Earlier this month, I was contacted by someone from Fanatics.com. If you've never checked them out, they're pretty much the unparalleled word in sports gear. A representative from the site mentioned that they'd heard of my blog, and wanted to know if my life (or the life of my family) had been significantly impacted by sports.
Oh, has it.
If you're a faithful follower of this blog, then you know that Hillary Smith and I were married two weeks ago.
What you may not be aware of is the role that running played in our lives individually and as a couple, and how we overcome great personal struggles by lacing up our shoes and hitting the road.
Just by sheer volume of pictures, it may be the most documented wedding in history.
What you may not be aware of is the role that running played in our lives individually and as a couple, and how we overcome great personal struggles by lacing up our shoes and hitting the road.
I was married for the first time in 2010. My now ex-wife moved out of our house at the end of May, 2012. The months that followed were, without a doubt, the darkest of my life. You might remember a post from earlier this month in which I recapped that season, describing the pattern of self-loathing, depression, and destructive habits I picked up during that time.
I wasn't constantly looking for answers at the bottom of a bottle, though. I was still running.
I wasn't constantly looking for answers at the bottom of a bottle, though. I was still running.
I had been a runner for years before that fateful time, so I was already pretty serious about the sport. But when my wife moved out, running became something more than an excuse to get out of the house and a reason to eat far more calories than I needed. Running became a form of therapy for me, the only way I could express the confusion and frustration and anger in a way that was healthy. Later in 2012, I ran my first marathon and completed my first Tough Mudder, two things I never thought I'd be able to do.
I had just emerged from something called 'The Arctic Enema', if the blue lips didn't tip it off.
Rock and Roll Las Vegas Marathon. I look way more enthusiastic in this picture.
Running, probably literally, saved my life.
Fast forward almost a year. An amazing girl that I had barely known in high school was going through her own personal version of hell. She, like me, was recently divorced, but after a decade of marriage instead of less than three years.
I'm still not sure why I messaged her that day in April of 2013. But I'm lucky I did. She and I, it turned out, each needed a listening ear for the struggles our lives had thrown at us. And, coincidently, she was preparing for a 5K race the very next day.
Hillary had barely run before her divorce. But she, like me, had chosen to pick up the sport as a way to wear away the edges of rage and sorrow that her life had recently gained. At the very least, the activity made us feel good about ourselves; something neither of us had felt in a long time.
We spent more time together. We started dating. And our best, most involved dates were races we ran together.
Run the Bluegrass Half Marathon: Lexington, KY, March 2014
Shamrock Shuffle 3K: Lexington, KY, March 2014
Kentucky Derby Festival Mini-Marathon: Louisville, KY, April 2014
When I decided to ask her to marry me, it only seemed fitting to ask her in our favorite running shop. I made sure it was okay with the people at John's Run/Walk Shop, and they were thrilled at the idea. One of their awesome employees was even nice enough to video it for it. It can be seen on their Facebook Page.
We were finally married two weeks ago. The
post before this one is dedicated to it, so check it out if you'd like.
Sometimes when I think about my life
before the divorce, I feel as if I'm looking at a different person. He had no
idea just how wrecked his life could get until it happened before his eyes.
However, if I share anything with that past version of myself, it's my love of
running. For a while, that thread was more like a lifeline; and, luckily, I met
someone else who was on that lifeline, too. Now, it's a common thread that
unites us and keeps us motivated, strong, and, most importantly, invested in
each other's lives.
Oh, and I've already turned her into a
Denver Broncos fan. As if I could possibly love her any more!
I'll have her in one of these this season. Just you wait.
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