I got up at 6:15, the first time in months I've successfully pulled myself out of bed early for the sake of running. But I knew that if I tried to wait until later, I'd be too likely to miss the run. Matt and I have plans this evening for a barbecue with friends to observe Memorial Day.
I have a lot of family and friends who were (and still are) military, and I have a lot of respect for people who sign up for that life. It can't possibly be easy to decide to sign up for a life of service, to be willing to put your life on the line, knowing that so many people will never understand what you experience. It's not that Americans are ungrateful for our service men and women, but I think we're so removed from the wars being fought these days that we almost come off as unconcerned. I don't say it enough; I am in awe of those who go into service, and am saddened that so many have lost their lives fighting in the name of our country.
I kept my run short this morning. The streak calls for at least a mile a day for 39 days; because there are no rest days, it makes sense to run shorter and slower for some of them.
As my feet hit the pavement, I thought about those who run into the arms of their loved ones after months of deployment; I thought of those who suffered injuries and amputations in battle and had to relearn how to take even the simplest steps; I thought of those who will never run again.
The moon was still out, the air cooler than I had expected. The sun wasn't quite up yet, and there were only a few cars on the road. It was a nice run; tomorrow I'll go longer. I felt like lead today, but still wish I'd done more than just a mile.
38 days to go...by the end, I should be all set to begin my marathon training schedule without any hangups.
How do you observe Memorial Day?
Are you doing the RW Run Summer Streak?
ABK
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