Each Day Is a Gift

Took Bryan to the airport at 5:15 for his flight to Japan!  Won't see him for at least a year!  Goodbyes are always hard for me! :(   Traffic at the point of the mountain is terrible...moving at 5mph...  Made it home just as RAD pulled into my driveway.  :)  It's been over a year since I ran long with her at Park City Marathon!  So very happy and grateful she'd come to run long and slow with me.

We drove to the same start/finish MCT trailhead bathroom on the bench of PG as last week.  We noticed an aid station sign posted there...hmm, there's going to be a bike race!  Temp was 59F and warming up,  sunny, hazy in the distance but air felt refreshingly cool.  We ran south towards Orem stopping every couple miles to drink at the fountain.  Have never seen so many runners, walkers and cyclists using the trail as today!  Legs felt heavy from the get-go and breathing a bit labored on slight incline.

I absolutely love running with RAD.  She kept me at a steady pace with wonderful conversations.  I will always remember her story of the mother hen gathering her chicks... beautiful analogy the Lord Himself used to illustrate His beckoning us, His beloved children.  She made the miles clicked by and we fell into a good rythm. 

We got to the end of MCT at around mile 8.  We decided to turn east on the road towards the mouth of Provo Canyon.  It's been over 2 years since I've run the Provo River Trail.  We ran up the canyon and used the bathroom at the Park and continued on till we reached mile 10 then turned around.  I ate couple of shot blocks every 2-3 miles and finished all 6 pieces mile 10ish and gu'ed at around mile 15. 

When we got back to the start, I decided to turn around and run another 0.5 mile to make 50 miles total for the week!  I couldn't have done it without RAD!  The aid station for the bike race was about to close up.  The nice volunteers offered us the leftover drinks and food.  We ate a banana and drank chilled gatorade!  While talking to them I found out that the volunteer ladies were the mother and sisters of the cyclist who was killed in an accident while riding her bike on the road up 2100N in Lehi.  I remembered that accident.  Turned out Karen visit taught (her husband home taught) the mother, Lynn C.  So cool to finish this long run and receive refreshment from this lady whom Karen told me so much about.  Was nice to finally meet her in person.

Thanks to RAD, I was able to complete this long run.  AP: 10:02.  We did a nice long stretch in the shady side of the garage.  My left leg and foot were pretty sore.  Pokey is 2 weeks out.  This is the quickest buildup I've ever done...

Hubby and I met Sister Levine and her parents for dinner.  She's a living miracle.  Her goal is to walk on her own even if it's just 3 steps on Sept 5, the one year anniversary date of when she was hit by a moving car while she was standing outside her parked car to take a picture of a double rainbow in Canberra, Australia.  She sustained massive head injury while her head hit the windshield and she was pinned under the car.  Miracously not one bone in her body was broken.  She was put on a medically induced coma as her brain swelled up.  To see her speak, laugh, smile, eat, etc. is to witness God's tender mercy and miracle.  Her parents have been by her side with unwavering faith and are examples of selfless love.  What a blessing and privilege it is for hubby and I to have served with her and hear her say that we are hers forever! :)