Seasons for Everything, Boston 2014, Airport Video, and Other Randoms

"To everything - turn, turn, turn
There is a season - turn, turn, turn
And a time for every purpose under heaven..."

The above lyrics are from one of my favorite songs to play and sing on the guitar.  It is a song that is not only fun to sing but holds such a good message.  So many seasons in life.  And Thank Goodness for that!  Yesterday, along with so many other runners, I was anticipating the news on whether I got into Boston 2014.  I wasn't entirely sure that my qualifying time would get me in this year.  Either way, I was fine with the outcome.  I knew I wanted to be in Boston this coming year no matter what.  And really, serious-stick-to-a-plan marathon training isn't something I've had a huge craving for lately.  I'm just in a different season.  A run when I feel like it season.  The Amanda Plan.  However, the anticipated e-mail came and I'm honored to say that I will be running in the 2014 Boston Marathon!   

As many of you know, this race will be about so much more than racing a marathon.  It will be about coming together, running for those who can't, and sending a message that LOVE always wins...Fear doesn't.  I'm not sure how I will train for Boston or how I will run it but I do know that I will be glad to be a part of it.  It will be my fourth Boston and I am already excited to see so many of my favorite running friends.  

Speaking of Boston, I'm heading there right now to see a friend.  Funny how just yesterday I was feeling exasperated, ready to pull my hair out, and having to remind myself that parenting is worth the hard work and now, as I sit in this quiet airport with nobody to take care of but myself and nothing to do other than whatever I want (read, write, catch up with friends...), I MISS my family.  Kind of.  Okay, I'm over it.  But I'll probably miss them again in a couple hours.  I love that.  For now, I'll enjoy the quiet airport and some good girl time. 

I'm going to switch to bullets now because I'm just in random kind of mood.  Besides, I like bullets.  They are easier to write and read.  

• I've been thinking a lot about those of you that qualified for Boston but didn't get in because of the cut off.  I know how disappointing this has got to be and I'm sorry for this.  
• Small airports.  Love them.  So much easier than some of the bigger airports.  The Asheville Airport is especially nice and comfortable.  
• One of the things I like about small airports is that you often don't have to go in those creepy airport scanning machines where you have to put your hands up while they scan your body.  We avoided this for many years because we usually traveled with our kids and they just sent us right through.  But last year when we traveled alone, I had to give in.  Here's a middle of the night airport video of my initial reaction to the whole experience:

• I was originally flying into Boston this weekend to run the Adirondacks Ragnar Relay.  But gosh, talk about hard to keep a team together.  We just so many people who dropped out along the way and by the end we still didn't have a full team so I took that as a good sign to give it up and just spend the weekend with a good friend.  I think my body likes that idea better anyway.  I'm going to be soaking up this low key running time as much as I can before Boston training starts.  
• I've been trying to make more time for mindfulness...meditation... breathing.  So many ways to do this but running truly is one of the best ways I know where I can get in a state of mindfulness.  It isn't always like this but last week when I ran my 15 miles, I was amazed at how much of a state of mindfulness I was in.  I wasn't stuck in the future or the past.  I wasn't self critical about anything.  No over thinking about any recent situation.  I just RAN.  And focused on my breath, my footsteps, and how far I was running.  I kept it easy and let my body go with what was natural.  15 miles @ 8:30ish average (not sure exact second from memory) and it felt like 2 miles.  I was amazed at how recharged I felt.  It was another affirmation for me of what a gift running is in my life.  
• Some of my most powerful and significant messages in my life have come to me while on a long run.  As I reread over old posts where I shared some of these significant moments, I'm reminded again of what a gift running is.  
• Thankful for writing as a process of telling my story.  Even if nobody reads it but me.  Something about writing that allows me to process.  And then rereading what I write can be even more helpful and healing.  

Gosh, who knew that airport layovers could be so wonderfully relaxing?  It's been a nice break from the energetic and sometimes hectic bedtime routine at home.  So nice to have some time with just me.  

Amanda 

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