Friday, March 4

Quote of the Day:  The truly important things in life- love , beauty, and one’s own uniqueness- are constantly being overlooked.      Pablo Casals

I have been thinking a lot about running lately especially as the weather is getting warmer and I’m seeing more people outside running along the road.  Melissa Faber talked to me yesterday about grieving and loss.  Things in our lives are constantly changing and so we are dealing w/loss all the time.  It’s difficult when a lot of loss comes at the same time.  When I had foot surgery a few months ago, I hated that I had to give up all these connections w/ friends, exercise including running and tennis (even though for only 4 months) that made my life so enjoyable.

I wish I could run now but I still need to heal from the surgery.  I think the next two weeks will be my running weeks and then after chemo, just have to wait and see.  It’s interesting how our perspective changes when something is taken away from us.  I think I always appreciated that my body was strong and healthy enough to be able to run, but it’s different when you want to be doing something and can’t.   I love the physical part of running-  legs growing stronger w/ each stride, heart pumping inside your chest, endorphins producing, causing the runners’ high.   But running was also about socializing for me.  I loved the connections forged.  I spent the first years of running training w/ Susie Beaudoin.  She and I would meet on the corner every morning and hit the pavement.  Our training mirrored each other so closely that it seemed that we would experience our bad days together and likewise for the good days.  There’s no one as bubbly as Susie in the morning.  We ran our first marathons “hip to hip” and never stopped talking except to take a breath.   Her husband, Jim, could never understand how we could talk for 4 hours while running the marathon, and then need to call each  other later in the day.   There is this magical bond created when you are pushing your body to its limit and beyond and sharing that with a friend.  I thought I knew every story Susie had to tell until one day on Wasatch Blvd. she said to me “Did I ever tell you about the time I got stabbed?”   I don’t remember which roads we took to get home that day, but I will never forget the story.

So I plan to take my marathon experience with me on the chemo journey.  There were times when I thought I couldn’t take another step and somehow kept going and crossed the finish line.  The first time I ran the New York Marathon, I had plantar fasciitis in both feet, and had spent hours the day before waiting in line at the expo.  My feet hurt from the very first step I took but somehow not running the marathon wouldn’t cut it, so I hobbled every mile.  It was November 2002 and New York City was still hurting badly from 9-11.   I remember the fireman who supported us along the way and somehow my problems seemed very small.

Sue O., who is the most gifted internet shopper on the planet, found these darling pink running shoe pins, I shall wear mine every day.  She brought me lunch today and we enjoyed 2 episodes of Glee.  My son, Mike, came home for lunch and said we looked like two teen-agers cutting school!  Patti Clements brought by a large card signed by her sorority girls.  They don’t really know me but they love Patti and with compassionate hearts wanted to reach out to me.   Thanks Kathy Cahoon and my loves, John and Carol Skeen, for your nice cards.