My Inspirations - A Thank You to RLAM

As I sat here tonight in tears over a TBall game that has been rescheduled, I had to sit and ponder "why is this such a big deal ?"

Well, the TBall game was rescheduled for a night that I have an invite to a Book Party.  Not just any Book Party, but the authors of  Run Like a Mother and Train Like a Mother, Sarah & Dimity.

So, again, why, some may ask?

1)  It's Michael's LAST TBall game of the season.  He LOVES TBall.  And the trophies are supposed to be given out that night.  How could I miss that as a mother? 
2)  But when would I get a chance to meet Sarah & Dimity again, and why is it so important to me?

Given I'm writing this instead of sleeping.  It IS that important to me.  They are such a big part of my running inspiration.  When I didn't have the Run Mama Run ladies, it was the Run Like a Mother family that encouraged me, inspired me, and gave me the will to keep trying through injuries and plain self-doubt!

I remember when I first started reading Run Like A Mother.  It was March 2011.  I laughed so hard, I cried!  I could completely identify with everything they wrote pertaining to motherhood and trying to juggle running too.  Their Facebook page wasn't just other runners encouraging each other, but Sarah & Dimity themselves, responding to posts, answering questions from all of their "tribe".  That just made them so much more than just another book author.  They truly cared about all of us in some way to help us in our running journey!  I think this is when I truly discovered the running community.  It was just a couple months later that Run, Mama, Run was "born".  What an absolute blessing it is.  I never knew what kind of impact these women would have on me.  Some I had known for years!  Others, I was meeting for the first time, but we all grew to share, care, train, encourage, inspire, and even push each other to reach goals we didn't think possible. 

I wish I could have responded better to the FNP reporter yesterday because I've realized that as we became mothers, we took a back seat to our needs.  It's diapers, bottles, milestones, playdates, work, daycare, etc.  The constant juggling of needs other than our own.  I found running was something that gave me back a sliver of "me" time.  It's grown to be a whole lot more.  Running is a part of me and who I am now.  I hope I make my kids proud being out there accomplishing new goals, or running for fun.  I want to be a good role model for them to be active, to enjoy it.  Michael loves to run Kids Runs now.  So proud that he wants to "be like his Mama"!  Daniel loves to race too. 

So back to my dilemma - TBall game or Book Party.  Well, my awesome friend made a great suggestion that we're going to try to run with.  I hate to vent on FB like I did, but seeing friends type out "do this for you, you deserve it, you give so much to others, you're always there for Michael, etc" made me cry, but warms my heart that I've been able to give back even a sliver of the inspiration that Sarah & Dimity gave me during my journey!

So this is a big ole thank you note to them, and to my friends who encourage and inspire me everyday!!

I hope it all works out in the end that I can juggle my family priorities and still get a chance to say "thank you" to these ladies in person.