runners and spectators my view of Boston

     So, like all of you as soon as I heard about Boston I was shocked and saddened and almost a bit angry. Someone had taken a dream that I have had and  added some ugly to it. I thought how awful for these people that had been hurt or killed and how terribly sad I was for their families. I felt really bad for the runners who had literally worked their butts off to make it to Boston and not get to cross the famous finish line with a cheering crowd.
     I have seen and been reading a lot of peoples thoughts on this tragedy. I love how in so many ways runners are coming together to show the world that runners rule. Runners are strong, competitive ,loving, and loyal to our sport and to our fellow runners.
I love this picture that my friend posted on facebook even though the person who made it spelled smart wrong.:) 

Running is my sport and Boston is my dream race. I want so badly to earn my stripes and cross the finish line at Boston.

 

However, with all the things that I have been reading I haven't seen a post to thank our spectators.

As far as I can tell the majority of the injuries that day happened to those that were standing on the sidelines cheering on the runners.

This is my tribute to the spectators:

I can remember fondly spending many weekends standing on the side of a road somewhere waiting to catch a glimpse of that yellow helmet, or that flashy bandanna that my dad use to wear. As I waited I cheered for all those that went by and even handed out water and high fives. I remember the excitement that I felt and I wanted to cheer these people on. I loved it when I finally spotted that helmet or that bandanna and I would scream and yell with pride: "GO DAD!!!"

Then it was my turn to be in the race. I remember one of my first 5K's that my mom actually talked me into running. In the last 100 meters of the race there was a woman in front of me and I remember all these people yelling "GO GO GO!!" So, I did.  I passed her not knowing that I had just been the overall woman's leader. The crowd helped me win the race and a new pair of shoes.

The first marathon I ever did I remember well. There were people almost along the whole route and when I had to stop and slow down they cheered me on and yelled things like" you can do it!" "keep going 1033"(my bib number).  I still remember this young girl at mile 24 or 25 yelling "Pain is temporary, Pride is forever!!"  I could have kissed her but instead I gave her a high five. I needed her at that point because I was exhausted. I remember the feelings and the sound as I rounded the corner to the finish line. People were lined up and down the side of the street. The cheers were so loud  they echoed off the walls of the building. I felt like crying, and I might have just a bit, but my feet no longer hurt at that point and their cheers literally carried me across the finish line.

Thank you spectators for that day!!

These spectators are what we runners need in our lives. These spectators are the ones that buoy us up while we train for months. They let us go run for hours at a time week after week. They let us schedule these hours into our lives and theirs as well. These spectators listen to us as we tell them how great or how yucky our run was that day. The cheer for us when we tell them we had a great run and they help us work out our aches and pains as they come.

These spectators stand on the side of the road with food and drinks and signs waiting in anticipation to help us and cheer us on. They stand on the side of the road waiting for who knows how long just to catch a glimpse of us run right by them. 

These spectators are the strength we need when we don't think we have any left.

We love and need these spectators no matter who they are, and no matter what race we are trying to run in life.

 

So, this year I will continue to run. I have even contemplated doing another marathon and work super hard to earn my wings and fly to Boston.I would love to earn my stripes and cross the Boston finish line. However, I am going to try harder to love and appreciate those spectators in my life a little more this year. I need them.

 

May we all run and appreciate the spectators in our lives more this year. Do this in dedication to those that were at Boston cheering on our fellow runners. They showed up for us and tragedy hurt them.  They are the ones that we runners need to pay tribute to this year. So as you run give those high fives, say thank you to those standing on the sidelines,and appreciate those that are the spectators in your life.

 

Remember to shift to a higher gear.

Corrine

 

PS. if you have a spectator you appreciate please share this post anyway you can.

 

A Year Ago Today...

Today marks the day one year ago that I last saw my dad alive. He was helping me choose a water bottle out of his extensive collection for my sister in law for her birthday. I remember standing at the front door ready to leave his house and oh how I wished I would have hugged and kissed him and told him how much I love him. I know he knows I love him. 

I heard this talk (above) by Henry B. Eyring on the way to the hospital as I was going to say my final good bye to my dad. I will never forget this talk as I felt he was talking just to me. Saying the exact words I was feeling at the time. I will never forget that car ride. I can see it so clearly in my mind today. To me this is a reminder that there is a God and He is mindful of me. 

I write today instead of the day he passed because this is how I remember my dad. A man who was healthy and strong, full of life. 

Josie

Lessons I learned from the Croods

  Yesterday was an interesting day. We started the day great then had a few fits happen and then we got out of the house and went and watched the new movie Croods. I don't know if I just have extra emotions this week or what but this movie made me bawl. I mean total dragon tears and trying hard not to interrupt anyone else with my sobs.  I won't give the movie away but there is a line where the daughter says to her dad, " I have so much to say to you but not enough time"  The tears started running when I realized what was going to happen in this movie.  Thank goodness the movie theathers are dark and I was able to compose myself before the movie was over and the lights came on. 
Today, I got news of a dear old friend from way back from my Alameda Jr. high days had passed away last night. He leaves behind a young family of four kiddos and a wife.  The line from this movie came back to me today. 
These  moments that matter most might seem cheesey as I write about them and encourage you to find your moments, but it really does matter. We can't become like the daughter who waited in the movie and feel like you have so much left to say that you never took the time to say. Life is fragile and we can't risk losing the time with those that we love. We have to make sure we tell them all the things we want to tell them NOW. 

This is the message I shared with my family this week in my family email.  I love it and it says what I am trying to say waaaaay better than I ever could.  Even if we have different faiths this message is for everyone. People matter and we need to find a way to express our love to them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYhDhiojBPA




Keep shifting gears. Corrine

    Ok so this slowing down and enjoying the moments that matter most can be kind hard some days. Come on lets be real here. This cute, crazy, funny, adorable, stubborn, tease of a three year old can sometimes really test my limits. I totally love this little girl don't get me wrong. My life without Little M would be so boring and lacking. However, this little three year old has a way to make me wish some moments would pass by.  Let me give you some examples:
1. crying over breakfast because she wants to smear peanut butter all over a checker game and I said no.

2. crying for like a half an hour because she wants me to hold her in a certain chair. This certain chair is a hard wood chair not the best chair for snuggling with your three year old. I just wanted to rock in the rocking chair but she really wanted the wooden dining room table chair.

3. standing at the bottom or top of the stairs crying because she wants you to carry her up or down the stairs. You wouldn't mind helping her with this except for the fact you are holding a 2 month old baby, and all the toys the said three year old wants you to carry because apparently her arms are broken.

4. Crying for some unknown reason that you can't figure out as her mother and giving up cause you don't know what to do with her.

5. Trying to be patient everytime its time to go somewhere and she wants to pack up her entire room to go with her and crying when she realizes that there is no possible way to carry all 500 of her sutffed animals. ( we do this drilll every single time we have to leave. No lying)

Ok these are just a few of the moments that trust me I have tried really hard to stop and enjoy. Still working on that.
Now not to give my sweet little girl a bad name I have had some great moments with here this week. 1. picking out all the sparkly shoes in the shoe store.

2. pushing her in the cold on the swing 60 times because that is the number of pushes she asked for.

3. Trying to help her attempt the climbing wall at the local rec center.

4. celebrating with her that she made it all night long without a pull up and without an accident.

5. Holding her until she fell asleep one night after she had one of the above crying fits.

I do love my sweet M. Trying really hard to overcome the times when she is crying and upset of things that seem so silly to me but mean the world to her three year old mind. 

So minding to the moments that matter most can have its challenges but I am still working on it. This week is spring break so we are off to see if we can make some more great moments that matter.

Keep shifting gears. Corrine

Smiley face at 5am

So I should be doing laundry or something like that but nope not this week. I will get to the laundry it will happen. I just wanted to show you that I am slowing down and enjoying the moments that matter most. This is  silly picture of my baby but I love his toothless smile. This morning at 5am this little guy was laying next to me wide eyed and smiling and cooing at me. It was a great moment to slow down and enjoy and I didn't even mind that it was 5 am and I my alarm wasn't suppose to go off for another half hour or so. He is getting so big already I need to make sure I enjoy all the moments with him that I can.

Yesterday I had a fun moment too. I took Carter, my 10 year old, shoe shopping. It is so fun to see him growing up. We wanted to try on Vans. Ya, brings back the good old days. Funny how fashion cycles. Well we didn't end up with Vans yesterday but a good pair of shoes came home with us.  It was also fun to watch Madeleine pick our all the sparkly shoes she could find.  Good moments to have fun with even if they are small. 

How about you have you had any good moments this week?  Love to hear about them..

Keep shifting gears. Corrine

Ya I am back. Its been a long time since I have blogged I know. ITs because I feel if I am going to blog it needs to be something good. Whatever I share needs to be something that might help someone else or even myself. Last year my sister told me that writing and blogging was helping me heal. I told her that she was wrong. Well, sista, you might only hear me admit this one time but I thinkthat you were right.  SO, maybe this blog will only be for just me to keep getting better and it will be an outlet for me, but if you choose to come along for the ride maybe it will help you to shift to a higher gear too.

I have been thinking about something all month long and then I saw the above video. You see today marks one year from the last time I talked with my dad. He called me today one year ago and we talked for awhile. I can still hear his voice and I can still hear some of the words that he said that day. I have to tell you that I have had LOTs of thoughts about that phone call and wondered if I would have seen this video back then would it have changed our conversation or just changed me.Yesterday I sat and thought about this and decided that I had to stop wondering and wishing that I would have said something different. I have decided that it is high time that I "shift to a higher gear" and be better. My family means everything to me. I need to stop and slow down and make sure I am making the most of the moments that matter most to me.  My siblings and mom would laugh to hear me say I need to slow down. I am always in a hurry and they have forever teased me about it. Hey, I am a work in progress.  For the rest of this month I am going to try and slow down and enjoy the moments that matter most.  Yesterday I started my challenge and I took time to send my siblings and mom and step mom an email. I want to open up our communication and stay in touch better so I plan on doing this every Sunday. Then I took my husband and kids on a walk and ended at grandma and grandpas house where we played on the swings and the trampoline and visited with cousins and an aunt and uncle. Small moment but fun.

How about you?  What are you going to do this month to shift to a higher gear.


Keep on shifting. Corrine