"The struggle is part of the story...."

I found this quote so fitting for how I was feeling today. You know how sometimes they say some days you're the windshield and some days you're the bug.... I am totally feeling like the bug today.  Nothing I really care to get into, just my feeling today.

I did manage to accomplish a few things today though and J Biggy even came with me to the Y to try out a few things.  We decided to start doing out workouts at school for a while and making our own gym there ha!  I hope that's more motivating for both of us.

So, my GRIT team is taking a break until the kick off of the next session next week.  Brie sent out an invite though for a GRIT fun run tonight at the regular GRIT time.  Marie encouraged me to go and so although I was quite nervous... I decided I might as well go!  It had started to rain a little, but didn't last.. We started with a run through the trails in the woods behind the Y.  Majorly slippery slopes I might say.. so slippery that I had a minor fall down into the mud... no worries I survived and Libba pretty much never got too far ahead of me and I felt better just knowing she was close.  Finally getting out of the woods was a relief and I was majorly huffing.... we ran around the back of the Y at which point I began to realize just how much I struggled with this running thing....
I had gotten pretty far behind the team and I was starting to get down on myself for always being last, when out of the corner of my eye I see Marie's son Ethan coming around the corner- who I also have the joy of teaching coming back for me.  He had been running with us through the trail.  This moved me to tears to see him come back and run with me, knowing how much I was struggling and I will forever be grateful.
We started farther up the road and I was just really struggling.  I had to take a few breaks to walk and at the time when I was running or walking alone I felt like I would never make it.  I honestly thought it would just be easier on me and the team of us running if I just went back.  But then I started thinking just how far I had come and the obstacles I have passed through.  I could see the GRIT shirts ahead of me and although I was frustrated with being behind... I knew I was better than the old me who would have stayed on the couch instead of run with anybody. 

Our run went towards West Main and down the Forest, then up and down that winding road back to the Y and once I started running towards the end of Sunset I never stopped until we got back to the Y parking lot.  I NEVER once stopped moving and having Brie come back to run with me was amazing.  It really helped me not to quit and just keep moving and give me the motivation I needed.  When we rounded the corner to the Y I could see the rest of the team on the steps, and I could hear them cheering and even right now I am crying just thinking about how much it meant to me.  Something about that team of people who I know without a shadow of a doubt support my decision to change my life makes me push ten times harder.  I knew I couldn't let them down and I had to finish this run for myself. 

No, this wasn't some amazing 5 mile run or anything even close and I could seriously care less.  But this was a major accomplishment for me in my book.  I ran almost the entire way and it wasn't flat land for once.  I promise I will NEVER EVER go back to that person I was before.  I cheated myself out of too much and I can't and won't do it. 

I can never ever let you know how much it meant to me to be a part of your team tonight- Brie, Marie, Libba, Stephanie and Ethan.... you make a major difference in my life and I can't ever thank you enough for your encouragement tonight... love you guys!

Today.. my struggle is a major part of my story.... which continues