5/5 - Torrey Pines Run

Today was a great day to be out there on a run.... My boys were going to be at our 2nd aid station and I had something to look forward to half way through my run... to see their smiling faces... Not once but twice! We started this run out easy leaving Torrey Pines Resevoir Beach going North up towards Del Mar... I don't know if I ever told you guys this BUT I HATE HILLS! This hill lasts for awhile but it's manageble... but I still don't like them... As we are going into Del Mar I am running with Gary-the-Brit and we are chatting as usual... keeping a steady pace as we go and as I continue to take pictures along the way.... At mile 2, I lose Gary to the bathrooms... I told him I would slow down so he could catch up but I didn't see him again until were were entering Solana Beach near the train station... so we ran together from around mile 4 until just before mile 6... he turned around at the 12 mile marker turn around but my handy dandy Garmin said I had not reached my 12 mile turn around... so I continued on... I think he just wanted to get ahead of me!!! I was happy to see my boys at the aid station both times I passed it as they are great encouragement... They were having fun giving our runners water/gatorade as they came by.

On my return 6 mile trip to the start I am running solo again and I am just enjoying the run... the weather was awesome, my running felt great and I had a chance to kind of think about things that are going on in my life. We come to a point in life were we are just struggling and that is exactly where I have been the last few months... Just trying to find one self is hard and a huge struggle. But in this short time I feel I have a lot to be thankful for... I have a great family, I have amazing friends, and I have the two most wonderful boys in the world to be thankful for... I know it's been tough for me but all that I go through only makes me stronger. I also think of the people that I am running for and the ones that have lost their battle... and it makes me realize; I really don't have it that bad...

Today I had the best run in a very long time where I felt there was no struggle, there was just complete contentness and a free spirit... I finished my 12.26 mile run in 1:50:35 and only took around 70 pictures during the run... Not too bad.

I keep my faith, I keep running and just enjoy my experience...

In Memory of:
Mike Acosta - My dad's brother
Frank Medina - My great uncle
Papa Joe Gonsalves - Family Friend's Father

In Honor of:
Matthew Dean - recently relapsed and has 15% chance of survival
Michelle Larson - recently relapsed and went through 2nd bone marrow transplant
Julie Fuller - 7 years in remission
Sarah Zdanowski - 4 years in remission
Vince McGrath - 2 years in remission