Making Memories That Are More Important Than Running

Last night Jesi and I traveled to a Group Mission Workcamp Site in Pennsylvania in order to surprise her Dad for his 50th birthday. I will admit I was a bit bummed that I would be missing my training run since I've finally found a training rhythm, but sometimes there are things in life that are more important than training runs.

I lost my Daddy about two years after his 50th, it was sudden and shocking but at the same time I didn't grasp the far reaching impact of his loss. I was 18 years old and so overwhelmed with decisions and choices that instantly ended my childhood and made me an adult that I didn't really have time to think about anything. It wasn't until I continued to grow and age and have those important milestones that I truly grasped what that loss has meant to the overall picture of my life.

While Jesi kept thanking me for driving five hours round trip, missing my training run, staying up until 2:30 in the morning all so that we could spend a few hours to surprise her Dad; all I could think about was that I needed to make sure that she has as all the chances to do stuff like that. It's not a poor pity me, but more a desire to ensure that no opportunity is lost to make a special memory.

Training is important, critically important if I plan on meeting and exceeding my goals....but it's the memories of the people and those that we love that will last larger than finishing times and whether or not I got my Wednesday night run in.