ICE ICE BABY

This morning I got to go ice skating - oops I mean running - with the Philly summer team for Team In Training at Kelly Drive.  Needless to say, it was a bit slippery out there!  


We started the session off with an inspirational story of a Leukemia survivor, some tips from our coaches on pacing for a longer run (you should be able to hold a conversation), and most importantly - how to run through the slippery and icy conditions we were about to face.


The coaches told us to look a few feet out in front of you for any icy, or black ice patches, and walk where necessary.  We were also warned of an unplowed section of the path around mile 1.


Running through the parking lot to get to the trail (about .2 miles) was just fine and completely clear, but by the time we made it onto the path I was already walking - or shuffling along.  It was very icy and I was extremely nervous about falling.  


After another .2 miles, I realized I was getting no where fast, and decided to face my fear and start a light jog.  There were points where I had to walk, and I definitely was slipping a bunch, but fortunately there were no season-ending catastrophes.


Around mile 1.4, I reached the unplowed section.  At this point I had caught up with a group of runners from another TnT team, and we were running/walking/stopping single file in a one foot wide section of packed down snow.  After about .4 miles of that, we saw a plow at the end of the path ready to start cleaning the area up after we passed by!


I literally had to climb over the plow, hanging on to the tires and all, to get to the next icy section of the trail.  This portion is where I really hit my stride, I wasn't even noticing how cold it was out!  


At this point, a crazy fast runner sped by me, which really inspired me, and started me thinking about what else inspires me and keeps me going in the face of my fears.


My Mom was at the top of my list.  In the face of our family's biggest fear - losing Dad - Mom is setting such a great example for Melissa and me.  She's successful and motivated when it comes to work, getting things organized at home, and hitting the gym regularly.  She was quite a champ shoveling our massive driveway through the blizzards this week too! (She and I did a WAY better job than the city folks over on East River Drive...)


Melissa as well is such an inspiration to me.  She's kicking butt in her last semester of school, working 30+ hours a week, and would most likely be lapping me at the Lehigh Valley Half Marathon if we hadn't committed to racing together!


Of course, Daddy is our number one inspiration for racing this half marathon.  He taught us how to seize life and make the most out of any situation.  In the midst of his cancer treatments, he could be found working hard, and playing hard.  He even had a Hole In One last summer - in between chemotherapy sessions.  He never acted scared in front of us, and always seemed to just roll with the punches.  Daddy was fearless.


By the time I got to the halfway point - around mile 2.6, I had harnessed that fearlessness of Dad's. I was truly invigorated and very proud of myself for making it to the halfway point.  I trudged back through the snow and ice and finished the 5.3 mile loop in a little over an hour.  I know that time isn't anything to write home about, but given the conditions I was still quite pleased!


What today's run taught me, along with my experiences grieving over the past weeks, is that sometimes you have no choice but to face your fears head on.  You might slip every once in a while, and you may even fall.  But that's okay!  I'm fortunate to have a support system of my entire extended family, my Team in Training team, and my friends to help pick me up those times that I do fall.  


Thanks for helping me conquer my fears!
Victoria