Since I started running four years ago, I’ve always used Black Friday as a running day. The local running organization created a virtual Run the Parks challenge that encompassed running routes in seven of our local parks. The routes ranged from 2 to 6 miles, for a total of about 28 miles. You could do this over a period of six weeks or choose the “ultra” challenge of completing them in 48 hours. I signed up for the ultra with the goal of finishing on Black Friday.
My goal didn’t quite go according to plan. I ran out of daylight and had to pick up Sophie. I finished five parks for a total of 23 miles Friday, and ran the last two this morning, for a total of 28 miles. It was a tough call for me to stop Friday, and I felt disappointment in myself that I couldn’t finish what I set out to do. But I learned a lot, and felt a lot, out there, running by myself …
— I hadn’t run 23 miles in a day since October 2019. Hell, I hadn’t run more than 14 miles since October 2019. It hurt; but the pain felt good too.
— The stopping and starting (with driving to parks in between) is an entirely different type of challenge and it was HARD. It took a lot of mental strength to keep going when my body wanted to quit and my car could have easily taken me home.
— Seeing how beautiful my local parks are made me even happier to live where I do, and brought back a lot of memories too
— Like many ultras, the pain and running alone for that long brought out a lot of feelings that are still hitting me in waves. I broke down at Hawthorn Park (my last park Friday), on trails that have collected my tears on more than one occasion.
— I can always find solace and peace in nature. When I was crying at dusk last night, I looked up and the nearly full moon was suddenly shining down on me. And when I cried again, there it was through the darkness and trees, showing me I’d get through, like it’s done before. The moon knows when to give you its light, and light will always see you through the darkness if you let it.