Wrong Turn

My Run

This all took place about a week ago and I have been meaning to write this blog since then. I guess the "trauma" of it all made me block out the writing of this blog until now.

So last week, Thursday I think it was, I decided to go for a quick run. I didn't plan on going to far since it was like 96 degrees outside and 100% humidity and I never run outside. I will run on a treadmill in 72 degrees of joyous air conditioning where the only humidity comes from the sweat on my shirt. One thing I learned very quickly in life is that gym running and outside running are two very different things. Either way, I embark on my run feeling great. Muscles rocking, feet pounding, music blasting, I was feeling pretty good as I passed my mental mile marker. Then it hit me...it's really hot!

I was starting to sweat now and I could see that I was coming up to a crucial decision on just how far I wanted to run. There are two street in my neighborhood that can double back towards my house. One, THE SECOND STREET leads me back up very near my home, maybe a two and a half mile total run. The other, THE FIRST STREET runs farther south adding another two plus miles for a round trip total of near five miles. Both those totals are easy to knock out on a treadmill in a perfect 72 degree setting, but that day, in that heat and with that humidity, my body was saying, "No way." So I made the decision to take the short way home, or so I thought, the problem came when I took the wrong street. I forgot that the first street, took me farther south, not closer to my home. I took the first street.

I didn't realize my mental mistake until I reached US19 and noticed just how far south I was. By that time, my ankle was starting to hurt a bit and the heat was really kicking in. I could feel the sun on my skin and cool of my sweat as it dripped past and I was a little worried if I going to be able to make it back home. Just then as I was weighing my options I felt this little voice inside say, "Go, you'll be fine." Now, to be honest I'm not sure if that was God saying I got you or my Puerto Rican machismo kicking my butt to just man up and finish this, but I pressed on and kept going.

All the way, I kept checking back to see if my wife would drive past. My run took me down her route home so I knew she may be coming by at any moment to save me from my mental lapse. No luck. But as I kept going I kept hearing, "Go" without much choice, I just kept on going. My ankle was really hurting now, my shirt was soaked, my skin was hot, my body was tired and just as I turn down the second to last street from my house, maybe 2/3 of a mile away from my house what do I see...HOPE.

My wife in her car was driving up behind me about to pass by, I give her what I thought to be the international symbol for pull over and help me. Two arms waving over my head. Mind you, I came to a complete stop and started waving. She in turn, waves her hand back and me, smiles and drives past! "YOU"VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME", I said to aloud. She drove right past me and never stopped. Even turned down my street and out of my sight. "Go" I heard it again. So I went.

Finally, I made it to my street and there parked on the side of the road is my wife, she tells me that she wasn't sure if I wanted her to stop so she waited to see if I was ok. I gave her a quick lesson on the international sign for HELP and she laughed at me. I laughed to, because I had made it and I was ok. It was hard, it wasn't very fun, but it was fulfilling to know that I had done it.

Looking back, whether or not you think that really was God letting me know that I would be ok or just my PR Machismo kicking in (I give this one to God). I can see how at times in our life we need to rely on that still small voice deep inside our hearts. Life is hard and isn't always fun so we need to rely on God and keep pressing on. When you fall, get back up, when you stop, get moving again. Being a guy I fall back things that leaders of men have said, one that pops into mind is from Winston Churchill, "Never give in, never give in, never; never; never; never – in nothing, great or small, large or petty". To many times we let the enemy win. First in small little things, we give in some ground, then in more and more and more. Today, don't stop fighting, don't give in, get up, get moving and get with God. He is the rock and you can always rely on Him.

Be Blessed

Carlos