Ungrateful Winds Create Grateful Thoughts

Tonight I was gearing up for a run: 4x1600 at mile pace. I was not looking forward to the run as the winds were tearing it up outside, but I was willing to gut it out. Afterall what doesn't hurt you, will only make you stronger. The winds were out of the west at 22mph with 41mph gusts and brought no peace as they forced their way around our little towns.

The plan was to run while the McNuggets were at wrestling practice. The school has a great track and I usually have it all to myself which makes for zoning out to the iPod, listening to my playlist for this weekends Olathe 1/2 Marathon, a great time to "get my game face on". We live {PD} approximately 10 miles from school {M}. I usually drive cross country because it saves some time and of course mileage, but this involves a very hilly gravel road. A very populated gravel road that has seen one too many accidents.

Less than 5 minutes after arriving at practice, there was a report that two people traveling between PD and M were life flighted to the hospital in Lincoln. GAH! Not knowing at the moment who was involved, a student, friend, wrestler, it made it difficult to face the winds on the track. I opted to forego the run and hang with my wrestling parent peeps. At the end of practice {90 minutes later} we still had no formal word of what actually happened. And remember: news usually travels fast in small towns.

The road that was believed at the time to be the location of the accident is the road I travel between home and school. Curiosity always gets the best of me {must be the accident chasing I experienced when my dad owned the local paper} so I traveled that road home, hoping to check out the scoop. It's dark and I saw no signs of an accident. Then....before I know it, a deer was right in my headlights. There was nothing I could do but hit him straight on. *sigh*

I'm flustered ~ for a few seconds, p!ssed that my car is now damaged but darn grateful none of us were hurt! WOOT! The little McNuggets were curious more than scared, which is a good thing I guess. This fall, they each shot a deer, during season, so seeing a dead dear was not frightful to them. They both scurried over to the deer, the oldest with his cell phone to take pics and to check out the damage that had been done. They both exclaimed, "did you see the skin that was missing?" GAH!

News did arrive about the accident which unfortunately involved two of our students, {brothers}. Any more details at this point to me are unknown.

My "deer" friends, buckle up, put down that cell phone {I'm working on this one}, follow the speed limits, stop at stop signs and take care of yourself and your family on the road. My antenna's have been alerted in the last week and the deer was the 3rd alert.

The greatest test of courage on the earth
is to bear defeat without losing heart.
~ Ingersoll

Today's workout: Swim 1250 yds, Bike 25miles, run 3 miles, abs, weights. RUN ON!