Amazing Grace

 Because of the below freezing weather this morning, I waited until noon to start today's run.  Boy, I am so glad I waited because if I had gone earlier, I would have missed the most inspirational moment I have experienced in a long time!  I will get to that part later.

I started my run, the weather was perfect, the sky was bright blue, I had my camera in the pouch of my fuel belt to take pictures at the end of my run, my toons were playing, not too many people on the path..what more could I ask for.
  
I COULD ASK FOR ONE THING, NO PROBLEMS!

I had only ran about 1/8 of a mile when my fuel belt popped off! What the heck??!!  I kept running and put it back on ( after sucking in the gut) and after a few more yards it popped off AGAIN!  This time it somehow got stuck on the sleeve of my shirt and was dangling there while I tried to keep running and take it off. Well, that did not work , I had to stop, remove the belt and put it on again.  I continued running,  for awhile I thought I had the problem licked!  


Nope! I started up a small incline and off it went again, this time flying behind me!  Again, I  had to stop, turn around, go back and get the belt and put it on for the third time. This time I cinched the belt so tight , so the velcro would hold, that I could barely breathe! Success!!!  That worked!! I was able to continue my run without any problems.


I had planned on running three miles today. I was doing great, after the issues, but when I got to the last 1/4 mile it felt like I was running out of steam. I was not going to quit but was feeling tired..then the next song came on my Shuffle...Amazing Grace. That song just carried me through the last 1/4 mile. With all the issues, I paced 11:46! Can you imagine what I would have run if not for the problems! I feel very good about today's run.




After I ran the 3 miles, I actually ran another mile but stopped every 1/4 mile to take pictures. I just wanted to document the changing  scenery as we continue into fall.
                                
                                                                                                                                             

Last week

Today, most of the leaves have fallen.

This picture was taken at the 3 mile point. To walk around the lake, from here it would be another 1.2 miles..it would take longer to walk..so I decided to run to the next 1/4 mile marker.

One month ago..so pretty!

Today, winter is right around the corner!

 From here,  I ran another 1/4 mile  to take more  pictures. To be honest, this last mile was so easy and relaxing. I did not even feel like I was running, just going place to place to snap some shots!

Snow on the Rockies!

Beautiful here..Snow up there!

  

I continued my run to the next point, and realized I had almost run another mile.  

Oh, so pretty!

It was a great day!

 Remember my Inspiration:

At this point I had run 4 miles and was now just slowing to a very fast walk to my car. I turned a bend and there he was!   Arnold, with his daughter Glory, was taking a walk around the lake.  Arnold, or Arnie as he likes to be called, is a seventy-one year old man who said he had worked hard all his life. He told me  he had been a carpet installer for forty years and sometimes put in twenty hour days. As a nurse, I know how hard that type of work is on a persons knees. To have done that type of work for so many years put a toll on Arnie's body.  He told me, in his quivering voice, about a year ago he was cutting, and stacking, wood for his daughter when " My legs just crumbled". Because his legs gave out , Arnie spent this past year in a nursing home and was just released to the care of his  daughter.  Glory hopes her dad will spend a few months with her and then they will find him a suitable living situation. 

For now, they are taking walks to help build the strength in his legs. Yesterday, he walked a mile so today he is supposed to take it easy. When I asked him how far he planned to walk, He said " I don't know, I am just walking".

Glory and Arnold

                                                     

 Now, if that is not an inspiration to all, I do not know what would be! Can you imagine walking a mile and needing the assist of a walker. I am sure Glory pushed the wheelchair in case Dad got tired and needed to sit a spell.    

I am so thankful for:

Running at noon today
Meeting Arnold and Glory
Hearing his story
..and having my camera!