Just Keep Going

The journey. Ulmstead 100 miler. On this exact weekend, years ago, he paced me along the way. He was so encouraging and cheerful even when I told him, "no one should be running at 3am in the woods- stop being happy about it." Sleep deprivation sure makes you say crazy things.

The unknown. Along the way, I watched the sunset and then rise again. Blisters covered the entire bottom of both my feet. I ate 12 hot dogs. I saw things that weren't there. I questioned my purpose in life. I found every reason I should stop but I just kept going.

The lesson. It took just as much to get to the starting line as it did for me to make it to the finish line. If it wasn't for him, I would not have made it to either. I know people consider me crazy for the things I love to do. That's okay. Whether he thinks I'm crazy or not, he loves me through all of them; even when I feel like I’m not easy to love. And for that I will for ever be grateful.

The Ulmstead 100 miler was cancelled this year, as was so many other significant events that were supposed to happen. The direction we thought we were going has a detour; for all of us. We have a long journey ahead of us; into the unknown; that we can choose to learn a few lessons from along the way, if we let it.

We just have to keep going.