For the first time in months, work brought me back to New York today.  There at his desk on the 47th floor….was my guru.  Marathon Brian.  Dishing out his own brand of “pick me up“.  I’ll take an extra-large helping , PLZ!

Everyone was there.  Just as I had left them.  It’s hard to believe sometimes that I used to work in that office every day.  Back in the days before my job started me traveling all over the east coast from Stamford Connecticut to Baltimore Maryland.  This morning was full of waves and smiles….it choked me up, it really did.  It was….just like coming home.  I wonder if they know….just how grateful I am that they haven’t forgotten me.

Brian looked fabulous.  He is on a 2 year mission….a traiining plan…getting ready to do an Ironman triathlon.     If you don’t know what a feat that is — an Ironman is a triathlon composed of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bicycle ride and a marathon 26.2-mile run, raced in that order and without a break.    HOLY BATMOBILE, BATMAN!!  Yea…..let’s all just take that in for a moment.

But there he was.  Looking amazing.  Very Young.  Vibrant.  Strong.  The man I used to know….the one who used to eat two big macs, large fries and a 10 piece mcnugget for lunch …is long gone.  He transformed that man into Marathon Brian a few years ago.  But in the past year….the athlete he has become…the I.R.O.N.M.A.N. he is becoming….is so apparent.

He asked how my Half Marathon went with my daughter.  I told him the story of how an idiot pushed me at the 13th mile and knocked me down.  I sprained my ankle severely, and managed to limp over the finish line with my girl.  NOT the finish we wanted, but it was a finish.  Since then, almost 2 weeks ago, I have been limping on a slowly healing sprain.  The story gave me the chance to tell Brian….how “unfit” I feel.  How far away that girl who ran the Marathon  15 months ago feels.

He took his time to remind me that I was still HER.  That I had never stopped b.e.i.n.g. HER.  He also reminded me that in the two years since I started running — even with the sprains and the plantar fasciatis — I had never given myself a proper break.  A rest.  And that maybe….maybe NOW was that time.

When he said it — I knew it was true.  I’ve known it for a while.  Running needs to stop for a while, so I can feel better.  So I can heal.  We chit-chatted about his training, and ideas for how I can spend my next few months in activity.  But more than anything — we talked about Nutrition.  We agreed that the best thing I could do for myself over the next month – while I wait for my ankle to heal — is for me to focus on Nutrition.  Something felt……really good today.  Brian didn’t say anything new.  He didn’t say anything that I hadn’t thought myself at least a dozen times.  But somehow — in the “how” he said it — I was able to climb down off my own back AGAIN — and cut myself some slack.

I feel better.

I feel a little more like that girl who was strong enough to run a 26.2 mile race she had no sense trying to do.

I feel…. stronger.

Nutrition.  That’s the goal.  The Nutrition of an A.t.h.l.e.t.i.c. person.

I’m On It!

Ciao for now…….Diane