A road called Hope

On a bit of a whim on Sunday night, I decided to sign up for the Des Moines Half Marathon. It wasn’t until after I dusted off my 12-week training program that I realized that race is actually only 11 weeks away. Whoops.

Now keep in mind, there was a time when that one small detail alone would have kept me from signing up all together. Since this will be my third half marathon in two years, I figure I know the drill pretty well. But what I’m most excited about is that neither fear nor self doubt kept me from registering for the race. In fact, I started training the very next day.

Feeling a little anxious about work, love and my world as a whole, I got home from the office on Monday and immediately put on my running clothes. They were a tad bit snug but instead of obsessing over it, I simply focused on the little changes that will no doubt help my body become smaller, leaner and stronger over the next 11 weeks.

My running shoes are nearly worn out but I laced them up anyway. It was a humid evening but I set out on my way. I was hungry but still, nothing stopped me. I should have been grocery shopping, cleaning, calling my parents, checking my email, paying my bills, running errands … But instead, I ran.

Anyone who has ever procrastinated, found excuses or changed their mind about something knows what I’m talking about. But this time, I didn’t change my mind. Rather, I put my mind to it. And you know what? My body followed. What a wonderful testament to the strength found within.

So on Day 1, my training route took me on a hilly, busy street, then down to a quieter little pass in a neighborhood that’s still very new to me. And it wasn’t until I got around the bend that I realized my turn-around point was Hope Avenue. Can you believe that?

I smiled and realized, right at that moment, that I was exactly where I needed to be. I had overcome the fear, procrastination and hints of self-doubt surrounding my training even before I got to that crossroad. And I thought, “Imagine, Michelle, what you can do now that you’ve come across Hope.”

In the days since, I’ve come to believe that was a very intentional moment from the universe. It was truly unscripted, but it played out so well. I’ve also come to realize that it’s not just that moment that was meant to be; it’s every moment. Even the crazy, unpredictable ones —  maybe especially those. And what better place to explore those running moments, loving moments, challenging moment, victorious moments and self-improvement moments than a road called Hope?