RECAP: Run With Maggie B.

Wooooo whooooooo!!!! You did it!!!!

OK-you guys all did amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am still feeling it over here. Why do I have a craving for pancakes?

First-off, the challenge didn’t display all our great distances because it set up as a “first one to reach” a goal, and by now you know the first person to upload results was MYSONX3-who did a whopping 15.77 miles! This was fitting because that is the screen name of one of our winners, better known to us as Josiah Rutledge of Washington.

Josiah won the best Race Outfit, because he had to run with his Medi-pak. This is the intel I have on that:

“Josiah is allergic to pet dander. As such, we are not able to have any furry friends at home. We do have a goldfish, but she was quite grateful that we did not take her running, or we may not have had a goldfish any longer. Josiah’s non-human companion was “Medi”, his nickname for the two IV pumps that he has been carrying around for the last few weeks. (He was quick to point out that you only said “non-human” companion, not “breathing” companion. (Might want to be clearer in the future, my son will take everything quite literally.) He carries “Medi” in a blue fanny pack that he refuses to wear on his fanny (can’t say I blame him!)”


               


The most creative course goes to Mommykr, who is Becki Rutledge. She had the best view of all of us as far as I am concerned, complete with the very attractive hand-designed finish-line banner. If that weren’t enough, she, recruited her mom and her young daughters to pitch in for Josiahs race. Te see more of their journey, go to the photo page, and see their uploads. Remember, the password is moveit. I am also asking her if I can post the story she wrote about their journey on the blog.

Most money raised goes to Gayle Yarick who is LAupnorth. I think she bugged everyone she ever encountered for donations, from the grocery clerk to her 3rd grade teacher. There might have been some blackmail involved as well--who can know these things?

And finally, the best race companion goes to Mary Baker, who dragged her pup Sada, all over town, exhausting the poor thing to the point of couch lounging, as evidenced by the pictures in the picture section.



All of you have blessed these kids by doing this race. I can’t tell you how amazing you have all been. I will send you final tally’s as they are available from the total amount raised.

To the people who didn’t run, but still gave-thank you so much. Every bit helps!

I am hoping some of you might want to keep training together beyond this to. It was so much fun calling on Dr Laura,( who put in some serious miles I might add) and the rest of you guys!

I have been blessed. Thank you so much!
--Maggie B

8 Days & Counting

Can I say “OWWEEEEEEE?” Physical therapy is like trying to open a Vlasic pickle jar for the first time with one hand. It has the feel of impossible. But I have been faithful to my exercises. Yancy, my 5’1” 90 pound P.T. specialist, has been hurting me good for someone I could sit on and crush. We’ve had some spicy conversations too, about faith and the conundrum of the sweetness of Jesus verses the callousness of his people . . . so the twice-weekly trips are not a total loss.

Still, it is discouraging. You get on a good productive track, and you remain faithful to it. You are so excited when you start seeing good results, and then something interrupts. A tumble down the stairs, a bad head cold, and a time-eating emergency; all of a sudden you are losing gains and trying to stay motivated. UGGGGHHHHH!

I’ve read somewhere that lasting change must be a slow, forgiving process. You can’t do it all at once, and you can’t expect perfection. As far as I’m concerned, the head truth and the practice truth of that statement are miles apart. I’ve known these facts for years, but it is just in my recent history, the past 5 years, that I have learned their true expression in my every day. The way it plays out for me is so simple, I’m sure some people would say, “Yea, and . . .?!?” But authentic simplicity is harder than it looks, especially when it comes to our own flat-sides and camouflage.

Every day I get up and plan when I will walk, because that is about all I can do right now, (against the Dr.’s wishes.) I do what I can and keep my mind in the set of, “I will not stay in one place.” Every week, I go to the very lo-tech Weight Watchers meeting with my peeps and step on that wretched scale, the one that is hidden behind the high ‘check-in’ desk. I think there is a very good reason we can’t see it. There are some weeks that I want to cuss it out and choke its little neck when I’ve done it all correctly only to GAIN .6 pounds or some other hideous number. (But I’m not bitter-can’t you tell??) (And what is it by the way, about gaining anything that makes me want to go home and eat a vat of Caroline’s Coco Krispies at 10 at night?!?) (Not that I’ve done that mind you--er . . )
Point is, I get up and do it all again the next day. Walk, eat right, and bring my unwilling self into “subjection,” for me, because I must, because I’m the boss of me.

So I am going to try to walk my upcoming half-marathon. It will probably take me a little over 4 hours. I won’t walk away with anything earth shattering, at least as far as others would recognize it, but I will walk away from inertia. I will keep walking toward something, something that will be good ultimately.

This week when I was frustrated with the whole process I arrived at the end of my bitter thoughts and found myself smack dab at the beginning of the thought trail again with this question, “What will you do then if not this? To stop trying is to stop growing.” I knew yet again, in the small and big things, the only way forward is forward, and just like in vivid night dreams when I am trying to run but my legs won’t move, I must keep attempting. The desire to move forward does not go away when we give up.

8 days and counting.