Thursday, May 27, 2010

Reflections

With just over a week to go before the big race - I would like to take this time out to reflect. In fact, I might even get a little sappy. Please bear with me. I don't often get like this. So you might as well enjoy it while you can.

I would like to get sappy about my friend - The Happy Runner - best known as Felice. I met Felice in 2002 when we joined the Junior League together. I remember sitting next to her and making small talk. Little did I know that she would become one of my very good friends.
Isn't it funny what life has in store for us?

I had no idea that the girl sitting next to me would attend my wedding. I had no idea that we would form the Dine Around together. I definitely had no clue that she she would end up going on vacation with us every year, or that she would be part of the monthly girls night out! I had no idea how this new friendship would turn out. I had no way of knowing any of these things back in 2002.

But - the furthest thing from my mind on that day that I met Felice, was that she would give me a special gift.

Yup. She gave me a gift that I didn't even know that I wanted.
And, after all - aren't those the best gifts to get? I think so.

So - what is the gift??? Do you want to know?

She gave me the gift of running. More importantly than that, she gave me a goal. She gave me a determination that I never knew I had. It's a special gift when a friend does that. And it doesn't come along everyday.

Since I met Felice, I have always known that she was a runner. It was just one of those things. She ran. She kind of kept it separate because I didn't run. That was just one of those things that we did NOT have in common. Running? Me? No way.

I told her so - probably a million times. "I can't run. I have no endurance. It's just not my thing." Each time I said that, "She would shake her head and say, "Yes, Bridget. You can run. You just need to know how to do it."

And I would think in my head, "Whatever Felice. I am SO not a runner. You keep running, and I will read your running blog and cheer you on from the sidelines. But this running world - it's just not part of me."

And then Felice did something. She started a running group 3 months ago for people like me. People who said they couldn't do it. People who said they couldn't run. She started this group and she gave us a goal. "Join this group and we will run the Freihofer's Run for Women and we will cross the finish line together!" Well - if you know me and know my crazy Type A personality - you know that I am not one to say NO to something like that. It just sounded so inspiring. So awesome. So empowering. How could I say no??

So - I didn't say no.

I said YES! And I started running. Little bits at a time. I followed Felice's running plan. I had good days. I had bad days. I cursed. I swore. I had ups and downs. I had conversations with myself where I said that this was impossible and there was no way I could do it. Then I had other conversations with myself where I said that it was all mental and that I could do it!


And it sucked. And it was great. And it IS great. It's hard. But - one week before the race, I can run 3 miles. Three months ago, I could barely run 90 seconds. Here we are. One week to go, and we will finally enjoy the accomplishment of crossing that finish line with 4,000 other women. I can hardly wait.

I just want to say thank you to Felice. This gift that she has given me is priceless. I feel like I have changed in the past 3 months. I am stronger. I am more determined. I have almost reached my goal. I needed that in my life, and I didn't even know it. Thanks Felice. I owe you one. Big time!



2 comments:

Felice Devine said...

Aww...you make me cry!

You're so welcome. I have enjoyed it so much -- and you have done great and will continue to do great! Can't wait for June 5th!!!

Darlene said...

Brought tears to my eyes too.