Well, we're still running...

This week we began the torturous task of running in the terrible heat with high humidity. It’s so hard to talk yourself into completing a run when you know its 100+ outside! I'm guessing we will be dealing with this many times as we train in the summer. But I guess you just try to put it out of your head and walk out the door and “just do it”. Our schedule called for 4 miles on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, which we completed in the very high temperatures. Sunday was our first sort of long run with a 5 miler.  We were blessed with a beautiful spring like morning on Sunday and it was such a great day to run. Again this weekend, we have seen many new and old faces joining the group to pound the pavement. We hope this continues throughout the course of our training schedule. It’s always nice to have a set time, a set route and a set group of people to keep you motivated. This next week temperatures look very mild, so set a time and get out there and run!

To end, I want to share a personal story with you. It is not my intention to draw sympathy or pity from stories that I share. And those of you that know me well; know that sharing isn’t something I do often. J Rather, my intention is to inspire. Inspiration by definition is “the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something.” If you aren’t mentally stimulated or inspired to do something, what is the point? Inspiration, in my mind is the key behind everything in life. Last week Ethan received a new stander. This contraption is a chair he sits in, we strap him in and then we get to crank him up until he’s in a standing position. It honestly looks sort of like a torture chair. We’ve teased him that we might put him in it if he gets in trouble and add a muzzle… of course we are kidding (sort of). One thing that was discussed during the first time we put him in it is how tall Ethan is. When he is stretched out and standing up right, he really is just about as tall as me. Seeing Ethan in his wheelchair every day, we obviously are constantly staring down at him. It’s quite a welcome gift to be looking at him at eye level. And he sure does light up when he’s able to look at me and tell me how tall he is J  We had a conversation as he’s in his stander and we’ve had this talk before, but this week he said “Mom, I really wish I could walk”. And as weird as it sounds, he’s not really sad about it, it’s just a statement. Struggling to walk has been what he has known his entire life. It’s difficult to realize that what we do every day, we take for granted. The little aches and pains and complaints we have about running and his only wish is just to walk across the room. So, for obvious reasons I remind myself to think about this often. So when you’re feeling down or your legs are tired, or it’s hot outside, or you feel as if you didn’t do very well today, or someone ran faster than you today, I want you to think about Ethan like I do. Imagine him like I do through the eyes of his mother. If only Ethan had our legs, just imagine what he could do. He dreams of it and we get to live it every day. Don’t take that for granted and let him inspire you. Because he sure inspires me. Team Higgie

Stormie

Quote for the Day: "Change your thoughts and you change the world"
- Norman Vincent Peale