Prayers x 400 meters

Today I am *this* close. This close to getting my chin up over that bar without help from a giant rubber band. Going in, I didn't know I'd be that close. My first workout in a solid week...usually doesn't bode well for me. But sometimes we resolve to just do what's on the board. Don't think about it. Don't talk about it. Just do it.

And then sometimes we resolve to do more than we think we can. After the first round of "Nicole", Coach Mike told me it looked like I was ready for the lighter band. I'm not sure what might have given him that indication. Probably the 20 reps I busted out unbroken. He told me I was banned from the green band from now on. (At 6:30 in the morning, that's really funny...)

And then, after my second 400 meter run, instead of deciding that I would give the lighter band a go the next time we do chins, I decided to switch right then. No more comfort zone. No one actually improves by staying in their comfort zone. I knew that the lighter band would require more effort from me and my reps would go way down. But somehow, I was at peace with that. This isn't a race. I'm not competing with anyone but me.

The lighter band felt like almost nothing at all. I was truly having to work. My max reps dropped from 20 to 7...and then 6...and then 5....and then 4. For the last two rounds, I suppose I could have counted 6 and 5, respectively. But the last attempted rep for each of those rounds didn't actually make it over the bar. In my world, that doesn't count.

Surprisingly, I didn't mind the 400 meter run at the beginning of each round. There were only 3 of us in the class and we ended up pretty spaced out after the first, so I had a lot of alone time. Most of the time I pray for the run to be over quickly, but this morning I just prayed. Fervently. For one little girl I don't even know.

As the faint streaks of orange sun appeared, I thought about how Sadie's mama would most definitely rather be running at this hour than sitting at the hospital bedside of her 6 year old baby. Just one week ago, their life was normal. Sadie had been sick with a stomach bug for a while, but she went back to school. On Tuesday, the school nurse called her mom to come pick her up. She was sick again. This time, a knot was felt in her abdomen. This wasn't right. In the ER that day, Sadie's mom would learn that her daughter had a large tumor on her stomach. Surgery the next day. Tumor ruptured. Cancer. Sadie's daddy would be making his way home from Afghanistan....

I ran and I prayed. For Sadie. For her mom, Jennifer. For her dad, Ryan. For my sweet friend Brittany who knows and loves them dearly. For my own child, sleeping at home in his own bed.

Lord, let me never take for granted.....

And please, if you are moved to do so, storm heaven with me for little Sadie. She doesn't leave my thoughts. My prayers for her do not cease. God doesn't need our help to heal her. But I know He listens when His children cry.

I know He does.



Today's WOD:

tabata burpees

"Nicole"
400 meter run
max unbroken pull-ups
20 minute AMRAP

My effort:

400 meter run (6 total)
20/7/6/5/4 max unbroken pull-ups per round