Sh!t's About to Get Serious

Before I go all serious on you guys, here's some updates:

1. All the get-well ammo I threw at my immune system this weekend failed.  I sucked it up and went to the doc yesterday and sure enough...

Oh, bronchitis.  That's cool.

2. The cough meds and antibiotics are kickin' in and I'm feeling much better today.  Especially because at 5:45pm it was still light out.  Starting a run before it's dark?  Makes me a happy girl.

3. Running with fast friends really does pay off.  Emily and I ran my fave 4 mile loop tonight and we averaged an 11:24 pace.  A solid 30+ seconds faster than my usual pace.  I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to maintain that pace for 4 miles!  It was definitely not a very conversational pace but I was able to stammer out a few sentences here and there.  I'll take it!

Alright.  Things are about to get serious over here.  As you all know, Molly in real life is about 4% serious and 96% sarcastic.  Serious just isn't my thing.  So I'll chalk the following paragraphs up to the minuscule part of me that sometimes has some serious stuff to say.

Running changes everything.  

Those three words are plastered across a handful of Fleet Feet shirts that I've seen on previous training class participants.  It sounds so cheesy and if someone were to say those words to me five months ago I would have laughed and responded somewhere along the lines of "yeah right" or "that's funny."  

But now....that's probably the simplest way to sum up how I feel about running.  I'm amazed by how much I've grown as a person over the past few months and can honestly say that I have running to thank for this progress.

It keeps me sane when I feel like going crazy.  It calms me down when I'm stressed out.  It helps me to put things into perspective.  Life has thrown some crazy curveballs my way these past few months and running has been my therapist, my anti-depressant, my constant.

Some days I run with my music loud and turn my brain off.  Some days I run in silence and let my brain go.  Sometimes I can't remember a thing that went through my head during my run, and sometimes I finish my run with 97 thoughts swarming around.  Regardless of where my brain goes that day, it's always where I need it to be by the end of the run.

I feel like I have a new, positive perspective and outlook on life in general and am genuinely happy.  Running has given me more than a healthy heart and strong legs.  It has given me a positive energy that keeps my attitude optimistic and my mind healthy and strong.  

So, I guess Fleet Feet wins again.  Running truly does have the ability to change everything.  And while my life is far from perfect, and I am far from a "real" runner, the runner that I am and the life that I live will continue to grow and flourish and I couldn't be more excited to continue this crazy journey.