avenging angel workshops

Revelations

“Happiness is a form of courage.”

~Holbrook Jackson

"The Happy Person Inside"

As a ~~survivor of abuse~~ thriver, I have often tried to get in touch with “the happy person inside” me who was untouched by trauma. It started with the My Avenging Angel Workshops when we had various exercises to draw this happy person out. We did writing prompts and compiled letters to ourselves in the frame of that happier, unscarred person. At the time, it felt so strange to write to myself in such a loving and accepting manner. It was hard to love myself. It was hard to stand myself. I knew I was capable of being happier, more centered, and generally, more functional- I just didn’t know how to get there.

When I pictured my happy inner self, I would envision the photo above. I was so fearless as a child. I was vibrant. My mother always told me she needed to hold me back growing up because I was ready to take on the world. I lost that girl somewhere…

What I found instead was PTSD: anxiety, nightmares, hyper-vigilance, low self-esteem, and above all a NEGATIVE OUTLOOK on life. I hated feeling so negative, but it followed me everywhere. It stalked me. It was on my back. It kept me up at night. Every time I thought I eluded it, I’d find it creeping up somewhere. I couldn’t escape it. I didn’t know how to stop it. It was a terrible feedback loop. The more negative I felt, the more I hated myself for it, which only made me feel more negative about the whole situation. I was stuck in a cycle of beating myself up- overly concerned with how other people were perceiving and judging me. I was withdrawn. I didn’t want to spread my negativity, so I shut people out. I was trapped.

In retrospect, I think my negativity served a purpose. It was my armor. It kept people at arm’s length where they couldn’t hurt me. Being betrayed by people in my life who I had loved deeply and trusted had completely reframed my perception of the world. If they could hurt me, imagine what other people might do. I couldn’t handle any more hurt. I couldn’t handle anything, period. However, it way over-lasted it’s usefulness. It kept me from myself. I was surviving- just going through the motions of existing, exhausted at the thought of another day.

Today I realized a remarkable thing. I am no longer working toward getting in touch with the happy person inside. I AM that happy person. What a REVELATION to finally have arrived at the point I’ve been struggling to ge to for so long, and it took me until today to finally realize it. I don’t know how or when it happened, but I am here. I have made it through the muck and finally emerged on the other side as a smarter, stronger, and more self aware person. I have taken control of my life back. I feel so light, so refreshed, so OPTIMISTIC. I have so many great things going for me — volunteering with CT-ALIVE, the Archangels, my blog (thank you everyone for the kind words and positive feedback), my running, fundraising… I could go on and on.

I have no room for negativity in my life anymore. It’s not in my nature. I only have space for positive thoughts, so the negativity and I are breaking up for good. I am ending our two year relationship and not looking back. I’m not entertaining anymore negative thoughts. I’m not letting it crawl into bed with me anymore when I’m feeling tired and vulnerable. I’m not giving in to the temptation to blame my trouble on others.

The one person in life I have power to change is myself, and that is exactly what I am doing. I am reevaluating and renewing the relationships in my life with a more positive outlook. As a final act of closure, I left cards for my coworkers to thank them for all their support on my journey and to apologize for being distant and not myself for so long. I wanted to make a commitment to them and myself to work on more positive relationships with them- the kind that involve actually opening up and showing myself. Plus, I really wanted to acknowledge all the support I had received from each of them. I feel like now that it is all in writing- it’s official. I have let go of any negativity still lingering in the past and stepped forward into a brighter future. Who knows where this road will take me, but one thing is for sure- there are good things in store!

I spent so long not knowing what to do with all that negativity. I couldn’t find a way to stuff it down or shove it out of my life. Today I finally found the solution- I faced it head on and threw it out the window. 🙂

Once again, thank you for reading! Comments and feedback are always welcome and appreciated. Questions can be directed to runningthriver@gmail.com.

Reflections

“Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family:

Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one.”

-Jane Howard

(Quote on my Archangels workshop folder)

“Day 3 of the Thriver Retreat and I am drained. I had nightmares overnight and didn’t get much sleep. I am still missing my natural rhythm of running in the morning and have had difficulty shaking off lingering negativity. I should have run this morning , but it’s too late to beat myself up over it. I do anyway. I feel guilty for not being more upbeat. I don’t want to drag down the rest of the group. I need to stop doing this. I need to allow myself to feel off at times. ”

Above is my journal entry from this morning.

I spent this weekend at an Archangel Thriver Retreat at the Guest House in lovely Chester, CT. It was both an energizing and exhausting experience. That is part of the reason my blog posts have been delayed and are now coming in a flood.

Naturally being an introvert, I find spending time in groups extremely tiring. I can’t even handle long periods with my own family without getting worn out. I need alone time to recharge. Don’t get me wrong. I truly enjoy other people’s company. I want to feel connected like every other person, but this was a little too much of a good thing. By the end of Day 2 I was over-extended and overwhelmed.

The lack of sleep that night only added to my fatigue. By the morning of Day 3 I felt like I had nothing left to give. I was drained. Breakfast was a bit a of a solemn affair. I could see the exhaustion I was feeling written on the faces of some of the other women. This made me feel a little better, a reminder that sometimes being off is normal and not a lingering remnant of abuse. We looked like we had been to battle- in many ways we had. The retreat had pushed each of us outside our comfort zone and forced us to confront our inner critics. Survivors of abuse have particularly loud inner critics (many times taking on the voices and comments of the past abusers). It’s a constant struggle to keep them quiet. It was clear the fight had worn on many of us.

The morning began by “opening the circle”, a chance for the group to meditate, offer prayer, share energy, and our thoughts of what we were grateful for. There were many apologies mixed in. Apparently many more people were experiencing low energy than I had realized. I was clearly not alone. Even Susan was not herself. Sharing this knowledge helped us try to shake off the negativity and embrace the day. Our theme of the retreat was “Fireworks”, inspired by Katie Perry’s hit song. It was the first time I had actually read the lyrics. They seemed so appropriate.

We let our colors burst by writing letters to ourselves from 6 months in the future. We were supposed to envision all we’d have accomplished by then. It was so wonderful to hear everyone’s positive vision of the next 6 months! I was the last to read mine to the group. I started strong but started to tear up (as usual). I congratulated myself on finishing my first half and full marathon despite doubting that I could do it, for fundraising for charity, for having a successful blog that was reaching and inspiring other women and spreading the word about domestic abuse, for using my desire to help and heal others to overcome insecurities and my inner critic, for accepting myself and others, for no longer keeping people at arms length, for letting go of the lingering notion that I “make everyone around [me] miserable” (something that still haunts me from my abuse), and for finding volunteer work that was meaningful to me. It was a tall order, but I’ve always been one to aim high.

I also gave myself the task of organizing a road race as a fundraiser for CT-ALIVE. It will be my first attempt at organizing any event, period. I don’t know anything about how to host a road race, but I will very shortly! It gave me a pit in my stomach on the ride home, and then I reminded myself that 1) I won’t be doing it alone, 2) even if I fail or it doesn’t work these women will support me and encourage me to keep trying, and 3) it will be COMPLETELY AMAZING if we actually pull it off! After all, my goal is to help other victims and speak out, and this will be a terrific opportunity to not only spread the word about domestic abuse, but also about THRIVING.

As worn and exhausted as I returned home today, I was equally inspired! I LOVE these women. I have never experienced such unconditional support and understanding from a group, many of whom are practically strangers. It is such a profoundly incredible feeling to belong to such an empowered and optimistic network of women.

Here is another terrific music video that one of the beautiful ladies at the retreat shared: “I Love Me Better Than That” by Shirley Murdock

What is a Thriver?

“Sisterhood is many things. It’s a warm smile on a cold and rainy day, a friendly hug, a cheerful hello… It’s all that a good and lasting friendship is, only better. It’s treasured. It’s sacred. It’s knowing that there will always be someone there for you. It’s dreams shared, and goals achieved. It’s counting on others and being counted on. It is real.”

This post dedicated to all my Archangel Sisters. I love each and every one of you!

This morning I was charged with the task of defining what “thriver” means to me. I compiled a list of the first words that came to mind: self knowing, embracing life, living to the fullest, empowered, open, secure, unbroken, girl power, liberated, and vibrant. It was a good start. However, truly grasping the essence of thriving is not something that can be broken down and explained on paper. It’s something that needs to be felt.

The most wonderful thing happens when you attend the My Avenging Angel Workshops and follow-up sessions. You become part of a sisterhood: a loving, accepting, flaw embracing community of women committed to improving not only their own lives, but also the lives of others. That is where the thriver energy emanates. It comes from each and every woman.

The Angels are a diverse group- coming in every shape, size, age, color, and religion- a reminder that domestic violence does not discriminate. Yet, we do not dwell on our past. Instead, we celebrate the beauty of our differences and bond over a common experience. Surprisingly, it’s not the trauma or past suffering that brings us together. It is the desire to bring about change- in ourselves and in the world that binds us. Together, we see a future filled with limitless possibilities. In each of us there is hope, faith, and the courage to embark on a journey to a more fruitful and fulfilling life. We give each other strength. Our ties cross town and state lines across this country. We are feminism at its best- an abuser’s worst nightmare! Are motto: “Living well is the best revenge”.

Being a thriver is more than becoming a self-aware, self-loving individual. It is about belonging and becoming part of a community. The community is necessary to impact other lives. It’s the sense of sisterhood that helps to empower us. I could not imagine what a difficult journey it would be, or it even being possible to thrive without a strong support network. No one individual is self-sufficient enough not to need a shoulder to cry or lean on during hard times. A house is only as good as the foundation it is built upon, and the individual is no different. You are only as solid as your base. In this respect I have been very lucky (not only to have the Angels, but also the unconditional love of my amazing family, friends, and boyfriend who always back me 100% – equally in success and failure).

I am so grateful to belong to such an awe-inspiring group of women. Each is a blessing in a my life, a window to the possibilities of how the future could be. I am fortunate to not only have such a tremendous family (both by blood and bond), but to be part of one. Knowing that I play a role helping and healing others is more healing and empowering than anything I could achieve on my own.

If you reside in or near Connecticut and are interested in moving beyond survivor to thriver please visit Susan Omilian’s website for more information on the FREE My Avenging Angels Workshops. You can also email me at runningthriver@gmail.com.

If you do not live near Connecticut and are still interested in joining the Thriver community, check out the Thriver Workbook. In it you will find many of the exercises Susan uses in her workshops. You can also check out The Thriverzone.

As always, thank you for reading! Please feel free to share any of the information here if you know someone who can benefit from it (just give credit back to the site please 🙂 ) Comments and feedback are always welcome and appreciated. Good luck in your Thriver Journey!!!

First day on new legs…

“Man imposes his own limitations, don’t set any”

-Anthony Bailey

I have finally begun my (not so triumphant) return to trail running!

I may have been pushing it, but the combination of rest due to nagging IT band syndrome and my subsequent viral invasion had left me home bound and stir crazy. At the first sign of being able to stand upright and marginally breathe through my nose I was out the door. I needed to run.

I brought Penny along to ensure I took it easy and give her some much needed exercise and attention. We did an easy couple miles with a few good hills. Penny disappeared frequently into the nearby streams before finally rolling in a particularly large, muddy puddle. She instantly turned from yellow lab to chocolate. She was delighted with herself. I couldn’t help but laugh. It’s a good thing I’ve gotten past keeping my car meticulously clean!

The trails were particularly wet and buggy from all the rain earlier in the week. There was evidence of recent flooding with fine silt covering the leaves of the low lying shrubs. The pavement and large concrete blocks had been upheaved and oddly twisted out of place. There were branches and leaves scattered that had fallen prematurely, likely from some violent wind storm. The whole scene had changed dramatically from my previous run there just a few weeks earlier, a reminder that nature is always changing and evolving. The bugs, however, were the same- a reliable drawback of trail running. They swarm so closely that I have frequently inhaled and swallowed them accidentally. I wonder if it is still bad karma to kill bugs even if it isn’t on purpose…

Overall, my trail performance was not stellar. However, I made it out and I enjoyed it. More importantly, I didn’t aggravate my IT bands- a promising sign. 🙂

Running for the Color Purple

“Being good is commendable, but only when it is combined with doing good is it useful.”

– Unknown

Hello Everyone!

I am officially launching my Running for the Color Purple Campaign. I will be running in the upcoming Half Diva Marathon in Long Island Oct. 2, followed by the Hartford Marathon Oct. 15 in an effort to raise money for CT-ALIVE (CT Alliance of Victims of Violence and their Families). October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, so the timing could not be better for both raising funds and awareness.

Some startling statistics:

One in four women in this country has or will experience domestic abuse in her lifetime.
Approximately 1.3 million women are physically assaulted by an intimate partner annually in the US
Approximately one in five female high school students reports being physically and/or sexually abused by a dating partner.
On average, more than three women are murdered by their intimate partners in this country every day.
Only one third of injured female rape and physical assault victims recieve medical treatment
Women of all races are about equally vulnerable to violence by an intimate partner.
Intimate partner violence affects people regardless of income.
Nearly three out of four (74%) of Americans personally know someone who is or has been a victim of domestic violence.
Forty percent of girls age 14 to 17 report knowing someone their age who has been hit or beaten by a boyfriend.
Studies suggest that between 3.3 – 10 million children witness some form of domestic violence annually.

As a survivor of domestic violence, this cause is very important to me. Domestic Violence affects not just the individual, but also the family and community of the victims. It’s time to let go of the stigma associated with abuse and start talking about it. Education and awareness are crucial. Please show your support and DONATE!

Be the Change you want to See…

“Be the change that you want to see in the
world.”
Mohandas Gandhi

Reclaiming my life after abuse has been both the most difficult and rewarding experience of my life. Last night I took a huge step toward becoming the positive change I want to see in the world. I was officially voted onto the board for CT-ALIVE, and even graduating with a degree from Yale does not compare in the sense of accomplishment. I have come such a long way on this journey!

From the time I first left my abusive relationship, I have wanted to get involved and give back to other women. Participating in Susan Omilian’s “My Avenging Angels Workshops” has only served to intensify this desire. The women in her follow up group are all amazing, strong, and beautiful people (both inside and out). They have so much to offer, and I wanted to be like them. So many of them had gone on to obtain degrees in social work and counseling in order to help other victims. Several work in healing and advocating for victims of violence. There is an amazing energy in the room whenever they are together. It’s palpable.

It was at one of the follow sessions that I got the idea to use my passion for running to help raise money and awareness for victims of violence. I told Susan how I could use the races I was running to raise money for her scholarship fund and sent an email to CT-ALIVE to ask for their blessing (without realizing that I already knew many of the members of the board). Susan replied back on both accounts with great enthusiasm and even extended an invitation to join the board. I was honored. Then she asked me for my résumé, and my heart sank a little. I had never volunteered on a board, or even for any organization focused on domestic abuse. My entire resume had to do with medical work. I sent it to her and attached the following cover letter:

Dear Members of the Board:

My name is Jenny W; and as you can see from my résumé, I am currently employed as a physician assistant in general surgery.

I have never functioned as part of a board, and have limited experience working with victims of violence. However, I do have experience at being a victim of violence and speaking out against it. I have always been a compassionate person, but surviving abuse and living with the daily struggles of PTSD has given me the ability to empathize with other victims. It is important to me to let them know they are not alone and there is no reason to be ashamed.

I have recently started a blog titled “The Running Thriver” to raise awareness about domestic violence and provide resources and hope to other victims. I am also planning to use my passion for running to raise money and awareness for victims of domestic abuse.

What I lack in experience I can more than make up for in sheer drive, determination, passion, and enthusiasm. As someone with the strength and resources to speak out and advocate for others, I feel it is my duty to do so to the best of my ability. Violence and abuse destroy lives. I want to be a force in this world against them.

Sincerely,

Jenny W. PA-C, MMs

As I typed the letter, I had a slight sense of dread that I would show up at the board meeting and not be voted in. I was unsure of how they would react to my lack of experience. I didn’t know what to expect. I should have know better.

Stepping into the meeting was like walking into a bubble of positive energy. In addition to the many delicious snacks, the room was filled with enthusiasm and ideas. They were eager to hear what I had to say, which I found very humbling. It was like being in a room full of giants. They have all accomplished such great things, and here I was just starting out. (Check out my Blog Roll for further info on their individual projects) However, everyone was extremely gracious and made me feel completely welcome as part of their group. I felt like I was part of a terrific think tank with a single mission to reach victims of domestic violence and improve their lives. It was completing energizing, a feeling that I typically only associate with working out.

As horrible a situation as going through the abuse was, it would be difficult for me to say that no good has come from it. After all, it’s given me a tremendous opportunity to meet some incredibly amazing women and find volunteer work that I am truly passionate about. I also have a new found appreciation for exactly how much inner strength I possess. People who are never challenged in life miss out on ever realizing their full potential. I, on-the-other-hand, have had the privilege of finding out exactly what I am made of; and that is something I don’t regret at all. It has made me a stronger, more self-aware person, and (among other things) a better runner.

I would encourage everyone to visit the new and improved website for CT-ALIVE and read more about the work they do. They are making a terrific impact on women’s lives and provide their services free of charge. Please consider donating to help support their ongoing work. If you know anyone who you think may benefit from reading this blog, feel free to share. Also if you have any questions or comments you can either leave them here or email me at runningthriver@gmail.com.

Victories and Setbacks

“I assess the power of a will by how much resistance, pain,
torture it endures and knows how to turn to its advantage. “
Friedrich Nietzsche

Life is composed of victories and setbacks. Great victories are always eventually followed by setbacks, and setbacks by victories. It’s all a cycle. That’s just the way of things. Keeping this in mind helps me maintain perspective. When I’m doing well, I do my best to enjoy it knowing it won’t last; and when things get rough, I remind myself that it will pass.

In terms of my life and ongoing struggle with daily existence after trauma, I’d say I’m on the victory side of things. However, running has fallen into the setback zone. My entire life I have been plagued by knee problems. As long as I’ve been walking, my knees have popped out of place. The pain and other joint issues associated with this have always limited my running. When I started using the Vibram Five Fingers (don’t ask me why it’s “fingers” and not toes), I noticed a dramatic improvement in my joint pain. Basically, I didn’t have any. I was hurting all right, but it was all muscular. Everything was going fine and dandy until last week when, deluded with my new sense of limitless, I decided to up my mileage by a full hour instead of 30 minutes.

That is how I became rudely reacquainted with the nagging pain of IT band syndrome. It’s a running overuse injury that I am all too familiar with. Initially, I was not aware of its reemergance due to the new location of the pain. However, when it got to the point that even gently brushing anything against my tibial tubercle (the bony knob just under your knee) caused me to jump in agony, I decided to do a google search on “lateral knee pain” and then “pain, tibial tubercle”. What I found was my familiar nemesis IT band syndrome. Apparently, if you continue to run when your IT band is irritated, you develop terrible point tenderness –you guessed it– at your tibial tubercle. So after patting myself on the back for pushing IT band syndrome to new personal heights, I looked up the treatment: six weeks of rest and stretching. This was not an acceptable option. Six weeks of “rest” would have me in the loony bin. I needed to exercise for my sanity sake! More reading.. there was also a mention of strengthening weak muscle groups- this seemed more palatable.

At the moment, I am trying very hard to limit my running. I have been spending quality time with the stair climber and doing general conditioning/strength training. There was a moment or two that doubted I would be able to run the marathon in Oct., or ever. Of course, then I came back to my senses and realized I would never allow myself to quit. Plus, if I tried, my best friend Randi would assuredly put me back in line.

Everyone needs a good friend to hold a mirror up when you need it, tell you what you need to hear (even when you don’t want to hear it), and hold you accountable. Randi has been my best friend since high school; and while I have many incredible, amazing friends who I cherish, Randi is the one I can count on to do all these things. I, through coercion, begging, and even a little arm twisting, have convinced her to do the Diva Half Marathon with me. I have been “encouraging” her to do the Hartford Marathon with me as well. Every time she comes up with an excuse or says she’d never be able to run that far- I assure her that I’m convinced she can. When her motivation starts to wane or she gets discouraged by running injuries, I do my best to encourage her (like buying her cool running gear and books for her birthday).

I have to finish that marathon, IT band syndrome or not! I need to prove to myself I can do it. Plus, I want to show Randi that she can do it. After all, she is the athletic one! I would not only be letting myself down if I quit, but also my best friend. There’s just no way that’s going to happen.

In the meantime, I’ll be training for the NorCal Tough Mudder next month. On this afternoon’s agenda, time at the gym with my very own personal trainer (my boyfriend Adam- the seasoned marathon runner and Tough Mudder alum)

Another night, another nightmare

“Life is not about how fast you run or how high you climb but how well you bounce.”

~Vivian Komori

Last night I dreamt I was in my ex-husband’s house. Even though we were no longer together, I was visiting for some reason. He had a bunch of company in the living room. including some of his brothers. I was tired from having worked late and excused myself to go to bed. When I left, the rest of his guests decided it was getting late and left to go home. Enraged by the notion that I caused all his friends and family to leave early, my ex came after me upstairs and attacked me. He wrapped his hands around my neck and squeezed for all he was worth. I could feel myself being suffocated, gasping for air with no relief. Then out of no where, Adam (my boyfriend) came in and stopped him. I can’t remember much of what happened after that because I woke up.

That is just one example of the many nightmares that have kept me up at night over the past two weeks. They typically come in cycles, but this one has been particularly long. They don’t always feature my ex, and they are nowhere near as bad as the night terrors I had while I was with him. However, they are bad enough to wake me up all night and leave me exhausted during the day. On the bright side, this was the first nightmare I ever had someone come rescue me in, so maybe I’m making some progress.

Sometimes I wish I had a system reset button I could hit when this stuff happens, but instead I’ve come up with other methods (through trial and error) of dealing with it. The hardest one if trying not to focus on or stress about the sleep deprivation because the more I fixate on it, then worse it seems to get. Another trick I use is completely wearing myself out. If I go through a particularly tough workout, many times that’s enough to work out the excess anxious energy. Plus, it’s usually a great self-esteem boost! I also try not to eat, watch TV, or use the computer right before bed (typical sleep hygiene stuff). However, recently none of this has been particularly effective.

One thing that has changed dramatically over the past year is how much better I can deal with this situation now. I can acknowledge that it sucks, but it doesn’t send me spiraling backward with frustration and despair like it used to. I can reassure myself that it will be temporary, and I only need to work “X” more days until I have another one off to attempt to catch up on sleep. I am also more aware of my negative thinking, and the fact that it is just that. It doesn’t make me a negative person, it’s just a sign that I’m fatigued or processing more than usual. I am finally getting the point where I can cut myself some slack, and that is a MONUMENTAL step for me.

So, although I am currently being plagued by nightmares and had an absolutely terrible day of being run into the ground at work, I give this day an A+. My reasoning: it sucked...A LOT, but I made it through and held it together. I didn’t get down on myself, cry, or allow myself to become completely overwhelmed. Six months ago this day would have broke me, but today I made it through exhausted and smiling.

In other related news, I managed to drag Adam with me to the gym yesterday and conquered another 15 minutes on the stair master- and we did push ups (and by “we” I mean I and he critiqued)… It was terrible and wonderful all at the same time. 🙂

Fatigue- My Enemy

“When we are tired, we are attacked by ideas we conquered long ago”

Friedrich Nietzsche

Nothing makes me feel more stuck in a rut than coming up a against a week without restful sleep. Even when I am really making progress at life, all it takes is a few nights of nightmares for my “inner critic” to go crazy. Fatigue makes me vulnerable, and it is always a reality check as to just how much work I have left to do and my road to a “normal” existence. The truth is that every day I am waging war with myself. Like the cartoon characters with a little angel and devil on each shoulder, I carry an ongoing argument in my head with my negative inner critic. On good days, I can tune out these thoughts (generally along the lines of feeling like an isolated, negative, unlikable, damaged, worthless person). However, a few nights of sleep deprivation sends me into a tailspin of self-deprecation.

In my life before abuse, I didn’t stress over much because I had absolute faith that things would always be okay and I would always land on me feet. It was a rosy view of things, but every problem I ever faced had always worked itself out without too much fallout. I figured that if I was a good person and treated other people with kindness, generosity, and respect that I would – in the grand Karma scheme of things- receive the same in return.

Over five years of psychological, emotional, and ultimately physical abuse (not only on the part of my ex-husband, but also his family- whom I loved as my own) shattered my view of that reality. It was a gut-wrenching, devastating, and absolutely heart breaking experience. There are not words to describe the sensation of betrayal. A group of people who professed to love and care deeply about me had used me. I had shown them nothing but love, kindness, compassion, and generosity; and in return I was greeting with back stabbing, lies, cruelty, and manipulation. I didn’t deserve it, and I didn’t understand how any person could be capable of treating another that way.

As much as I want to regain my rosy-colored perspective of the world again, I have found it tremendously difficult. The whole situation wreaked havoc on me both emotionally and physically. The thought of ever being in that place again (of feeling completely unstable) still gives me anxiety and nightmares. It literally keeps me up at night. Not every night, but frequently when I’m over tired or run down.

I don’t ever get upset about any of the belongs I lost in my escape from my abuser; however, I am at times resentful that a man came into my life and took my view of the world as a safe place from me. It is the ONLY thing that I miss from before. It wasn’t his to take, and I want it back. I want my sense of security back. I want to stop keeping people at arm’s length to avoid getting burned again. I want to believe that because I am a good person, good things will happen to me.

I am getting there, but it is a process, a LONG process. That is why every time I get into a bad sleep cycle and the negative thinking creeps in I feel like it’s no progress. One thing I have regained for certain,though, is my determination (running has been crucial in rebuilding both my determination and self-esteem), and I am determined to let go of worrying and focus on the positive change I want to be in the world. 🙂 I am also determined to get some sleep tonight!

Goal for tomorrow- short leisurely run with Penny, and maybe some gym time.

“I am woman! I am invincible! I am pooped!”

~Author Unknown

The amazing view on my run today.

Today I continued my quest toward running a full marathon! I figured it would be a good day for a long run because I have not run much this week and will be working the next two days without a lot of other opportunity to get mileage in. Earlier this week I had attempted a light, fast paced run; but my body was not cooperating, and I ended up at the gym instead. I was a little disappointed, but got some solace in the fact that I survived 15-whole-minutes on the stair climber- which I hate more even more than push ups (and that is saying a lot!).

None-the-less, I wanted to make up for my less than par workout and gain some ground. I got up early and straightened up the house a little before setting out. It was still cool and looked like it was shaping up to be a beautiful day. I headed over to the Bridle Trail, a relatively flat, gravel path not far from my house. I had not been there in several months, and thought it would be a nice change in scenery. The trail runs through the woods, so it stays well shaded and keeps the temperature significantly cooler than running on the road. I was actually a little chilly when I started, but quickly warmed up as I settled into my pace. I chose my beat up asics over my vibrams because I don’t like running over gravel (or pavement) in toe shoes.

Not long into my run, I was greeted by another runner with a happily meandering chocolate lab in toe. His companion lagged behind him enough to keep me company for a while before he wandered off again with his owner. I made a mental note to start bringing my lab, Penny, out on more of my short runs. (I used to run with her regularly; however, now that she is getting older, her endurance is not what it used to be. )

I had set the timer on my phone (which I use as an ipod) to alarm after an hour and forty-five minutes figuring I would just turn around and run back. I hoped to be able to cover at least 15 miles in that amount of time. For most of the way out I felt terrific. I soaked in the beautiful views and wondered why anyone would run on the road when they could have a much more peaceful and splendid backdrop. I was so absorbed in my surroundings that it felt like no effort at all, and I started to think that running a marathon would not be that difficult. I frequently joke to Adam that “running on a flat surface is easy. I could run forever it’s flat.”

I was just beginning to believe my jest was true when I brushed my hand across my leg and realized I couldn’t feel it. In fact, I could not feel anything from the small of my back down. I wondered if this was what an epidural felt like. Like any other endurance athlete (and I use that term loosely), I figured that if I ignored it long enough, it would just go away. Besides, I wasn’t having any pain. I tuned it out and kept going, but it didn’t go away. Instead, it got worse. Then my back and legs started to hurt. I looked at the time. I had only been running an hour! This was disheartening. I wondered if my asics were a bad choice. Yet, I kept running because it was not just about the mileage- it was about training my body to keep going when it didn’t want to. I knew I would have to get used to this feeling if I was going to get through over 26 miles.

By the time I was ready to turn around and head back, it was becoming increasingly more difficult to move my legs. I was afraid to stop and walk, convinced that I would not be able to get my body to run again. I began to doubt my ability to complete this task, and kicked myself for adding an additional 15 minutes each way. At times, I was distracted by butterflies and bright yellow birds who seemed to follow me along with curiosity. There were also a wide variety of wild flowers in white, purple, and yellows abutting the tree line. I tried to concentrate on the scenery: a lovely pond, tall fields, small cottages. However, my legs were aching and numb. I didn’t think it was right that they could be both at the same time. I kept plodding and hoping the time would go by quickly.

When I finally reached a stretch of the trail I remembered from early in my run I was elated- only to be crushed again by the long stretch before the next familiar site. I thought it was funny how quickly I went from feeling like I could run forever to feeling like I had been running forever. I dreaded the idea of doing this for over 5 hours and began to question why I ever thought it would be a good idea. Maybe I was capable of running 10 or 15 K thanks to my vibrams, but this was starting to seem insane.

Then, before I knew it, I was back at the 2 mile mark. I remembered how I used to struggle to run from my car to this spot and back when I was first breaking in my toe shoes. Now it seemed like such a small distance! Over and over in my head I chanted “TWO MORE MILES, JUST TWO MORE MILES!!!!” I kept pushing; my body kept trying to quit. I wanted to finish running, not walking. I continued to drag myself until the sites became more familiar; and, finally, I knew I was almost there. I dragged myself all the way back to the car, and a funny thing happened. I didn’t die. I didn’t fall over. I didn’t even throw up! Instead I drove myself home and tried to stretch- until my lap was filled with a very happy lab and bulldog.