Every day is a winding road...as Sheryl Crow would say...

I mean it when I say...the road is never straight!  Our journey on this earth is complex.  The roads that we travel are windy, bumpy, curvy, and icy.  But they define who we are and make us better drivers.

Something that crossed my mind over the weekend was how long it took to get over a tendon toe injury...over a year!  I know that I can relate to A LOT of runners on this one.  Injuries come at the wrong time and the healing process can be timely and inconvenient.  It took over a year to heal and this Sunday marked my first 5k race, pain free! I even got to race with an elite runner, Kara Foster, who was pacing a friend!  She motivated me during the race and was kind enough to cheer for me as well.  You are an inspiration and how far you've come as an athlete!

I won't go into the nitty gritty about the journey or the bumps that I've been through this year, but I will say that victory over an injury is so satisfying.  You put in the hard work, you put in the physical therapy, you deserve a victory.  Warning: Never expect for it to come easy & you're allowed to have grumpy/down days too! (According to elite trail runner, Shannon Payne, she has the 24 hour rule)

And it's the small victories that count as well.  Like walking/running a couple miles pain free (even if you feel completely out of shape).  Celebrate the positive moments in your journey.  I'm all about promoting success stories, because I know I can relate to someone out there.  Someone else out there needs encouragement.

As I lead a women's Couch to 5k group from Centre Church, I am humbled by these women that are driven to be better everyday.  Having accountability and encouragement makes the 6AM mornings so sweet.  The prize in which we strive for goes above and beyond a time and/or a race.  We are striving to become stronger women & stronger people in our communities.  No one wants to travel these roads alone and I'm really thankful for all the encouragement that I've received along the way.  I'm also extremely blessed because my partner in training is my husband.  Quality time is easy when you get to train together :)  

I've enjoyed reading various Oiselle athlete blogs about triumph and their journies.  Even elite athletes are human, they have set-backs, and they share about their road to recovery.  I've learned that being able to share among athletes gives you victory over your injury.  It's like saying, AH HA! I WIN!  There is freedom in your story.

Arts Fest 5k, 10k, 10miler (Happy Valley Elite Runners)