Running update

So, remember that little race I signed up for? Well, things are getting real. The Chicago Marathon will be here before we know it, so I told myself March 1st I have to get serious. I have been slowly working myself back up to feeling okay with running. If you have ever had a baby, I don't need to tell you that your insides shift around to make room for miracles to happen and it takes a little bit to get everything shifted back. I can still feel it when I run. I'm pretty sure I'm just extremely out of shape (make the definitely sure) but I also have a bit of hip pain from Will's big day that I still am trying to work out. I have been focusing on core strength and trying to find any remnants of muscles that I remember - many moons ago - that I used to have. The search continues. 

Running aside, I can't ask for more beautiful weather to motivate me to get moving. The winter has been kind (aside from the really grey, rainy days) and the sunrises keep reminding me of why I'm training for this. Each day I am blessed to wake up with the promise of a new day while others are not so lucky. But much like my body hurts when I run, so does my chest. There are days my heart feels even heavier than my feet. So just as I tell myself that with each drop of sweat that hits the pavement, my body is retraining its muscles to find strength where there is none; with each tear that hits the pavement, my heart is retraining itself to find strength where there is none. If my body can achieve a marathon, my heart can achieve a marathon. I don't know how many miles it will take to work up to being able to cross the finish line, just as I don't know how many months it will take for my heart to feel whole again. But I know the finish line is out there somewhere, I just need to cross it and know that no race will ever be harder than this one. It doesn't matter how long it takes to get to the end, it just matters that I get there.