just call me grace

oh my goodness ya'll

i've been running for about 6 years now

in my whole entire running career i have never

ever

fallen.

i'm a very clumsy person as well, yet i've managed to stay on my feet through countless races, and many many weeks of training for half marathons.

sure, i've tripped, stubbed my toe on rocks, and even rolled my ankle once - but managed to stay upright.

until last night.

my five mile "long run" for this past weekend got pushed to my rest day yesterday.

i was dreading 5 miles for some reason.  i had been running 3, but with breaks - the heat was just so intense i had been needing a thirty second break every 3-5 minutes.

i waited until yesterday evening, the heat had lifted, and i dare say it felt pretty nice outside!

i took off, still dreading finishing 5 miles.  i told myself i would get to the 3 mile point without stopping in order to better prepare my legs for no breaks.  (it's not that i'm against walking during running, i love it, but in reality, i have some 7,9, and 10 mile runs coming up in the following weeks and my body needs to know what it feels like to go further without stopping to better prepare for longer distances)

i was feeling confident and strong after a mile, i wasn't sweating buckets, my ipod was on point with song selection - so i was ready to go!

there were so many people out enjoying the weather - i had to have passed 15-20 people outside in the neighborhood.

3 miles came and went, and i said "i don't need no stinkin break!" and forged ahead.

i was coming up on 3.63 miles.  less than a mile and a half and i'd be back at my house for some water.

i was running on the sidewalk mentally picking apart a house.

the hedges were overgrown.

the grass was nothing but weeds.

there was nary a flower in a pot.

did anyone even live here?  i could see a table in the window.

no for sale sign in sight.

coming up on the driveway i saw an SUV with someone's local business decal-ed on the back.

hmm, great way to advertise your business in your cruddy yard i thought. 

all these homes are so nice, why would they let their neighbor's get so bad, i pondered.

when SMACK!  i went down.

i had tripped over the uneven sidewalk.

it was like the house could hear my thoughts and the sidewalk raised up in a fury.

"take that, meanie!" they said.

i was on the sidewalk.  my eyes had closed at some point.

i wasn't in pain, i rolled over on my back in the grass.

i looked at my palms.  my knees.  all of which had broken my fall.

my palms had some gravel in them, but the skin was still in tact.

i was running in capri tights - no holes!

i laughed.

i sat up and looked around - almost waiting for someone to ask if i needed help

at the very least some kids laughing at me.

not a person in sight.

where did all those people i passed earlier go?

i stood up.  brushed myself off

and then panicked.

my ipod!

it was still fine.  no scratches either.

i put my earbuds in, still laughing to myself.

michael jackson's "don't stop til ya get enough" came on, and i guess it was somewhat of an omen.

so i finished the last 1.4 miles.

still in shock that i actually fell.  face first.

and not a scratch, cut, scrape, tear, blood drop, to show for it.

lesson learned.

don't mentally bash houses.