When You Fall Down...

...You Get Up!  It happened.  I fell.  Flat. On. My. Face.  Okay...well, on my hands and knees, but after all the near misses with the pavement and occasional swan dives and stumbles, I finally had a complete and total buckle with the street today during my morning run.

I attribute my gracefulness to stubborn drivers, uneven asphalt to concrete and lack of night vision.  And by the way, for the three cars that drove right on by after you saw me fall, "Thanks!  You're awesome!  Don't worry about me!  I'm OKAY!"

It was a cold morning and I layered up for the first time all season and I'm thankful for the brisk chill to the air for two simple reasons.

Number one:  Running in cool weather is so EXHILARATING!  I felt electric and alive. 
Number two:  Ripping my gloves if far less painful than ripping my hands to shreds.

When I picked myself up from the road and winced in pain,  I set aside my embarrassment and fought away the tears.  Suddenly the fear of a potential injury and not being able to run the marathon in five weeks swirled though my mind like a fly trapped in a pickle jar. 

When my adrenaline became less intense, my left knee started to hurt badly.  But I continued on.  This could NOT be happening.  A few more steps, several deeps breaths and slowly the pain started to subside and I realized it was just a bruise.  It was going to hurt for the short term, but I was going to be just fine.

I picked up my pace.  And I ran faster than ever.  As the pain exited my body, the joy came back into my heart.  I ran faster than I ever have.  I just kept running.  Run Rhonda Run!  I ran all the way home.

I grabbed a glass of water and that's when I noticed my ripped glove and my slightly swollen knee. 

It's just another story along this marathon journey.  My knees are sore but I'm not going to let it get me down.  When you fall, you don't give up and wallow in your sorrows and walk home.  You get up, you take a deep breath, you brush off the wound and you keep going.  And in my case, you get a new pair of gloves.

So the journey continues!  Join me for the ride.