Little Old Ladies Are Funny

My grandmother told us a funny story while we were visiting my home town over Christmas.  She was chuckling about an 84 year old woman in her Sunday School class who was more than a little "irked" because the pastor gave fruit baskets to all of the widows in the church on Christmas.  Apparently this lady's husband was still alive, which disqualified her from the free fruit - and that just wasn't fair.  WHAT AN INJUSTICE!!!  Too funny!

My Grandma Myrtle & Ryder

A few days later, this sad, little, fruit-envying, old lady called my grandmother and asked jealously, "Have you eaten all your fruit yet?"  My grandmother, trying to stir the pot a little, responded, "Nope, it's still sittin' on the table!" And then laughed to herself.

I guess we always want what we can't have, even at 84 years old, and that "irks" us!  It "irks" me that I didn't start running earlier in life because of family and work obligations.  It "irks" me that I have to pay the amount of taxes that I do.  It "irks" me that every time I try to train harder and faster, something gets sore!  And it "irks" me that this poor little old lady didn't get her fruit on Christmas ... again.  Let's hope that maybe Santa or ... her living-breathing husband ... will pop for a basket next year.

My grandmother was actually one of my sports role-models when I was a kid.  She played basketball in high school, way back when you could only dribble once after catching the ball -  weird!  She also played catch with me in the front yard, and often timed foot races between my sister and me when we were little.  We would start a few houses down the street and race to my grandparents drive way.  I of course usually won being older and faster.  But one day my sister touched their Mercury Marquis first (our official finish-line tape) and I never heard the end of it.  Hey, she was pretty fast!

I was taught a good work ethic and a stick-to-it attitude by my mother and grandparents.  These are principles I have put to good use in both training and running marathons.  I'm so thankful for these lessons.  They are part of my fabric and definitely help me get out of bed on frosty mornings to hit the pavement on a dimly lit street.  It's either that, or insanity!  It's probably debatable.

Be great today!