Open to a shift

Do you ever have a day where it’s a slog?  You feel beat down or worn out.  Then, all of a sudden something changes to save the day and make it a positive one.

I had one of those days running to the top of Pikes Peak and back on the Barr Trail a couple weeks ago.  The way up was an absolute grind.  By mile 8 of 12 up the mountain, my legs did not want to climb anymore, and my mind told me it wanted nothing more than a nap.  At one point, I thought about reading a book where the character was going hypothermic.  Those around him kept trying to keep him awake because they knew if he went to sleep, he may not wake up.  My situation did not resemble that direness.  It did involve that hang in there and keep grinding mindset.

I summited and turned around.  The way down obviously felt easier than climbing, but the urge to stop and rest still crept in.  Then, all of a sudden I fell.  On a short uphill of all places during the return down the trail.  The fall scraped my knee and killed my momentum.  It also gave me a few seconds of rest and regroup before got up and simply started walking up the rest of that hill.  I started to run again after that.  The funny thing is that I started to feel better.  My 21st mile clocked in as my fastest.  I finished the run without cramping which is an achievement for me.  I left that fun feeling excited.  That would not have happened without enduring, refocusing, and being open to a shift.