice from some friends on pushing myself further. After I completed the five, my friend, Angela (a fitness coach), said, “What’s next? Six?” Hmmm… the wheels started turning in my head. This seemed like a fantastic idea; why stop at five?
Well, last Friday, I decided to attempt six miles. The strange thing is, I also decided to change up my music. No clue why, I just did. I usually listen to stuff like Avatar, Disturbed, Five Finger Death Punch, Metallica, etc., when running. This type of music tends to help give me the energy I need to push through a weight workout and a run. But, for some odd reason, I wanted something different. As I was scrolling through my iPod, I accidentally went too far, and it stopped on Bon Jovi Slippery When Wet. I was like, f*ck it, I’ll go with it.
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I had noticed early on in my run that there was a school bus stopped in a neighborhood about a block away from South Drive. The stop sign on the side of the bus wasn’t out, but it wasn’t running, either. No clue why it was just stopped like that. As I was starting my last mile, I was tired. I had blisters all over my toes, my back was hurting, I felt like $hit. But, I kept pushing.
The school bus was still there. And I was coming up on it, the song, “Raise Your Hands” started playing. Most of the windows were down on the bus, and the kids actually stuck their hands out to high-five me. Although I couldn’t really reach their hands, Jon Bon Jovi was literally singing the chorus, “Raise Your Hands,” while these kids were high-fiving me and calling out to me!
What a crazy coincidence! The fact that the bus was stopped for some strange reason, followed by, all of a sudden, that day, deciding to listen to something different, and that I chose Bon Jovi by accident, followed by that song playing at that exact moment… I immediately called Jerry, and was like, OMG guess what… I have chills right now just thinking about it.
So, to any parents out there whose kids were stuck on a bus, and saw someone running with a pony tail and wearing all black, your kids are AMAZING. They got me through that last mile, and made it much easier than it would have been otherwise. That inspiration was just what I needed to push even further this past Friday.
I do shorter runs on Mondays and Wednesdays, and longer ones on Fridays. This time I decided to go for six-and-a-half. Being the South, it was HOT. I got water at two-and-a-half, and again at five-and-a-half, plus a shoe change. At six-and-a-half, I was so proud of myself, and called Jerry to tell him about my new record. Then it occurred to me- I had done three on Monday and three on Wednesday. If I were to push to seven, plus a little more, I will have done a half marathon in one week.
Hmmmm… I thought, just a little over half a mile more. I would be so mad at myself knowing I was so close. So, I remembered back to those kids on that bus, I put on Bon Jovi, and pushed through. So, in one week, I ran a half marathon, blisters and all.
So, what’s next? Hmmm…
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