Running in the Rain and Other Obstacles in Life

It's Friday morning, my track day. On the training agenda - 4 miles on the track - working on sprints and speed. So I wake up to a little sprinkling. That's okay, I don't mind running in sprinkles. So I gear up with my running apparel and pink Arnold hat and grab a jacket on the way out. It starts raining a little harder. That's okay, I can run in the rain.

I'm on a schedule, a training schedule. It's important for me to get in my workouts. And it starts raining even harder.

Sigh. Is this life or what? 

My training is going good. Real good. I am making progress, I am having fun and it never seems to fail...when my training is great, my life falls apart. However, when my training sucks or I'm injured, my life is good. What's with that? Why so many obstacles and how can I overcome them?

I am all about overcoming obstacles, but this "problem" in my life seems insurmountable. Is that a word? So, here's a picture of my "problem".
Isn't it pretty? It's all wrapped up with a pretty pink bow. Pink is my signature color, ya know. I keep it wrapped up with the pretty bow around it because it's easier to handle that way and I don't have to deal with the harsh reality that I screwed up and made a mistake again.

And it keeps raining. 

So, I arrive at the track. No one to be seen. Anywhere. It's just me. Just me and my stupid training schedule. 4 miles. 12 laps. I can do this.

As I put on my jacket, I wonder why I didn't grab my red waterproof jacket instead of this one, I put on my hat and the jacket has a hood so I put that on over the hat. I gear up my music which today is a compilation of:

-Michael Jackson [gotta have]
-Rick Springfield [duh]
-Guns and Roses
-MC Hammer [can't touch this]
-Theme song to Biggest Loser [what have you done today to make you feel proud]
-Taylor Hicks
-And of course, Rocky theme song [you knew that was coming]

I get out of the car into the rain and start jogging. I say to myself "Okay God, it's you and me today" and I hear a rumble of thunder. Cool. I can do this.

The first few laps were jubilation, "I'm running in the rain, I can do anything". Then it really started raining. And my feet got wet. Oh no, not wet feet. I can handle the rain, but I can't stand having wet shoes and socks. So miserable to run in.

Then my pretty little package started coming undone. Lap by lap, I became drenched in my problem. Is it ever going to go away? Am I ever going to fix it?

And it keeps raining harder. 
And the puddles are getting bigger.

At first, I went around the puddles, but now they are so big that I have no choice, I just plunge right through them. More wet feet.

No thunder during this whole time. I'm on my own. It's my decision now. Do I fix the problem? How do I fix the problem?

The rain continues to beat down on me and at lap 7, I can't tell which direction it is coming from now. Is it from the side or from the ground because it's everywhere now. I have never been this wet before, ever, I am sure.

At lap 9, I must have been delirious and sure that they would send someone out to get me for the funny farm. Still not a soul in sight. I'm still by myself, alone, trying to figure out my problem.

And it keeps raining harder. 
And the puddles are getting bigger.

My clothes are weighing on me now, I'm completely drenched, and I don't know how I'm going to do the last mile. I want to go to the car so bad, but my training schedule looms in front of me, one more mile to go.

And the rain eases up. Finally. Not all together, but a little bit. I keep running. I keep thinking about what I can do to fix my problem. And then the final lap. I promised myself if I got this far, I would take off my jacket and hat, all my protection, and just run free, so I did. I ripped everything off and ran the last lap, free of protection, face to the sky, rain falling on me. It was glorious.

And when I was done, I felt good. My problem was still there, but the bow was undone, and I had some ideas now on how to fix it.

And there was no rainbow. And I was really looking for one too. It would have been so perfect. But it wasn't there. Only another rumble of thunder as I got a blanket from the trunk, God telling me I made it through the rain. I smiled. It's going to be okay. Whether I lose a relationship, my house, I'm still strong enough to make it through the rain.

The obstacles are always going to be there, every day. It's what you do with them and how you get through them, even when it keeps raining and the puddles get bigger.

Now, I wonder, how long it will take my shoes to dry...