Wordless Wednesday

California 2022

I forgot to post about our most recent visit to California. Back in August, we took a pretty short trip to visit family and friends. It was so wonderful being back! We ate a lot of yummy food, got plenty of time in with family and friends, visited the beach, and got some pretty great one-on-one time.

I will say that the beach did us pretty dirty this time around. Apparently, there was a Monsoon warning in effect - which no one had told us about. That’s also on me for not checking. Anyway, the waves were really strong, tall, and choppy. There was hardly any sand, it was all these round rocks. Emery was able to make it passed them, but I didn’t have the same luck. I took a few steps in, had trouble with my balance thanks to those rocks, and got knocked down. I tried to get up, but another wave hit me almost immediately after going down, and then I was dragged out a few feet. My legs, thighs, and hands were pretty scraped up. And Em said that she felt like she was starting to drown, but thankfully was able to go under and push her way forward with a wave.

Once we were both out of the water, we agreed that the Pacific Ocean was really freaking cold, and definitely a “let’s admire from the beach” type of ocean. Definitely not the warm, peaceful, Gulf of Mexico we have here in Texas. We quickly got dressed and decided to walk the pier before grabbing some food and doing some shopping. We got to visit some more relatives and then headed back to Menifee for the night. Our flight was the very next day and we needed to get an early start.

We said our goodbyes and headed to the airport pretty early. On our way, Emery said, “This was the perfect end-of-summer trip mom. And I know we wanted Corey here, but I’m also glad we got a girl's trip - just me and you.” And she was right! While I would have loved to show Corey around, and let him see some of the places/people that had such a huge impact on me - it was pretty great to get one-on-one time with little. I think we need to take these types of trips more often. For now, I’m just glad we got to see as much of our family as we possibly could. It was a fun little trip, and I can’t wait until we get to go back again. Maybe this time Corey will be able to join. 

#SRC//Running Again - Part II

A month would pass before I looked at the group again. I gave a few likes. Then another month went by - I ordered a shirt. I started recognizing some of the faces from the group around town, on the trail, and on the rare occasion that I made it to the gym. I finally unmuted the group and started interacting a bit more. But it wouldn’t be until right before the 5k in March that I would gather the courage to attend one of the meet-ups. For an introvert like myself that gets social anxiety easily - saying that I was nervous is an understatement.

Before I left my driveway for the first meet-up I honestly sat in my car for several minutes thinking I shouldn’t even go. "You won’t have anything in common with anyone. You’re too much of an introvert people will think you’re weird. You’re too big to be in a running group. People will laugh at you. You’re not a real runner." These are just a few of the thoughts that popped into my head as I sat there. I finally took a few deep breaths and put the car in drive.

Twenty other runners showed up that morning. And some did look like me! Some people were way faster, and some walked. Some people never spoke a word to me, and some greeted me with a smile as they shook my hand. Some ran 6 miles while others only did 1. Some understood my struggle of juggling so much and finding time to run, and one responded with “No excuses.” Some experienced the same anxiety I did, and some couldn’t relate. But there were some. And that’s one of the main reasons why I still show up. For the next member who needs to see that there's someone just like them. 

If you’ve been on here long enough then you know I’m pretty introverted. Social situations can feel draining to me. Smiling and contributing to small talk are two things I am NOT good at. But being a part of this group pushes me outside of my comfort zone. I do my best to attend the Saturday meet-ups and the monthly socials. I tend to gravitate toward the older members, but I’m open to everyone. And the people in this group have pushed me to set running goals - even if they look different from their own. They’re encouraging and cheerful for every single accomplishment, and even the setbacks.

So here we are - ten months into being a member of a run club. Eight months of me consistently running. And two months of me setting distance goals. I’ve logged 70 runs and they’ve equaled out to about 132 miles. Some runs have been fast and some have been slow. I have gone on nonstop runs, and then some have consisted of more walking than running. I’ve made some new acquaintances, and hopefully, I’ll get some friendships out of it. But if I don’t, well, that’s okay too. I still have a group of people who motivate, inspire, and understand the love/hate relationship that comes with running. A run club with members who want to make their community better - their club more supportive/inclusive. And it’s filled with people who just get it. So, I’m pretty dang proud to be a part of it! And I can’t wait to see what we accomplish in the next year. Together.