Adventure #6: Running in the Rain

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain."  This past week has truly tested my dancing limits, as I have encountered more and stronger storms.  Between issues with coworkers, trying to balance grad school on top of work and home, some unpleaseant medical news, getting ready for several big events in May, end of year hecticness at school, and trying to still be an attentive wife and mother, this week left me exhausted.  By the end of the week, I had to make time to sit back and recognize that a lot of things I could not change, and I needed to make the best of things.

Throughout the week, my Wine-Running friends had started chattering about the next winery up on the sign.  According to the sign, it was 10 miles, but I knew that avoiding major roads it would end up being longer.  My last wine run had claimed the prize of being my longest run at 8.8 miles.  Could I do 10 miles?  I figured the only way I would find out would be to try.  I knew that with such a great group of people surrounding me I was in the best possible scenario: either they would cheer me through it, or support me if I couldn't make it.  Plus, after the long week I had, I needed a good run.

Going into the run, we all knew the forcast wasn't fantastic, rain was headed our way.  I figured, it's time to "dance in the rain."  Sure enough, within the first few miles of our run, droplets started falling.  However, instead of focusing on the rain, I was focusing on the thrill of running and the awesome company.

What made this run even more fun was that at different points along the way we picked up people, some people left, and overall the run had a very relaxed feel.  I didn't feel any pressure to be first or run with the pack leaders.  I was free to run at a pace that was comfortable for me, and with every step a little more of my stress washed away (with the sweat that the rain also helped rinse away!).

Around mile 8 I started truly questioning what I was doing out there.  My feet were tired, my knees were aching a bit, and I had a killer cramp in my left shoulder.  Seriously, who gets a shoulder cramp from running?  This girl.  Still, I knew that one way or another, I had to keep going.  Luckily, it was just about that time that some great support came in a fellow wine-runner.  Conversation is a great "I wanna quit" killer.

As we turned the corner to head to the winery, "the home stretch," I tried to speed up, but found that I was pretty tapped out.  It seemed like I was chasing that building forever, but finally I was there. 

As I ran into the parking lot, the only thing on my mind was the fact that I had done something I never imagined I could do.  I no longer cared about the drama at work, the things that needed done, or any of the other worries that filled my head earlier in the day.  The run had helped to clear my head.  During the run I danced in the rain, and what's better is I didn't have to do it alone.