Showing Up & A New Equation
I stood in the early morning dark, gloved and cuddle-dudded. My numb fingers managed to work the safety pin on my race number. My running buddy and I bounced up and down in sync to keep warm. We had left the January cold in Michigan to run a marathon in the Phoenix sun. But Mother Nature had different plans, and it was colder in Phoenix than in our home state. Each of us was running for a different reason. This was her first marathon, and when she had asked to train with me five months prior, I was thrilled. I was running for charity and in memory of my friend, Liz. Both of us agreed to run our own races, not wanting to hold each other back, but we had big plans for bowls of margaritas and Mexican food afterward. The race was a hard one. We stayed together until mile 13. My emotions got the best of me as I thought about the friend I’d just lost who had supported my marathon and charitable running endeavors even though she would’ve given anything to be able to join me. I hit the wa...