The Run

Well since I have had a few days to process my time with my cousin on Saturday I think I can blog about it now. I know I was a nervous wreck leading up to Saturday, I didn’t know what time we were meeting or if I would see him before Saturday. I am a person who doesn’t like the unknown I need a plan to keep me sane. So Friday afternoon I received a text from him saying he would call or text me in the morning with the time and place to meet. I was anxious about meeting him and very worried about our workout together. As he is in the Navy and running is an every day thing for him and he will run like 10 miles just because.


I woke up super early Saturday morning and so did the boys lucky for me Ashlyne was going to watch the boys that day and she was up and ready early too which worked out great. I picked her up and headed back home by way of Sonic for Blake and Nathan and Ashlyne wanted a cherry limeade. As I was heading home my cousin texted me that he wanted to meet at my Great Grandma’s nursing home parking lot and to wear my workout clothes. Ugg I dislike everyone seeing me in my workout clothes and had spent a good deal of time getting ready that morning figuring that we would change somewhere after visiting my Great Grandma nope I was wrong. We met in the parking lot and I could tell he was shocked to see me all grown up and well I was just as shocked at how much he had changed.

When we got to my Great Grandma’s room she didn’t recognize either of us, we had figured she wouldn’t know who he was but I was shocked she didn’t know me! I had made her a book of photos of the boys for her to keep. She was happy about that but demanded to know why I didn’t bring them with me. I tried to explain with it being flu season I didn’t want to intentionally take them places where there were lots of germs and a nursing home with old people who like to touch kids makes me weary in winter months. We visited with her for awhile and then it was her lunch time so we left.

On the drive from St. James to Rolla my stomach was in knots we pull in to the park where I usually go on my lunch hour and we get out and he starts in giving me advice asking questions etc. The whole trail round trip is 3.2 miles and he asked if I had ever completed the whole thing well I can say I have now! We went the entire trail and ran intervals the whole time now I know I probably was running a slower pace than he was used to but it was nice having someone to run with. I pushed myself harder than I ever had before but kept going. When we returned to our cars my legs were jello and I was red faced and all sweaty. Fully thinking ok now I can return home I was once again wrong. He wanted to take me out to lunch at Applebee’s. Once again thrown out of my comfort zone I had to go to Applebee’s right after a workout in my workout clothes but I survived and we had a great lunch and great conversation.

The time with him didn’t seem near long enough to make up for 14 years but it was well worth it and I enjoyed every minute of it. Even when I was so sore I could hardly move later in the day it was still worth it.

I learned that I could do so much more than I thought it just took someone there next to me pushing and encouraging me to go farther and longer to find that strength. I took a super hot shower that evening at the advice of a good friend and it seemed to help a lot. And really only the backs of my thighs are sore which surprised me and also made me know that I could have went farther.