Be Brave

In February, I applied to become a Momentum Jewelry ambassador.  I had admired their motivational wrap bracelets on the wrists of all of my IG "friends" and bought one for a friend for her birthday.  I felt a connection to the company as it was founded by a woman named Amy who also had her MPH. (Lame, but true.)

I found out later in March that I was selected!  I was given the option to pick a wrap bracelet and a foot note for my shoe.  I picked "like a boss" for my shoe and "be brave" for my bracelet.  Be Brave is a familiar mantra in my house.  It is one my five year old was given through some play therapy sessions we went through at the close of 2015.  I had borrowed it on a few bad runs and I also knew she would be excited when she saw it.

I was checking my mailbox like a madwoman (even more than I usually do) in the days before we left for Boston.  I so wanted those items for my race!  On Thursday morning, hours before we left, my husband even went to the post office for me to see if it was there.  (He's a keeper, that one.)

Alas.  No bling for my race.

We got back from Boston on a Tuesday evening and the accumulated mail from when we were gone was in the box.  There on top was my package from Momentum Jewelry.

Still pissed about the race that wasn't, I let out a few choice words, convinced that the universe was against me.

Nine days after the race, I am beginning to change my tune.  I think the universe knew I was going to need that motivation more AFTER the race, no matter what the outcome, than I would before.

Allow me to explain:

Last year, after my spring marathon, I was riding high.  I had run a marathon PR after some strong, but inconsistent, training.

Woohoo!

Look at me.  #likeaboss

Save for 2 5K races that I did in the month after that, I did not run.  "I earned a little break", was my thinking.

I ran a sprinkling of 5Ks over the summer but my running was all over the place.  Some weeks I ran 4 days, some weeks were 0.  Come September, when I registered for Boston, I knew I was going to have to step it up to get back into marathon shape.  It was really hard to get back into it and all fall I just tried to bring some consistency to my training, and really dedicated myself to it starting Thanksgiving Day with the Runner's World Run Streak Challenge.

I don't want a repeat of last year.  I want to have a great racing season this summer, capped off by an awesome half in the fall.  And while I am still trying to get over the race that wasn't, I know that in order to "be brave", I have to keep going.

Coincidentally, a colleague just gave me Big Magic to read.  I follow Elizabeth Gilbert (@elizabeth_gilbert_writer) on Instagram (of course) and have wanted to read this book but never pursued it.  I donned my Momentum Jewelry bracelet for the first time and started reading it.  I am not even kidding but come page 2, she is talking about bravery.

So Yes.  I think the Universe is trying to tell me something. 

It's trying to tell me to keep going.  

Be Brave.  

Even my 5 year old could tell you that :)