Hot Frosty!

 

Thanks a lot for getting me to this start line fellow Bimblers – namely (in no particular order) Allstate, Booman, Mr Wonderful, Bimble & FRH(shared) among many others, far too many to mention individually. I have missed the camaraderie we share on our trail runs this year and I dearly miss physically fitting into my old running gear too. It feels good to finally be running again and I also look forward to returning to the trails soon. My walk/run program will be complete in mid March so a 5K was tough for me at this stage of the game. When I told myself (and my brain is very influenceable as many of you know – especially on the run) that I was at mile 29 in a 50K – well,  then I felt great during the race! Running for me is a lot of things, a moving meditation, a time for creative problem solving, connecting with friends, fitness, a reason for eating less ice cream and consuming more greens including that whole “look better naked” aspect. 🙂 Running really helped me to recover from surgery last year and no doubt it made chemotherapy more manageable too.

Life is a wide range of simple and complex experiences – some we choose for ourselves and some choose us. It seems unavoidable that we (in some but not all ways) become the sum of our experiences. I guess that is part of life and knowing that  “the pain is only temporary”  does help.  There is no way I can express exactly how much the kind gestures and meaningful support from all of the Bimblers has meant to me this last year…. phone calls, texts, cards, hugs, walks, reports, all sorts of comforts. You have taught me how to be a kinder, more generous and less self-centered person. So far, I’ve been lucky in many ways. When people say to me – Last year was awful and that they hope next year is better, I do understand what they mean – truly I do. But for me it all had a happy ending and I have the opportunity to run with my friends again this year – I am grateful. Actually, last year turned out great.

So the Frosty was a very big deal to me and I hope to see you all out at more races and for training runs this year. I guess the message I’d like to share at this reflective time of year is the following. I think that Life’s purpose can be very simple.  I like to think is can all be summed up into the following…. Life’s purpose: To love, to make or create love and to be loved. Lean on a friend, be loved, love and know that you make a huge difference in the lives of those with whom you share it.

Running is a fantastic metaphor, I look forward to taking in the views, the heavy breathing and the endorphins with all of you in 2012!! WooHoo Have a wonderful new year everyone – I hope to see you all at the Pews!

Iggy