#1- The Fool-Twin Cities 2015

The Fool

The Fool is how we begin the journey, any journey. It is full of potential. That seed of an idea that makes the Fool archetype in us come alive. It doesn’t mean that we don’t feel fear, we just have to be brave and not let it prevent us from venturing into unknown territory. We have no idea what our potential is in our new endeavor. We are ready to set out on our adventure and will discover the bumps in the road as we go, they will help us grow. 

#1. Twin Cities Marathon- Mpls/St. Paul, MN

I was lined up at US Bank Stadium downtown Minneapolis for my first marathon. My dad had brought me downtown Minneapolis for the start and my husband would be picking me up downtown St. Paul at the capitol, where I would finish. In the meantime, my job was to snake through the streets of the city, around several of our beautiful urban lakes, along the Mississippi River and down historic Summit Ave. and make my way 26.2 miles to downtown St. Paul and our capitol building. As my corral started to move up, we made our way towards the start line in waves of runners. It really makes you feel like something special is taking place. I try to absorb the energy and support from my hometown doing something that I never would have dreamed I would be doing to celebrate my 40th birthday.

My Fool archetype was flourishing. Time seemed suspended. I felt like all possibilities seemed to exist. I put one foot in front of the other. I kept an even pace and the miles ticked by. I smiled throughout and didn’t pass a child without giving a high five. It was like a 26.2-mile-long celebration. I had no idea what I had been missing! It had been a long road, but I had trained for it. I had built the miles over time and was doing it. I had heard a lot about the big hill going up to Summit Ave. from the river at mile 20. I pumped my arms up the hill. My husband was at the top and pointed to the road and said, “there’s Summit!” I knew I was going to make it. It became my mantra for every race since then. When I’ve got 5 miles left to go, I think to myself no matter where I am, "there’s Summit". He said, “see ya at the finish!” I turned the corner, passing my alma mater St. Thomas and I knew it was a straight, relatively flat stretch all the way to the capitol. The crowds continued to line the sides of the street and I was feeling good. Sure, I was tired, but I knew I was going to be able to finish.

It was a long march down Summit Ave, but I was able to keep a smile on my face the entire way. I knew I had found something special in the marathon and I was actually enjoying it. I had kept a nice steady pace the entire way, I was able to pass people those last few miles when they had nothing left in the tank. The road started to drag on, I tried to keep eye contact with those cheering on the sidelines. Finally, I made it to the Basilica of St. Paul and could see the hill that Chloe and I had been on the day before. It’s straight down hill that last .3 miles and right down the finishing chute to the capitol. It was just as I had pictured the day before when my daughter and I did the 5k race together. I knew my husband and kids were in there somewhere cheering on the sideline. I was able to pick him out and put my arms in the air like I was flying. I ran into and across the finish line with a few leaps in my step and I was done. I had finished a marathon! I had taken the Fools leap of faith and followed through. This was the beginning of a new journey.

I knew right away I was not going to be a one and done marathoner. There was something magical about the race, the distance. I thought to myself, this is something I do now. I didn’t need certain qualifications to be a runner. I ran, so therefore I am a runner. My whole life changed perspective.