(i hope this isn't anticlamactic for anyone...) i ran 3.7 miles today. it took me 57 minutes, but i ran 3.7 miles today...and part of it included that hill on university parkway from olive garden to red lobster.
anyway, i've been walking every MWF and i'd gotten up to running a mile and a half, but never really thought about going much further. today was different. i had new ideas of where i should go and was completely suprised about where i ended up.
those 57 minutes were some of most clear, calm, and inspiring 57 minutes of my life. i had alot of time to think and as i thought about some certain people today, they kept me running. i don't want to forget how i felt so here goes...
my dad
i love him. i've learned more from him than almost anyone else in my life. he's always been great at taking life experiences and turning them into life lessons. i know he loves me and he tells me often how proud he is of me.
he's in shape. and he ran the top of utah marathon on saturday. it was his third marathon. i was there when he crossed the line at his second. he looked even better this saturday. when i was running i kept thinking that if my dad just ran 26.2 miles 3 days ago, i could keep going. so i did.
teetee
catie is the fourth daugther and fifth child in my family. she's sassy, she's strong, she's humble, and i love her. she set the goal to run a marathon months ago and she did on saturday with my dad.
catie thought we'd be there at mile 14 to cheer her on, but we were at mile 24. as soon as she saw those waiting to cheer her on she smiled and burst into tears. just before the end, we were there to keep cheering and as soon as she passed us, she sprinted to the finish line. that's catie.
she runs marathons, she flies in helicopters, she extreme mountain bikes, and she sky dives. she kept me running today too.
sue
carlie sue. she's the baby of the family. she didn't speak until she was 4 because she had 7 other people waiting to get her whatever she grunted at or pointed to. i still baby her today...but she doesn't need it.
she works full time, goes to school full time, just got a promotion, and she just ran her first marathon at 18. i think she thought that none of us believed she would do it...and that's what kept her going. she was slow and steady and averaged and 11 minute mile for 26.2 miles.
she was so tired when she finished she literally could not even smile. she was in pain, but she was already ready to sign up for marathon #2. she's stronger and more focused than anyone else i know. i didn't stop today because of her.
nie nie
i can't get the image of her smiling face out of my head. the more i learn about her the more i love her. i love her for her passion. i love her for her grace and fortitude. i love her for teaching me that happiness is a choice.
this month has been pretty hectic with all of jon's nie nie shoots, but you'd never know it for how calm and happy i feel. i can feel her strength and it's made me better. i'm eternally grateful for how she's changed me.
team hoyt
the first time i saw the video i can't explain how i felt. it made me love jon more, it made me love isaac more, and it made me feel Christ's love more. today when i'd almost had it at about 3.5 miles i ran past a bus stop with a billboard of team hoyt. i couldn't stop running. i sprinted to the end and i finished strong.i'm inspired by and grateful for these heroes in my life.
who are your heroes?
Way to go, Callie!! I wish I were there to run with you!
ReplyDeleteHey Callie- We missed you so much at Bunco!!
ReplyDeleteI am proud of you for running! It is so hard and every mile is an accomplishment. I too love Nie Nie and don't know her but read her whole blog and think of her everyday! I want so badly for her family to be reunited. I feel like I know her! Jon is awesome for doing the shoots. I was a little too late. I know he doesn't like Family shots necessarily but will still get him soon. You are cute!
funny thing is, now he LOVES doing family pictures. i think stephanie's experience put everything in perspective for him and he's figured out a way to make them awesome.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a sweet post. It inspires me to write with more feeling. So, in a way, you're a little bit of a hero for me today.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad someone else said it first. I was thinking you are a hero for me because of the sweet and uplifting insights you post from time to time.
ReplyDeleteAlong the NieNie vein, I read through much of her blog and realized that I could be a blissed-out mom even when a baby cries and cries for hours nonstop because ___(who knows)____. So, when I'm tempted to become a Complaint Monster, I think of NieNie.
I also consider myself a hero of mine (if that makes sense) because I've gone through crappy stuff, and I'm still standing! (Well, figuratively speaking; I like to sit while I type.)
Callie,
ReplyDeleteI have tears in my eyes...thanks so much for this post. You have no idea what heroes all of your family members are to me...you constantly inspire me to be better at serving and to be constantly looking for ways to improve myself and to give love to everyone around me.
And 3.7 miles is AMAZING. I miss the clarity running gives.
What a blessing NieNie has been in our lives. What a blessing.
Okay, i love you.
ReplyDeletethis was so great. I hate running. But I want to. But I hate it. The words Mile And A Half give me shivers.
But I'm inspired. I'm going to run. Darn it.
thanks.
cally, i should probably clarify with you and everyone else, i haven't run that far since that day. that run made 1 mile normal for every day since then. so good luck with running!
ReplyDeletei forgot to mention i'm friends with lori...i'm pretty sure we met at her wedding. for some reason i hadn't gone to your blog until today. and i LOVE it!