Not so much about running

Hmmm...I'm not exactly sure where to go with this post. I've had several thoughts running around in my head....so we'll see where it all lands. Even though my blog is primarily about my running, it's really about my life. There's a lot I don't share here, primarily because I've been burned on the ass a few times about things I have said. That's the main reason I've given a lot of thought to moving elsewhere and letting those of you who are kind enough to leave encouraging comments a forwarding address via email or something. The thing is, I don't read your blogs to see what your last split was. I read to see what's going on in your life, rejoice with your improvements, hug you on the bad days, give you advice on your blisters and share in the ultimate joy of a race completed. If you never ran another PR again or completely gave up speedwork but kept sharing the mundane joys of your ordinary day I would be just fine with that. Some of us may seem like workout machines but underneath it all we are normal people (but nowhere near average). All that said here goes.... (and Blogger - you'd better start cooperating and quite erasing my posts!)

Work has been really difficult this week. Not in the usual annoying people work stuff, but because our friend T passed away overnight Wednesday. If you've been reading my blog for a while you might remember me mentioning her, particularly last fall when she was no longer able to work. This wasn't her first battle with cancer. She was only 32 and was a single mom to 2 small kids. Nothing about her life has ever been easy, but I can't even express to you what a positive, uplifting person she was. I know I have never heard her complain about anything and she had plenty of things she could complain about. She was my "pee partner", the only person I know of at work who pees as much as I do. Her medication made her have to go a lot, and my only excuse is a tiny bladder and excessive water intake. I'll never forgot all the laughs we had running into each other in there, and all the conversations I'd share with Brent that began with "Yeah, in the bathroom today T and I were talking about such and such". I know she's in a much better place now, fully healed and watching us with a huge smile, but it still sucks. Cancer is just wrong, and the people it takes are not the people it should take. I know she will still be with us every day, and I know she will be with me during every race I ever run. (She was always so interested in our silly races and would have loved to come and watch us.) Her visitation was this afternoon after work, but it's still surreal and will take a while to comprehend. I really wish Brent could have been here to go with me, it's really hard for him to be so far away because they worked together quite a bit and were very close. I am certainly my own person, and he will be the first to tell you I am headstrong, stubborn and independent but he's my rock and my best friend. Life is a bit sad when he's gone to begin with....and I wasn't sure if I would even be able to make it through this afternoon at all without him. I can't wait to pick him up at the airport tomorrow night.

There's really nothing else inside me to say tonight other than life is short, but we all know that. Enjoy your time here and don't be scared to dream big.