Beijing inspiration!!

Before I start on what I was really going to blog about today...I have to say that my dear friend Cathy is too funny. She shows up at my house on Friday evening and says..."I wanted to be waiting for you at the bench when you went running tonight, but I was afraid I'd be waiting for a long time. I don't know what time you were going." I just about cracked up!! She had read my previous blog. If I had gotten around the corner and close enough to see her sitting on that bench waiting for me...I think I might would have wet my pants!! (sorry if that's TMI)

Anyways, she did want to go running and she was really a good sport. She has never run more than 2 miles...well Friday night she ran at least 3...probably closer to 3.5 miles!! Yahoo Cathy!! I had to push her some...but only to help her realize that she can go farther than she thinks!!

Then on Saturday night my phone rings...another dear friend, Erika, was wanting to run! I really had to go 6-7 miles that night, so we agreed to meet each other at "the bench" and we ran my first 2 miles together!! I waved her on and finished my run...it was great too by the way! She's really doing well!!

I was thrilled that at mile 6, I felt great...felt that I could at least go another 2...but decided to not push my luck. I hadn't had much sleep (sick baby) and know this is a sure way to get injured! So I stopped at 6 miles and called it a night! Funny enough...I feel asleep within 5 minutes of hitting my pillow!! I haven't done that in weeks!! As far as the sleep problem, aka insomnia, I think it's fixed!! I don't think my body was handling the "too busy to run" situation. You would think with 4 kids I would be exhausted...I am...but more mentally than physically. I have gotten used to running longer distances and my body needs to be just flat worn out! Apparently, I need that to sleep well!!

Ok, so my real post??
Beijing 2008!!
I love the Olympics. I love sports. I love the competition. I love the stories. I love the excitement and I love the tears!! Can you watch the Olympics and not cry?? Some of triumph, some of sadness. Can you see the stories of these young kids and the determination that they have...giving up what normal kids have, and not be moved?? Things like friends, a life, school, etc. What teenager doesn't want friends?? Did you see one of the American divers last night? She said she has no life outside of diving. No social life, no friends, nothing. Just eat, sleep and diving. For years. Wow! She said that she has the rest of her life for those things!! Very true...but the self discipline of that lifestyle is incredible.

I love to see where these athletes come from. Michael Phelps, for instance...raised by only his mother (who had 3 kids). She just so happen to enroll him in a swimming class to help him have an outlet for all his "little boy" energy that was driving her crazy...it clicked! The coach saw something no one else did...he planted a seed inside this young kid and his mother. And at 10-11 years old...they started building an Olympian!! And aren't they glad they did!!

But then I see those sweet little Chinese gymnasts...ugh...are they really 16 years old?? They can't even possibly be 13!! But the look on their faces. Their concentration. Their tears when they fall. The huge disappointment that you can see in their faces. Ugh. They are Olympians for heavens sake...they are the best of the best...I want them to feel proud of themselves not hiding their face in shame. Can you watch that and not want to love on them?? They've been doing this since they were 3 however!! Three! years! old! Giving up everything when they didn't even know what an "Olympian" was. They should be coloring and playing "hide and seek"...instead they are perfecting their "pretzel" bends. You know what I'm talking about? When they bend their legs up and around to their head...resting their chin on their calves!! It's truly incredible what these young athletes go through for years...just for this one event!!

This is all soooo motivating, inspiring, and makes for great TV (which I never really watch anymore!!). I just can't see faces like this, emotion this deep and not be motivated!! This is what I would call PASSION!!

Of course, I am anxiously awaiting the Olympic Marathons next weekend!! I love the track and field events too.

No I don't hear the Olympic anthem when I'm out running...but I know that in our own ways, in a very small sense of the word...we are all Olympians! We all must overcome obstacles and push ourselves beyond what seems fair, what's natural. But, I must secretly tell you that I personally love getting a metal put around my neck at the end of races (the big ones, that is)!! They are "my" Olympic moment and I feel like I have truly accomplished something!!