53 days! I just checked the Air Force Marathon page (http://www.usafmarathon.com) and that's all I have before I do what I signed up to do...run 26.2 miles!!
I'm starting to get a bit nervous, because I have not been able to train as much as I want to. I have been very busy, but it's no excuse...I need to get off my butt and just run! And I will! Right now though, I feel the worst I've felt physically in several months...due to poor diet and exercise habits recently. I want to blame many things for this, but I won't...too easy to do that, and I don't want to be someone that just makes excuses.
Along with my physical health, my emotional one has taken a roller coaster ride the past month. One month ago, the Waldo Canyon Fire started (cause still under investigation), and though it's 100% contained now, it's still not out, actually...but it is under control. I won't get into the details, but it did devastate my beautiful city of Colorado Springs, and was deadly. Please see this amazing video if you haven't had a chance - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBA7eHY022k. It's long (16 min) but truly a must watch - dangerously beautiful. Although I was fortunate enough not to have to evacuate, and has not been directly affected, I know some folks that have had to, and it has affected me mentally...I have felt sad for what people have had to deal with. I am encouraged by the strength and perseverance of those affected, though. The community has gotten closer, and we will rebuild. I so admire the heroism of all the firefighters and emergency responders.
Then there was the recent shooting at the Aurora Town Center movie theaters. Just a shock, and took me several hours to decompress what happened on Friday, 20 July. I grew up in Littleton (Denver suburb), have lived in COS for many years now, and have been to ATC many times (formerly called Aurora Mall), even watching a couple movies there. I'm so glad all of my friends were not hurt, however there was one person I did know from my Reserve Wing who died, unfortunately. I was not friends with him, because I hardly knew him, but it is still shocking. Also, last year (one year ago on 3 Aug) one captain, also in my wing, was killed by a careless driver (ran a red light) near Schriever AFB. I did know her...we talked several times on base while dealing with work issues (we were in different squadrons), and she volunteered to read with me during Asian-American/Pacific Islander Heritage Month to the base Child Development Center pre-schoolers. She was a very nice person. Very sad. The whole shootings reminded me of the Columbine shootings in Littleton, 1999. I graduated from Heritage High School in Littleton, but had some friends at Columbine...they weren't there anymore, as we were all past high school at that point, but it's another time when I remembered where I was when I heard the news broke....sitting in a business class at Colorado State University (Fort Collins, CO). It also reminded me of another death...one of my squadron members at Eglin AFB died in 1996 from a terrorist attack in Saudi Arabia. We didn't know it at the time, but that was really a forerunner to more terrorist attacks against the U.S. and our allies in that region, and to this day.
Also, eight days ago was the 20th anniversary of my Dad's death. It was a bittersweet day, as I remembered it just like yesterday. I miss him dearly, but I just try to remember all the good times we had.
I'm realizing this has kind of gotten off track from talking about the upcoming marathon, but I'm just starting to get in the groove in the blogging business. Sometimes I may stray away from the subject. Though in this particular case, I feel I am also running life's marathon. There are so many ways I want to improve myself, and be a good Christian and person. My life's marathon hasn't been easy (more blogs to follow in the days/weeks/months) ahead, and I've fell a few times. I have gotten back up though, and have realized the Christians' race is not a competitive event, but an endurance run. My main goal in life is live it as fully as I can, and go to Heaven. Then I will patiently wait to see my family go there once they leave. I leave you with this passage:
"I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
- Philippians 3:14 (NIV)
God Bless,
Easy
These tragedies do tend tO bring up bad memories. I was a high school senior during the Luby's shooting in Killen in '91. I remember that day vividly. It was an early release day and we were told to go straight home but we had no idea yet about what had happened that day. All you could hear were helicopters.
ReplyDeleteJust hearing all of the survivors' stories is so heart wrenching.
On a lighter note, You can do it!! Is this the AF marathon in Ohio? What made you choose that race?
Killeen. Spell check. Ugh.
DeleteThanks for sharing that info, Michelle. I never new you were in Killeen during the Luby's shooting. Yes it is the Air Force Marathon! I signed up during the wee hours of New Year's Day, so my head may not have been 100% in the game...but I was aware enough to truly want to do it. I chose that one because I've always wanted to run a marathon, and I thought running in the Air Force one would be cool, being an Airman and all!
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