One event in May I always look forward to is MOTHER'S DAY! Love Mother's Day. It's a day where I know I can guarantee that I get quality time with my little family of five, and I can ask Daddy to change diapers, do dishes, make dinner, and pick-up totally guilt-free. :) Maybe it's the Catholic in me, or maybe it just comes with the territory of being a Mom, but I always feel a bit of guilt hanging over me about leaving my family for whatever reason. Running races is definitely one of those times. I feel guilty leaving the kids before they wake up. I feel guilty spending a weekend morning running a race instead of having quality family of five time. I feel guilty spending money on a race entry.
On Mother's Day I decided instead of sleeping in, I wanted to start the day doing something I love, totally guilt free. I entered a local 5K with some other mommy running friends. On the way there we laughed about the fact that we must be a little crazy to choose getting up early to run over sleeping in on a day that is devoted to us.
A part of me wanted redemption at this 5K. I was still a little bitter that the last 5K was short, making my finish time not all that valid. From the second the gun went off I knew it was going to be a bust. My Garmin didn't start. Shoot. I heard Meredith next to me say, "Forget about it, just GO." In a 5k, there really isn't time to stop and think. It's over before it even starts, so I just forgot about the watch and started running hard. About halfway through the first mile I noticed my shoe was untied. Okay, no big deal, I kept going. Then by midway through my second mile my shoe was more than untied, it was falling off. For a minute I was pissed. Is this really happening? Then I started laughing to myself. Oh hey God, there you are, just messing with me a little. A little reminder that I don't run and race for redemption, or to win, or to have some personal glory, I run to enjoy the gifts that He gave me.
I'm a mom. I'm a mom who can run. I'm a mom who can run with her friends.
I dragged my foot on the ground through the rest of the race just pondering those blessings and laughing about how things never go as planned, but sometimes they go better.
The last .1 I decided just to run without dragging my foot, and my shoe came flying off. I finished the race with one shoe. I had such a fun morning with my friends who all did amazing, just laughing about how I ran with one shoe, and how the course was way hillier than we thought it would be, and how we all had a great time just enjoying one another's company.
In a lot of ways, I feel like I'm running through life right now with one shoe. We are entering the crazy time of life. Little kids running around with lots of different schedules to coordinate, very little time to ourselves, a calendar so packed it makes my head hurt a little, a constantly messy house, way too much work and way too little sleep, and a To-Do list that never shortens. I feel like I spend half the day running around like a crazy lady with one shoe. And I'm pretty sure it's only going to get more chaotic from here on out for the next few years. The shoeless race was a little reminder to enjoy these days for exactly what they are... crazy, unexpected, and great memories I will look back on one day and both laugh about and long for.
And what would a running story be without a recipe, especially since I've been ignoring recipes on this blog lately. Just a quickie I've been making a ton, courtesy of Breanna Doyle.
Black Bean Salsa
1 can of Corn
1 can of Black Beans
4 roma tomatoes (I prefer roma over the grape I used here)
half an onion
1 seeded jalapeno
juice from 1 lime
cilantro
3 garlic cloves
salt
Rinse and drain the corn and black beans and place in a bowl
Oops skipped some steps, but I just put the tomatoes, onion and jalapeno in a food processor and chopped well. Then add to corn and black beans and mix well.
Forgot to put cilantro in the food processor! I used salad choppers to chop those up into the salsa after the fact.
Add lime juice and pressed garlic and some salt to taste. YUMMY.
Oops skipped some steps, but I just put the tomatoes, onion and jalapeno in a food processor and chopped well. Then add to corn and black beans and mix well.
Forgot to put cilantro in the food processor! I used salad choppers to chop those up into the salsa after the fact.
Add lime juice and pressed garlic and some salt to taste. YUMMY.
I usually serve it as a dip but this would be awesome served over grilled chicken or fajitas!
5 comments:
Black bean salsa is one of my favs. I'll have to try. Love the picture of you guys. Wish I could have run it too. Whose husband goes out of town on Mother's day weekend?!?!? Next year :)
You are a rockstar!!
we missed you becca!! next year for sure! or hopefully many more fun races this summer!
Love your running story, so fun that you all ran together on Mother's Day! Had I known you were running, would've congratulated you! For as busy as you are, I'm always so surprised that you remember things in my life, like my races, lax games, etc. You simply amaze me.
And this salsa is making my mouth water, will have to make sooooon, 'tis this season for salsa!
You are AWESOME! I can't believe you kept running! What a fun memory for all of us. The salsa looks amazing too :)
Super run, I can't BELIEVE you kept running! too funny! Love the picture of you ladies!
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