Mind over Matter

Have you ever heard someone tell you, "it's just mind over matter?" This phrase is very true-which I found out over the weekend. It is amazing that your mind can tell your body to do something, and your body will obey. The stronger the message is, the more you can do-beyond all expectation.

Our hood to coast team finished in 31 hours-which, while not the fastest in the world (the fastest team finished in 15 hours) was pretty darn okay. My first leg was HOT! It was at 4pm, up and down hills, and I admit, I walked-twice. Once van 2 was done with the first legs, we went back to Luke and Sarah's condo in Portland. I was unable to choke down the pizza that we got-let me tell you something-the body does CRAZY things when you run far. If you have never run distance, you would not know-but- and don't read this if you get grossed out easily...
*Warning zone*
Running has got to be one of the fastest ways to lose weight. Let's just say that a lot of the vans had jokes written on them....things like "Honey Bucket or Bust" (Honey bucket is the portable toilets outfit) or "outta our way, we've got the runs!" or "pepto bismo!" and on, and on, and on...
You look at the vans and can't help laughing-then your stomach does a flip flop-and wowee, you're-a-runnin' to the buckets. My thought is, anything that makes your body do this can't be good for you-but heck-it is an experience...
*Warning zone ended*
So-we go to sleep at 11pm, alarm goes off a 1am-and my first words were "brutal" I was the first runner at 3am. My stomach hurt like heck. Get to the exchange, get the band from Eric, and off I go-into the darkness, with a vest and headlamp up a back country road-up hill. Let me tell you, the best thing about running in the dark at 3am...well, several things. 1. It is cool (temperature). 2. It is dark, you can only see to the end of your headlamp, therefore, you have no clue how long or how steep you are climbing, you just take it one step at a time. I had a "runners moment" I connected with the pavement, if you will. It was the coolest most amazing running exerience ever. It was hard, but really neat. I stopped running with music, and there is something kind of relaxing about hearing yourself run.

So we finish our second round, go to a school in the middle of nowhere, and eat breakfast-choke down eggs, and something else. Drive to the next exchange, no sleep. Get the bracelet from Eric when he comes in, go off running. By this point, my hip flexers, ankles, and knees are protesting. Nooooo, will you just STOP??? Not to mention the blister on my toe that feels like it is going to make my nail fall off, gross. The last 1/2 mile, a hill. I walked, again. Round the bend, hand off to Chad-hurray! I'm done!

I think I told a few people I would never do that again...however, I think that I would-I would just train next time. That, and maybe get faster so that I could get through the legs faster. I am less sore now than I thought I would be-it is crazy how fast I am healing. What an experience! Crazy, but neat-and now I can say...I DID IT! Pictures to follow!