PROOF

This past week we had our team pictures taken. This is the first bit of evidence that I'm actually on the SCC Track Team, not just bringing cookies by and fetching water bottles. I asked the photographer if he'd mind emailing me a copy of our team picture so I could put it on my blog. He was very accommodating and also included my "solo" picture in the email. LOL. I'm sorry, I can't even post it, it's so bad. And it will be there, for all to see on the school website.....along with my lack of stellar results. But I'm working on that. After dropping a lung on the track last week during our "introduction" to speedwork, it's apparent this old lady has a long way to go. Coach says this coming Tuesday is going to be a tough day....he actually used that word "tough". Considering his description of the workout which almost killed me, I'm a pinch anxious with a heap of giddy. Bring it on. To really spice it up, Tuesday is my first Biology test.

So here are the girls. Pictured is the entire track team. I mostly train with the distance runners. That little girl to my left is Katie and to her left is Melissa. These two handed me my ass last week and they weren't the only ones. Over the course of the season, I'm sure I'll have more photos of them. I'm front and center with the spider hands, the hair (?) and the orange shoe laces. I'm so glad I reap so much joy from laughing at myself or this whole experience would be painful.

I am grateful for laughter. Eye watering, gut wrenching, pee your pants, laughter.

The Routine

Closing in on the second week of school and practice, I've developed a routine. The consistency of my routine seems to calm me but I still get a little choked up once in a while.

Wake up, get ready, make kids breakfast, pack their lunches (keep forgetting to pack my own), try to scarf breakfast down while Hayden bounces around the kitchen trying to make me laugh (he has a high rate of success) and Tabor reads "facts about animals" to me (I think he is trying to contribute to my education). Get out the door and drop the boys off at school.

Once the car is quiet, I put on "Suite for Solo Cello no. 1 in G major". I play this a few times and I think it is one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard. It reminds me of the beauty in things that are unpredictable or uncontrollable and how often, the things in our life that we don't predict are the most appreciated. After my cello song, I go on to a little Tracy Chapman or other random artist so I can belt out the notes. Get to school, drive around for 40 minutes looking for a parking spot (although lately I've gone right for the far away spot and saved a lot of time and find it's not that far after all). I spend the day running from class to class and then after that, running some more.

Today, we did our first round of speedwork on the track in the 30 degree weather and I got my rear handed to me. These girls are fast and this was just the first time. I made the rookie mistake of trying to keep up with them on the sprints and by #6 (out of 16) I was cooked. I thought I tasted blood in the back of my throat. I've heard people speak of this sensation but never experienced it until today. It was hard-much harder than I expected. My coach told me that I lean back when I sprint. I guess that's not what you're supposed to do when trying to propel your body forward chasing little girls with cheetah legs and lungs the size of garbage bags. I finished all 16 sprints wandering aimlessly looking for my left lung I dropped on the track-where's the guy with the scalpel? Open up my trachea so I can breath! And that was what coach called an "introduction" to speedwork. uh huh. You mean it doesn't get easier from here? In good time is what they say. In blood, sweat and tears is what I say. But I've already tasted the blood and it's not so bad.

Back again tomorrow.

I am grateful for hard work, it makes the easy days that much better.