Well, unfortunately, my injury has not been healing as fast as I dared to hope. As such, today I made the very difficult decision to postpone my "50 for 35" challenge. I will now take part in a 50-miler this spring instead of at JFK this fall. To say I am bummed is an understatement. This challenge and all that it stands for - the hope it gives me and the passion I feel about why I am doing it - is so incredibly important to me.
I know, I know - it's not over, as my close friends and family keep telling me. It's just postponed. But I was really excited about hitting that Appalachian Trail with some of my favorite running friends in November. But if I've learned anything in the past couple of years - during which time life has thrown me a lot to handle - it is that life is not easy and it is most definitely not fair. That said: life gives you additional opportunities to fulfill your dreams and complete your goals, as long as you are open to seeing those new opportunities, owning them, and, well...rocking the sh*t out of them.
That's what I plan to do this spring.
I have a race picked out but I want to wait until I am fully cleared to start training hard again before I officially register and announce which race I'll be doing. For those of you supporting me in this challenge, rest assured that I won't let you down. I cannot say enough how important it is for me to accomplish this goal and finish this journey.
And, as always, when things feel unfair and crappy, a little perspective is always good. My dear friend Kara Goucher had to make a similar decision recently. You may have read about it here. Talking to Kara about my struggles in running and, well, in life in general, always gives me great perspective. And not just because she's a pro and running is her job -- the implications for her are far greater when she finds herself injured and unable to perform. It's more about who she is. I've known Kara since Jr. High and through all of her struggles and triumphs she has remained, from my perspective, so level-headed and able to joke about and accept even the saddest and most frustrating disappointments and she always looks to find a silver lining. Always. I am so thankful I have her in my life for constant pep talks, support, and as an amazing role model.
So that's what I'll do with my disappointment. Let it go and focus on what I have to look forward to. I am already excited about the race I hope to run in March. And, well, when I get back to running I am going to work my darnedest not to take it for granted! I love running. I absolutely love being a runner. I miss it terribly. When I get it back, I am going to treasure it like never before.
My fundraising page will be updated soon to reflect the postponed race date. In the meantime, I would still be grateful for your continued support! I am still so incredibly grateful to the people at Jacob's Ladder and the smiles they put on my nephew Henry's face every single day. I am also grateful that I was able to support such an amazing place as I undertake this challenge. Henry and I are both lucky to be paired with them as we pursue our goals!
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