My Feet Aren't Ugly Enough

It's a badge of honor among long distance runners to have lost toenails, blister scars, and generally ugly, messed up feet. I don't. I've never lost a toenail. One man I read about even went so far as to have his toenails surgically removed, they fell off so often. It's not as if I want that. I'm happy that my feet are still cute enough for my sandals. But I do wonder in an odd moment if this means that I'm somehow not a 'real' runner. This fall will tell. I've got two marathons two weeks apart. That might do it.

Today was a lovely, lazy day. In the morning I did some moderately strenuous gardening/weeding, and managed to get a bit too much sun exposure. I have a lovely reddish half moon on my lower back where my shirt and shorts gapped (well above the plumber's crack area, thank goodness - what must the neighbors think?). Then I napped. I love naps. Almost as much as I love running. My mother took my older three boys swimming while the youngest (and I) napped. Thank goodness for my mother.

My run this evening was lovely as well. Another eight miles, with an average of less than 11 minutes/mile - a good sign, since I would like to maintain about a 11 minute/mile pace for the marathon. I remember thinking as I began that I wasn't going to have it in me to push much. In the first mile, a neighbor was out driving a very old car - like antique, maybe from the 1920's or could have been earlier. I don't know anything about cars. But I smiled to myself, thinking "that's a pretty cool car, and really old, but my method of transportation tonight is much older than that."  Then I turned the corner and hit 'the hill' - the one that usually makes me want to curl up in a panting, sweaty ball at the top. But tonight I thought "did someone flatten this hill?" I felt like I was flying up, and sure enough, Map My Run says it was a PR time on that hill. I felt so strong. That's when I started thinking about the stroke survivors that I know. For the next three miles, every step had a name. Those were the fastest miles I ran. Because I felt that if I'm going to represent people so strong that they not only survive, they thrive - they reach out to help others experiencing what they have... well I better fight a little harder myself. Because I'm a lucky one. I'm healthy. My kids are healthy. I have three grandparents, both parents, a husband, a good job, a beautiful home. The challenges in my life are ones that I pick. So I better work a little harder. And make my feet a little uglier.

Support my cause at: My National Stroke Association Fundraising site. I run for stroke awareness.  I run for stroke prevention. I may run slowly, I may not have ugly feet; but I am a runner, and I am going to New York City for all the stroke survivors I know who can't run, but whose spirits soar.