You got it - I turned 40 this week! On Thursday to be exact. . . . May 24, 2012. These kind of days remind me of other momentous days. . . like my 30th birthday.
That is a whole different story that sometimes feels like a whole different life, with a whole different person. . . although I know that I am who I am today because of who I have been. . . it's a bit of a mind waggle to say the least.
All I am going to say about turning 30 is that I felt like I was falling apart physically - my rib went out ON my 30th birthday, I could hardly breathe as we tried to find a chiropractor somewhere in the midwest. I was wearing orthotics in my shoes and a mouth guard for grinding my teeth. . . . here is a photo to remind me of what 10 years can do. . . .
Women's Handcart Pull on our Beazer Family trip to Nauvoo in 2002. |
TICK TOCK TICK TOCK - 10 years later . . . . .
I'm turning 40 with sparklers!!! |
Thank you Duane for the perfect cake made entirely out of REAL FRUIT!!!! |
On Saturday, I ran my first race as a 40 year old. . . . The Legacy 1/2 Marathon. This was my first long distance race since my surgery 15 months ago. . . actually my first long distance race since the Pumpkinman 19 months ago. . . . . Making it 2 years ago that I signed up to do this same race, but I knew there was something wrong with me, and even my chiropractor told me NOT to run in the race . . . and so I DNS the Legacy 1/2 Marathon in 2010. That was REALLY hard for me that day. . . I really want to put all of that behind me . . .
Duane admitted later that day that he just kept saying over and over as he drove up and down the race course taking pictures . . . "please let this be a good experience" . . . "please let this be a good experience". His prayers worked.
Some of my 'run like a mother' friends: Karen Bevans and Barb Pilling |
-Benjamin Disraeli
That's the thing about running:
your greatest runs are rarely measured by racing success.
They are moments in time when running allows you
to see how wonderful your life is.
- Kara Goucher
Well, 3 days into being 40 - life is fantastic!
When people ask what I am doing for my 40th birthday, I answer -"I'm doing Ironman!"
- and then the conversation ends. . . . abruptly . . . oh well! I know they were expecting something more exciting . . but really - what can be more exciting than doing IRONMAN??!
Happy 40th Birthday to me anyways!