The Highs and Lows of 2018 (part two)

If you read my part one of this post, you know that I chose my own highs based on my feelings not based on instagram favorites and algorithms. All these highs are so closely connected to my lows. I'm sure a lot of people following me that haven't taken the time to interact with me or get to know me thought "damn, this girl is manic" because I've had a roller coaster year for running! and, yes, I'd agree VERY MANIC! but it has been a true part of my year to feel all those highs and lows so closely together. It is completely possible to feel both elated, and also terrified at the same time... (if you're a parent, you know this better than anyone else!)... but these are some of the moments were elation was so much stronger than fear!  These are in no particular order... the collage app I used was loading weird so I couldn't figure our how to select photo placement... So I'll do the correct order below. 

There were a lot of high moments that occured during my training for Boston... but this is the only one I included because looking back those "high" moments were also driven by my ego and this stupid need to accomplish this goal even though my body was screaming at me to stop. I kept this moment though because since the Boston calf injury that started the domino of calf injuies, I always think of this moment. I ran 20 miles on one leg, on no sleep, while pumping 6 times a day, feeding a baby in the middle of the night, and working full time. This was a moment to be proud of regardless of my ego driving me. Also, whenever things got really bad with all those calf injuries... whenever I really started to doubt myself... I rembered this run. I remembered that a. I was able to do it and b. so many people supported me to get it done. My mom was watching the two kids and my husband met me at mile 10 to run the last half with me. He also dropped bottles for me to fuel with. When I can't keep myself motivated I think of all the support and all the people who are also invested in the goal... and since instagram that number is exponentially more than I could ever imagine. So even though I got quite fit for Boston, this is the only run that makes the "top nine" cut for me... because all those other miles were really me just digging myself a bigger hole to climb out of... but these miles served a different purpose later... they just reminded me that I can.... that even though I was in a lot of pain, I somehow managed to get through this... so it has to be possible to do again (although I haven't since. This is my longest run of 2018) 

Hard to believe that between March and August I had no other "high" moments. I was in a building phase. I lifted a lot. I set lots of lifting PRs and started enjoying lifting simply for what it is instead of its' connection to improving my running. This was the weekend of my brothers wedding. I squeezed in these three miles faster than I should have, but I got that taste of fearless running again. Yeah, another calf pull was right around the corner... but so was Maebels first birthday... and then I weaned... and if you read my previous post it's mostly been good since then... So no surprise most of my highs are after I weaned Maebel and the groin pain started going away... and the calf started to heal. 

I did a 10k. But this was just one of those runs where I was so glad I was able to do it. It was a beautiful morning where it started with a misty rain and ended with the sun... and I got to run in my favorite spot! Not much to say except that I was just simply happy to make it over 30 minutes in one piece! 

This run was great, the picture? Not so much! But I didn't bother to retake because it was a genuine moment of happiness. Probably running faster than I should... but excitement of health and perfect crisp late summer, early fall air made this run even better. God, I was on the way up! Finally! 

You never forget that first double digit run after a long injury. I had a few of these. Not all of them made the cut, but this 10 miler was great (even though I bonked in the afternoon from not hydrating very well). I even ran a little bit with my mom. I was also very happy with how I looked in this photo...not gonna lie. To be honest, I'm still (STILL 15 lbs over my pre-pregnancy weight... but I had done so much lifting in the gym, this picture kind of showed all that work in addition to the successful 10 miler!

I don't even need to look up what I captioned this photo with because I remember it so clearly. It was the first time I did any pickups of any kind.... "Its like I'm really running, now".... was all I thought. What I high to run a pace faster than easy. Still haven't done a lot of that... but 2019 will be faster for sure! 

The Race! You guys picked a lot of these as your favorites too, but one of them had my incorrect time on it! I put 19:35 because there was an error with the clock from the sub zero temperatures, but my official time was 19:21! I was disappointed for a few reasons, and questioned putting the race in my top moments at all (I did pull my calf immediately after this on the cool down...so really the race was a dumb moment) but its the only race I did, and I won... so if that's not a top moment then I have a problem! but Honestly, I think I was fit enough to run faster I just was very afraid of the cold the whole time... and as it turned out, the cold was something I  was smart to fear! The last calf injury fortunately healed quick (lightning compared to march!) so I had time for many more highs from Thanksgiving on! 

Another one of those "you never forget your first double digit run after injury" posts. This confirmed a lot for me regarding all my other injuries and breastfeeding. Less than two weeks after my "last injury" I was already back up to double digits... my muscle healed so fast now that the relaxin hormone is (mostly) out of the picture. For the record, I'm sitting writing this on New Years Eve morning, with a baby sitting on my lap... and if I wanted to I could still feed her. Milk still dripping like a faucet every time I take a shower and sometimes on long runs. 

Just like that first double digit run, you always remember that first run over 2 hours. This is literally my first run over 2 hours since the 20 miler I ran in March... so, yeah. This was a big day... and it was just a little over a week ago. 

Yesterdays Run! If this isn't setting me up for a good 2019 I don't know what is! Not much else to say about this one except for that I'm grateful and the person that ran the 20 miler in March is not the same as the person that ran this 17 miler... So much learned, and so much more appreciation for each step! 

So this is just my top nine in terms of my training and running goals and success. However, there were many many many other amazing moments I posted about (and many more I didn't) that I didn't put in the top nine because it wasn't something that moved my training forward, and that's what this post and my instagram is all about... but here are some other moments worth showing. So blessed for my family, their support, and their cooperation through all this! 

If you missed it, Check out Part One! The Lows!