Learning to Balance -Week 13 of training

While training for this Boston marathon, I think the biggest lesson I have begun to learn is balance.  I really try to take most things in stride.  Trying to have fun along the way.  I like to think that I am a pretty happy go lucky kinda person in most things.....

Well most things....except for running!

Now I love to run!  I love being outside, I love the way it gives me clarity, I love how much I can eat.....However, for me, it is about the numbers.  I love the numbers.  The pace and the mileage numbers!  I like a plan and I love to stick to it like my life depended on it. 
So... if I went to see a therapist, she would tell me that; "Everyone does something to feel like they have control in their life.  I use running as a means to feel like I am in control." 
However, I'm also smart enough to know that control is an illusion.  I cannot even make my own heart beat.  I have to totally depend on El Elyon to do this for me.  Talk about a lack of control.  I can't even make my own body do what it needs to do to LIVE!   El Elyon is a Hebrew name for God, and means "most High" or "most high God" and is used to describe"the possessor of heaven and earth".  He is in control, so I don't have to be.....

And it is He that teaches me balance!

And this is the way He did it this week!

Sunday morning my sweet Abigayle (14 year old daughter) woke up not feeling well.  After assessing that she had a fever, I gave her some Advil, made her a bed on the couch and let her go back to sleep.  Sunday was pretty uneventful.  We did the Advil every 4 hours and everything seemed fine.  Matt went on to church that night and about 6:00, I gave Abigayle another round of Advil.  About an hour later, she asked if she could go to her own bed.  So I let her and told her I would check on her in a few minutes.  When I went to check on her, her fever had gone up to 104 degrees....well that is when I took the thermometer out.  I quickly made her get out of bed and we started the process of trying to get the fever down with cool water. 
Now, I was a little freaked out, but Abigayle has always run high fevers when sick.  However, while I was frantically working to get her cool, she looks at me and says that she cannot see or hear me.  Then her pupils become wide and she goes into an unresponsive state.  At this point, my life and hers starts flashing before my eyes... and I start yelling her name.  This lasted only for 20 or 30 seconds, but it seemed like a lifetime.  After, she comes out of it and seems like she is confused about my actions.... but she is fine.
The doctor said that her high fever most likely caused her to have a little seizure.  This is what I expected, but it scared me to the point that when it was over, I was shaking uncontrollably.
Sunday night, she sleeps on the couch and I sleep on an air mattress right beside her.  I wake up every 2 hours and alternate between Advil and Tylenol.  Then the next day I continue checking and rechecking my sick little girls temp.

So needless to say.... Monday's training goes out the window... and I didn't even care.  Glad it's a step back week!

Tuesday swimming comes around and I get in about 1000 slow meters.  Abigayle is doing better, but I still keep her home from school because she is so tired and weak.

Wednesday is Hill Work and catch up at work.
I do 9xhill. Michelle and I run up and down hills until we cannot see straight!  Training for Heartbreak Hill!  But I'm tired and my allergies are making my lungs burn.  However was able to do an 8:04 average pace.

Thursday is a rest day... from what I don't know.

Friday is my 12 mile Long Run!
I switched it to Friday because I am keeping students at my house for an event called Disciple Now Weekend.  The students get to stay in different people's homes over the weekend while they attend a conference at the church.
Michelle and I run from the DOWD YMCA.  Even though there is no pace prescribed for this run, we are churning out miles way too fast.  It was HOT!  Also, at the end, we realize that we need to add on some miles so we start cutting through neighborhoods.  We ended up doing 13 miles, at an 8:21 pace, running out of water, and almost getting hit by 2 cars.  But we had a good time!

Saturday I woke up...after getting to bed really late... made waffles for 6th grade boys....then tried to get motivated for 6 miles in the rain.  It wasn't happening so I called my buddy Bree.  We met and ran 6 miles together.  I was chatting her up.....  it was fun!

But with all the training and such... I would give up running the Boston marathon without even blinking an eye for my family!