There have been many times on this journey where I've looked back and realized that I'm going to remember that particular moment for the rest of my life. Moments like these are the ones that you add to your own personal movie montage reel.
Today was one of those days. After our warm up, Jeff and Marisa surprised us by leading us out of the gym and into the sunshine. We all looked around at each other, wondering what was about to happen, but I was excited about doing something new and the absence (finally) of rain clouds. It started off right there in our parking lot as we stood up and sat down from the benches fifty times. The sun was warm and I had already started to sweat.
As soon as we'd finished that, we had to jog after Jeff down the length of the parking lot and across the street to our parking deck. I've felt pretty good about my running skills on the treadmill, but outside on pavement I found running to be a LOT more difficult. My confidence about running a 5K started to go down rapidly - unlike the temperature. I started slowing down and my breathing got shallow, but Marisa stayed by my side the entire way down the parking lot, across the street, and up six flights of stairs to the very top level of the parking deck.
As I climbed the steps, my team yelled encouragements to me and Marisa kept up a steady stream of support. It was hot, the stairwell had a weird smell, and there were enough seagull feathers scattered around to make me nervous. Seagulls freak me out due to my previously being attacked by them, but that's another story all together. So here's the situation: it's hot (I hate that), there are stairs (I'm still a little scared of falling to my death), and there's the possibility of coming face to face with a seagull (i.e., winged terror). Needless to say, I was struggling. But then, from above me I heard the cheers of my team mates, calling my name and pushing me forward. When I got to the top, they applauded me and there were high fives all around. I was so overwhelmed that I couldn't speak, but that's just how this group is.
The workout was far from over though. Up on the roof of the deck, where no cars usually park but where the view of downtown Wilmington and the Cape Fear River is spectacular, we did lunges, squats, sprints, and a round of sixty push ups. The sun was bright, the temps were up, and this was one of the toughest workouts ever. Then came the finale...walking down the steepest ramp of the deck and running back up...twice. I had serious doubts, but Marisa and Jeff and the rest of the team cheered me on. I pushed the heat and the fatigue to the back of my mind and just concentrating on my feet while blocking everything out but the sound of Marisa's voice. And I did it! Yes, I was the last one up the hill, but at the top were the other members of my team cheering me on, and at my side were my two trainers, keeping me going.
As I slowed my breathing, I looked out across the horizon at all of the personal landmarks down below, different distances I have marked on the months of this journey, I could literally see the distance that I have come. That, and the incredible group of people surrounding me, took my breathe away more than the toughest of workouts. We were hot, sweaty, thirsty, and worn out, but we were also victorious. Victorious...and we still had to go back down all of those stairs and walk back.
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