Confidence: The Best Benefit of Running

We all know a ton about the health benefits that go along with running, but that's not what I want to talk about today. I'm thinking about those intangibles, the dividends that you can't measure with a Garmin or a scale. Stress relief, a sense of well-being, and that runner's high are some of the off road benefits that come to mind. And then there's self-confidence. Out of all the rewards running has given me, and there have been many, the boost to my confidence is probably the biggest and best.

I don't know why, but I grew up with very low self-esteem. As a young child, I was a leader and had no issues with confidence, but once I hit adolescence, my self-esteem went into the toilet. There is no single incident that comes to mind that triggered my loss of confidence. But it was like someone flipped a switch. Instead of being popular, I didn't fit in anymore. I was a late bloomer, awkward, and clueless about social skills. I wrote about this last year on the blog, so there's no need to recap it here. Just to show you how much better I feel about myself now, on that post, there's a picture of me at age 13 in all my awkward geekiness. You'll have to click on the link to see it, though. Posting it once was enough!

Moving on....

How does running help with self-confidence? 

I can do hard things. Pushing out of your comfort zone does not feel good. But knowing that you can push yourself hard--maybe even run a marathon--makes you feel mentally tough. Raising teenagers, seeing 27 patients in a day--those activities for me can be as mentally challenging as running a marathon. My ability to push myself on the road through those tough miles makes me confident that I can handle anything life throws my way.

Nothing builds self-esteem and self-confidence like accomplishment--Thomas Carlyle. Every run you complete, every finish line you cross gives you a sense of accomplishment. You don't quit on your training or a race, and that helps you persevere through a tough day, a stressful job, a life challenge. Even though you might want to quit. There's no glory in a DNF or a DNS. That applies off the road as well. You know the old saying...winners never quit and quitters never win....

Average people have wishes and hopes. Confident people have goals and plans. I read once somewhere that runners make good employees. We set goals, we follow a plan, and we meet those goals. As a long distance runner, you are most likely goal oriented and have the confidence that you have the ability to follow through on a plan. 

I can and I will. The sports medicine doctor that I work with says runners make the worst patients to treat because we are used to pushing through the pain, be it pathologic pain due to injury or the discomfort of running a tough race. While it's never wise to push through injury, that can-do attitude translates off the road to never taking no for an answer. Can't isn't a word in a runner's vocabulary. It's not in mine because my coach makes me do burpees when I use it.

Self-confidence is the best outfit. Rock it and own it. When you feel good about yourself, it shows. Confident people are attractive people. Would you rather talk to someone who holds their head high with their shoulders back or someone slumped over who won't make eye contact with you? I'm always amazed by the differences in the teenagers I see in the clinic. Some are quite charismatic. They look me in the eye when I talk to them and freely share their goals and dreams. Others won't look at me and mumble responses to my questions. These are the kids that break my heart. I want to take out them to the road and introduce them to the magic of running.

Yeah, running is hard. But can you think of any other activity that gives you so much more than physical benefits? I'm so grateful for what running has done for me. I'm a better person because I'm a runner.

On and off the road.

Has running helped your self-confidence? What intangible benefits have you gained from being a runner?

I'm linking up today with DebRuns. She hosts Wednesday Word and today's prompt was confident. Be sure to see what all the other bloggers have to say about this word.

Big Sur Marathon Training--Week 3

Last week's recap ended after that long run in the polar vortex. That brutal 12 miler on Sunday really wrecked me, and I was as sore the next day as I have ever been after a marathon! Anyways, I did a lot of foam rolling, and by Tuesday, was ready to hit the road again. Here's the recap of my week.

Monday: Scheduled rest day

Tuesday: I had a 6 miler on the plan. It was still pretty cold but the sun was shining and I wanted to catch the sunrise. These winter sunrises have been spectacular! This was not a bad run at all, and I even stopped to do a side plank. Because there's always time to strike a pose. 6.25m/8:50m/m

snowy side plank

Wednesday: It was sunny and 32 and I made the decision to take my speedwork to the road. My treadmill is not calibrated correctly, and my treadmill mile splits have been messing with my head. I know, mind over matter, right? But I really wanted to go outside. So I drove over to the retention pond with the 2 mile loop where I did all my speedwork training for my last 2 marathons. Unfortunately, the park district didn't plow the path from Tuesday's snow, and I didn't think it would be safe for me to run fast there. Disappointed, I headed back to my neighborhood, and made the decision to run on the streets around the big park where I take all those running selfies. I had mile splits x5 to do, and away I went. When I took off my hamstrings both gave me a little twinge, as if to say, hey, WTF do you think you are doing? But they cooperated, and even though the people who live on those streets probably thought I was a freaking lunatic, I got it done and then some. 6 loops around took me back to my car and what I saw on the Garmin astonished me: 8:04, 7:55, 8:02, 7:59, 7:53. You betcha. And now I have a new place to do my speedwork.

Boom! Don't mess with me! 

After that I went to yoga. The theme was twisting, and naturally, we did a lot of twisting poses. I was really stiff at first, but it was good medicine after running like I did. My instructor introduced a pose which was new to me. It's called Brigid's Cross. I could not find a picture of this one anywhere! I can only describe this pose like a reclined revolved triangle on the mat, a pose which is a challenge for me standing up! It was tough. I felt really good after class though. 

Thursday I rode an hour on the bike. I found an cycling interval video on YouTube made by CTXC. Their videos are pretty good, except that for the majority of this video I "rode" behind a guy in white shorts again. Ugh! He did have a black panel that was strategically placed, so I should be grateful for that, right? After I finished, I sat in hero's pose to stretch out my quads. Still feeling twisty from yesterday, I threw in a twist. I hoped to twist that image of the guy's white bike shorts out of my brain. Oh, and I also needed to loosen up for my workout with Becky. 

Twisted hero's pose

After that, I went to see Becky. This was a drop down week for me, meaning lower weights. But higher reps, naturally. I did cleans into front squats and deadlifts again. Then she put a resistance band around my waist and my knees and had me squat onto a bench while she pulled on the resistance band. Hello hamstrings!

Squats with resistance bands

Friday was another scheduled rest day.

Saturday was predicted to be sunny and warm! The winds, which were hurricane-like on Friday, were down to a gentle breeze. I was out early to get my run in before I had to go to work. It was 48 degrees and I caught a beautiful sunrise. I also caught some speed. Hello, old friend! I'm glad to have you back again. 5.52m/8:27m/m

This run made me so happy!

Sunday I had 8 miles on the plan. The weather conditions were so much better than last Sunday's--it was 37F, no wind, but overcast. I decided to run to the retention pond. I started out fairly quickly and tried to reign it in, but my legs wouldn't have it. My foot felt good, so I went with it. I finished up at my house with a huge smile on my face! This was a quick one! 8.42m/8:34m/m.

Mid-run triangle pose

Mantra for the week: "Trust the process".

No kidding.

Overall, I'm really pleased with the week and my progress. Although I'm not running Big Sur for time, I'm happy to know that I can still knock out some fast mile splits. I had a slow start to 2016, and I was worried that the inevitable slowing down with age was starting to happen. Not yet. Whew. 

I really have to credit my coach--I have to believe that all this hard work she makes me do is paying off once again on the road. I do trust the process because this has happened every damn time we do a strength cycle. Hard work pays off.

Now, if I could just get that PF to go away, things would be darned near perfect. Is that too much to ask? While it's not any better, it sure isn't any worse, and for that, I am grateful.

How was your week? Any successes or achievements? Is the weather getting more tolerable by you?

I want to welcome everyone from Kristen's Blog Hop! Today's my showcase day, and I'm excited to share my training log with you. This is what it's all about for me. Running is my metaphor for life. Work hard, dream big. And never ever give up.

I'm also linking up this post with Holly and Tricia for the Weekly Wrap! As always, they are the hostessses with the mostest! Check out what everyone else has been doing. 

Book Review: It Was Me All Along by Andie Mitchell

Andie Mitchell's story is like so many of ours...growing up in a dysfunctional home, an alcoholic father, an enabling mother. Those are the experiences that molded and shaped so many of us. Some kids come through a turbulent childhood relatively unscathed. Some kids develop behavior issues or turn to substance abuse. But Andie Mitchell chose solace in food. Even as a young girl, she was overweight. She experienced ridicule and had poor self-esteem. In her memoir, It Was Me All Along, Mitchell shares her tumultuous childhood and her journey to the realization that she needed to change her lifestyle.

The book starts out with an amazing description of cake. Not just any cake, but Sour Cream Fudge Cake. The description of this cake makes you realize how much more food was to her than just nutrition. Food was like a drug for her, just like alcohol was for her father.

"I can remember carving the first slice, taking the first forkful. The rush of whipped sugar speeding through my bloodstream. It felt like teetering on the ledge of the roof of a skyscraper, exhilarating and terrifying..."

And then she ate the whole thing.

"What begins as hating the cake for all its multiple layers of lucious temptation spirals quickly into hating myself and all my fat cells. I let myself down. I lament not having more control..." 

It was a turning point. After many failed attempts to lose weight, after deciding to accept herself as the "fat girl", Andie made the decision to save her life. And lost 138 pounds while doing it. She also learned more about herself. I particularly enjoyed her comparison of losing weight to running a race. A long slow race. A marathon, in fact...

"Because for once, I realized that weight loss wouldn't be like taking up jogging as a new hobby...it would be like running a marathon, where miles ten through twenty-six just purely, uncompromisingly suck." 

She picked the perfect metaphor. And as she says in the book, once she realized this, she knew that this was going to take "real strength". But she stuck with it, and hit her goal of 133 pounds. Amazing, right?

Not so much. As it turns out, losing the weight was the easy part. Learning to live as a thin person was a much bigger challenge. To me, this was the most interesting part of Andie's story.

I've had friends who lost weight told me they still saw themselves as "fat". This is what Andie describes in the book. She describes the mixed feelings she had about being thin and being praised for that as if she was less worthy when she was an overweight person. It was interesting to me, as a thin person, to read this perspective. Because I hate being called skinny. I don't find it to be complimentary, and it bothers me that people comment on my body. You'd never go up to an overweight person and say, "oh you're so fat!" Right? Andie experienced life on both sides, and learned that being thin was not all it was cracked up to be. Plus she feared gaining weight. She also missed the reckless abandon that comes with not caring about your weight.

The rest of the book chronicles her recovery from food addiction and learning how to eat healthily. I was really impressed with her journey. Andie's story really helped me understand why people who lose weight cannot keep the weight off. There is so much more to dieting than calorie restriction. Learning to love yourself, for one. The person you were before, and the person you've become. And as Andie says:

"....fat or thin, it was me all along."

Today Andie is a food writer and blogger. You can read her blog: Can You Stay for Dinner. She also has a cookbook coming out March 29 called Eating in the Middle: A Mostly Wholesome Cookbook.

Have you struggled with weight loss and learning how to live as a thin person? Do you eat to live or live to eat? How do you find a middle ground between eating for pleasure and eating for fuel? What recipe holds a special place in your heart or provokes a happy memory for you?

Here's the link up badge! You can find the link up at the end of the post. The link up stays live for 2 weeks, but the comments stay live forever! Don't forget to link back to this post, and please read and comment on the other reviews. Remember, sharing is caring! I'm so grateful to all of you who participate in the book club!

Next month we are reading what I've been told is an amazingly inspirational book! Find A Way by Diana Nyad is the story of her swim across the Florida Straits from Key West to Cuba. I cannot wait to pick this one up! The review and link up will be posted on the 3rd Friday of March (March 18). Let me know if you have any questions!

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Staying the Course: 10 tips to Get You Through a Tough Run

Did you watch the US Olympic Marathon Trials last weekend? It's always inspiring to watch elite athletes run to the finish of a marathon. This year was particularly grueling because of the heat. Shalane Flanagan collapsed at the finish line. You could tell that she was struggling. Yet she got herself across that finish line. What can we learn from Shalane and other elites about staying the course during a tough race? Or a tough training run?

I had plenty of time to think about this on Sunday's long run. Thus far I haven't had to dip into my mental toughness regimen as I begin marathon prep, but last Sunday was the day that I had to dig deep. Let me set the stage: starting temp was 16F and the wind was blowing at 10-15mph. My PF was barking at me from my run the day before. As I headed out, within a mile, my right shin tightened up. I'm certain that it's related to my hobbling as I run out that PF pain in my left foot. I could hear my right foot flapping on the ground, and a walker even turned around as I approached. Hello, it's just me, gimpy runner! Don't judge. I hoped knew it would get better.

I stopped twice to stretch out my shin. This is when I pulled out my first mantra of the run. I relied on a couple of mantras to get through this painfully cold run. What do you do to keep going when your brain is telling you no?

Never judge a run by the first mile. Or two. Or three. Or four. Yes, because that is how long it took for my shin to loosen up on this tough run. I knew it would, once my PF calmed down (running stretches out the plantar fascia) and I settled into my stride. At mile 4, my leg felt loose and I smiled to myself as I watched my splits improve. I just didn't think it would take so long.

Keep it loose. Since I was hurting so much at the beginning of this run, I found myself tightening up. Unconsciously, I was clenching my fists. There was no way I was going to finish this run if I was all tensed up. I kept remembering what my childhood piano teacher used to tell me. She reminded me to play the piano as if I had an egg in each hand. I use this mental exercise a lot when I'm running. I don't want to break the eggs, so I keep my hands loose. Try it.

Eye on the prize. I had to remind myself why this run was so important. I can't quit in the middle of the Big Sur Marathon! I also thought about Kristina, from Live Love Laugh Run, and how I don't want to disappoint her. We plan on running this race together, and I sure as heck am not going to quit on her! That thought kept me moving.

www.bsim.org

I don't HAVE to run. I GET to run. I'm so lucky that I get to do this, and I know it. Big Sur is a bucket list race for me, an adventure of a lifetime. As I ran, I also felt thankful that in spite of the brutal weather conditions, there was minimal snow on the ground, and that meant the forest preserve path was clear. I did most of my Chicago Marathon training on that path, and there's a lot of good juju on those trails.

Keep smiling. There were a few brave souls out there running and walking. The walkers were bundled up as if we were in the arctic circle. They all smiled at me and stiffly waved. Smiling really does lighten your step. I also smiled (but ran a little faster) because even though it was really cold, there were still a few cars backed into parking spots in the preserve. Of course, I'm not the Valentine these men are looking for.

I also saw this. Shoes hanging from a tree. Any ideas about how or why they are there?

Breathe in strength, breathe out weakness. At mile 10, as I was reflecting on how this was a solid training run, I got a side stitch. Seriously? Well, I wasn't going to stop to walk it off. It was just too cold to slow down. I reminded myself to inhale for 3 and exhale on the side opposite of the stitch. Repeat and repeat. After about a mile, it finally went away.

Prepare for the worst and hope for the best. These tough training runs are actually a good thing. They force me to deal with glitches and problems that are likely to come up during the marathon. I don't know about you but I don't like surprises and I certainly don't like surprises that are going to hold me back!

Head up, heart strong. I actually channeled my inner Shalane during this run. I pictured her slowing down at the end of her marathon yesterday, in obvious pain, yet never giving up. She never quit. Sure, she came in 3rd, but she's going to the freaking Olympics! I'm no Shalane Flanagan, but I'm a tough mother runner, and I can do this.

When you feel like quitting, remember why you started. I never believed that I couldn't do this run. But the conditions were so tough that I wanted to quit so many times. Yeah, it sucked. I really wanted to go home and get back under the covers. I won't lie. But then I'd glance down at my Garmin and see my pace, which made me smile. I actually picked up the pace on the back half of the run, because at that point I wasn't hurting. My legs felt great. That made me smile too.

There's pizza at home. I don't usually dial into thoughts about my post-run meal until the last mile or 2. But that's usually when I need the extra push to get home. My last mile of this run was my fastest, believe it or not. I was hungry. I was tired. I was cold. I couldn't feel my face. And I was ready to be done.

There's a lot of time to think on a long run. So make the most of it. Are you going to be negative and bring yourself down? Or are you going to make it positive? It isn't always easy to push through a tough run, but remember this: 

"Baseball is 99% mental." -Yogi Berra

What? Ok, running isn't baseball, but it's a great analogy. Do the work on the road and off. Keep your head in the game. Stay the course. You got this.

What do you tell yourself to stay focused and positive during a tough run? Any favorite mantras?

I'm linking up with DebRuns for Wednesday Word. Today's word is stability. What's your take on this word?

Big Sur Marathon Training--Week 2

Ok--it's February and it's supposed to be warming up, not the other way around! This week's Big Sur Marathon training was remarkable for the frigid temps that hit as the week wound down. It's really Murphy's Law--I had my longest training run to date planned for Sunday--and the polar vortex returned. But you know I don't let the weather stop me...

Monday I went to yoga. I have no pictures but trust me when I tell you that it was another amazing class. Monday's instructor has such a calm, quiet way about her, and I felt really good when I left.

Tuesday was a very early wake up call. I had a class at work, and had to be there by 7:45. There were 6 miles on the plan and I was out the door by 5. I haven't run in the dark for a very long time. To top it off, it was snowing. This was a slippery, slow run, but I felt great. 6.24m/9:14m/m

It was 5 am. It was snowing. What else was there to do?

Wednesday I had hill repeats on the plan. I planned to go to Payton's Hill to do these but Mother Nature had other ideas--even though it was sunny, there was a -10F windchill. Since this was really a focused workout, I didn't think I'd get much out of battling the wind, so I took my repeats to the treadmill. I did 1/4 mile hill sprints x 10 at some unknown incline (my old 'mill doesn't tell me that information) and for recovery, I walked backwards for about 1 1/2-2 minutes. Becky talked with me about this last week, and she wanted me to do these backwards intervals slow as I drive forward, engaging my quads. As it turns out, there are all kinds of benefits to walking backwards on the treadmill that have nothing to do with fitness. Like improving your balance. I almost fell off when I first started. But after a couple of intervals, I was snapping along with the music. In a couple of weeks, I'll be ready to dance on the 'mill like this guy:

After I finished, I went to yoga. We had a sub, and her class was a little different from what we were used to. But it was a good class, and she had a theme for us, which was connection. She referred back to that theme throughout the class. On the way home, I couldn't help myself. I had to stop and make a connection to the brilliant sunshine. Too bad it was so brutally cold!

A cold king dancer

Thursday started with a ride on the bike trainer. I had some issues with my Apple TV, YouTube, and the Wahoo Fitness app. I started to get frustrated because I couldn't get anything to work and I just wanted to ride. So that's what I did while I troubleshot everything. I finally got things working, and did an interval workout. I'm not sure where I rode, but the video I used was a good one. I'm pretty consistent, apparently because once again I rode for 1 hour total, 13.03 miles. 

Intervals complete

After my ride, I worked out with Becky. She continues to up my weights, and I did front squats and deadlifts. I'm not sure how heavy the deadlifts were this week, but they were heavy. I'm not yet maxed out but I have to be close. After I lifted, I did a circuit of evil wheel aka ab rollouts (my abs still hurt) and split squats with my back foot on a box and a barbell. That required a lot of hip stability, and it is something I need some work on. Sometimes these "easy" exercises she has me do are way tougher than the weight lifting. 

Strength.

Friday was a rest day. 

Saturday was another bitterly cold day. The night before when I looked at the forecast, I made plans to run inside. When I got up the sun was bright and I couldn't pass it up. How bad could it be? I put on my layers and my ninja face mask, and headed out into the cold. You know what? It wasn't as bad as it seemed. I'm so attuned to what I need to wear for different conditions and I was completely prepared. I started off a little stiff--I was still sore from Thursday, but this was my fastest run in weeks! Who knew? 5 miles/8:34m/m

Like a winter ninja. No snow.

Sunday I had 12 on the plan. The weather forecast was not at all favorable for a long run (16F and snow) but the alternative, the treadmill, was even less attractive. Since there was no snow when I started, I headed to the bike path. This run was mentally tough--the cold and the wind really tested my resolve. I also had shin splints and foot pain when I started out. But once I loosened up, I felt much better. I couldn't feel my face when I got home (and now that song is going through my head) but after a hot shower and lunch, I felt much better. This was a solid run, and really gave me the confidence I needed to move forward! 12 miles/9:02m/m

I can't feel my face....

Overall, another great week of training. For the most part, my foot is feeling better. It still hurts, but between the night splint and those heel raises, I've got it down to a dull roar. Some days it doesn't even bother me. I'm relaxing into my training and feeling very confident. One month to go until I leave for Florida and run the Sarasota Half Marathon. It's happening!

Happy Valentine's Day
Thanks to HoHoRuns for this fun image!

Have a great week!

How was your week? Any fun training stories to share?

I'm linking up with Holly and Tricia for their Weekly Wrap! 

Food for the Runner's Sole

February is a tough month for most of us. Let's face it, unless you live in California or Florida, by February, we've all had enough of winter. Of course, if you are running the LA Marathon this weekend, you might not be happy about the predicted 90 degree temps. So there's that. But for most of us, getting out for a run this time of year is challenging. I'm ready to ditch the layers. Sadly, here in the Midwest, we're hitting the coldest temperatures of the winter this week. How fair is that?

No one ever said life is fair. Mother Nature doesn't always play nice, does she?

I needed a little pick me up this week, and for today's post, I decided to focus on the things that are making me happy. A little sole food, if you will... (see what I did there...)

One thing I've noticed this week is that the days are noticeably longer. I woke up at 6 this morning and the sky was already light. That makes me happy. And what really makes me happy is a sunny day. We've had a lot of sunny days this winter, and that makes me happy, even though it is bitterly cold outside. Somehow, with the sun shining, it doesn't feel quite so cold. In fact, I was brave crazy enough to quickly do a yoga pose on my way home from class. Because, the sun.

It was 16 degrees. But the sun is shining!

Shopping for running clothes always makes me happy, and especially when they are on sale. Two of my favorite stores, Athleta and Title Nine have had sales lately. Yesterday morning I woke up to an email from Title Nine that everything in the sale section is an additional 30% off. And this morning, Athleta posts a 20% code (EXTRA20) for all their sale items. No running clothes for me, but a skirt I had been eyeballing for quite some time was at a decent price point. Nothing says lovin' like clicking on the "buy now" button.

Friends are awesome. Running friends are better. But running blogging friends are the best. I had lunch with Marcia today, and somehow we managed to kill two hours talking about what? I couldn't even tell you. Marcia thinks we should do a podcast. Can you even imagine? I love this lady, and what's great is she gets me. Still laughing...Did I tell you all we met through her blog? Isn't that just the best?

Matching thermoballs. #solesisters

I love to read. You all know I host a monthly book club on the blog (or maybe you didn't but you know now), and nothing makes me happier than reading books about running. Interestingly, the next two books I've chosen aren't about running! But both of them are very inspiring. Next Friday is the monthly link up--I hope you've read the book of the month, It Was Me All Along by Andie Mitchell. If you haven't, it isn't too late! This is a book about a young woman's struggle with her weight and body image. I'm working on my review, and I found it to be a very good read. Next month is Diana Nyad's autobiography, which I can't wait to read. Meanwhile, I'm reading The Lake House, and the main character runs! Gotta love that.

I do love winter comfort food. But after gorging on Super Bowl food, this week I was dying for something a little on the light side. Whole Foods had Atlantic cod on sale, and I found a fabulous recipe for Panko Crusted Cod with lemon dill sauce. And since it was broiled, it was healthy. Don't you think anything with panko is good? I love the crunch. I didn't take pictures, and I'm sorry about that. But it was sole food. And my runner's soul was happy.

Oh, I guess I have 6 things to be happy about! I was selected to be a Venus de Miles Ambassador this year! Do you know about this amazing organization? There's a bike ride--25 miles or 62 miles--or a 5k run/walk. The ride--it's not a race--is to support the Greenhouse Scholars. I did this event last year and it was an amazing experience. You can read all about it here.  I'll be sharing more about this wonderful event in weeks to come. I'm honored to support this organization. Today through February 15 take $14 off the registration fee using the code LONGWAY. I hope to ride with a lot of you!

What's making your runner's sole happy? What do you do to keep yourself motivated in the winter?

I'm linking up with the DC Trifecta--Courtney, Mar, and Cynthia-- for the Friday Five! This week's theme is food.

I'm also linking up with Angela at Happy Fit Mama for High Five Friday! So much positivity going on!

The Finish Line

As runners, we measure victory in finish lines and finish times. After all the preparation, all the blood, sweat, and tears, there is just no better feeling than crossing the finish line after a grueling training cycle. The race might be hard, but the finish line is the reward after all that hard work.

The marathon is often used as a metaphor for a difficult journey. Some people use the word marathon loosely to describe any kind of lengthy experience. Like a Netflix marathon. I don't know about you, but there's not a lot of challenge in sitting in front of the TV for hours on end. Unless you are watching Guy Fieri (my husband loves him). Or American Idol.

That's not what I'm talking about here.

What I'm talking about is crossing a finish line where you've overcome some kind of challenge. Maybe it was a difficult race. Or sending your youngest child off to college. Or a positive pregnancy test after a long battle with infertility. Graduating from school. There are all kinds of finish lines in life. Most of these finish lines have no winners. The prize is in the finish and a job well done. Triumphant, because you've overcome the training, the journey, the adversity--whatever it was--to get yourself to the finish. The most meaningful finish lines, as in the marathon, are the ones crossed after the most challenging journeys.

As a nurse practitioner, I am privileged to share in many of my patients' journeys. Because this is a running blog, I don't talk about that much here. But today, I want to share a story about a very special finish line.

Almost a year and a half ago, in the middle of a busy afternoon clinic schedule, I walked into an exam room to evaluate a 6 year old girl with abdominal pain. Abdominal pain is one of my least favorite complaints because more often that not, it is usually due to constipation. I usually see at least 2 kids per day with this problem. I know what you're thinking. Living the dream, right? What's better than talking about poop all day long?

But this visit was different. As I entered the room, I introduced myself to Jolie and her mom. I noticed that Jolie's abdomen was really distended. My instincts told me this was not good. Her mom told me Jolie had an ongoing problem with constipation. For once, I hoped that this was constipation. But I knew better. As I palpated her abdomen, I expected to feel an enlarged liver or spleen. Instead, I felt a large, hard mass across her lower abdomen. My heart sunk. I knew this was bad. While I didn't let her mom know how worried I was, I sent Jolie to the ER where she could have a CT scan.

Later, I learned that Jolie was diagnosed with a rare tumor called rhabdomyosarcoma. The prognosis was not good, and the treatment regimen harsh.

Pre-chemo: Zuly (my medical assistant), Jolie, and me

In spite of the ups and downs that go with cancer treatment, Jolie's parents projected so much positivity that you couldn't help but be caught up in it. She was diagnosed right before Halloween, and my medical assistant and I visited her in costume, only to find her parents dressed up as well. Jolie was dressed as a princess. Later, when Jolie's hair fell out, her dad let her shave his head in solidarity.

We wore Team Jolie bracelets. Jolie's mom started a Team Jolie facebook page and posted frequent updates and pictures.

Last week, Jolie crossed the finish line of her very grueling marathon. In fact, I'd compare it to an ultramarathon. After 16 months of chemo, radiation, and surgery, Jolie was declared cancer free.

courtesy of Brandy Kneip

I attended Jolie's end of chemo party. We were invited to celebrate this beautiful little girl, but more than that, her parents wanted to celebrate all the people who were part of this journey. It was so fitting for these wonderful parents who found joy all along this very difficult journey.

It was a triumphant day for Jolie and her family. Realistically, they know there is still a long road ahead of them. But for today, they celebrated Jolie's finish line.

So happy to be on the other side of this marathon!

When I asked Jolie's mom if I could share her story on my blog, I told her that my blog prompt this week was the word triumphant. I said I couldn't think of a more fitting story. Her response? "Do it!"

This one's for you, Jolie. Fighting the good fight. Inspiring all of us to stay the course. A marathon? Piece of cake.

If you want to follow Jolie's journey, you can join her Team Jolie Facebook Group. If you want to do something, Jolie's favorite charity is Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation. You can also donate to Advocate Children's Hospital Cancer Care Program.

Have you overcome a life challenge only to emerge triumphant? 

I'm linking up with DebRuns' weekly Wednesday Word blog prompt. Today's word is triumphant.