I am a Half Marathon Finisher. Over the weekend, I drove to Nashville (about 7.5 hours away), met up with several different groups of friends, ran 13.1 miles and the drove back home.
Traveling to Nashville was an usual experience. I had never made the trip alone before. I have been in teh car many, many times on the stretch of road to Nashville from the 5 years that we lived there. However, I had never traveled alone to the city. I was pretty nervous about it. I am not a person who likes to drive a lot. My husband drives almost exclusively when we travel together; whether to church, the grocery store or many hours away. I was solo on this trip and it actually made the trip more enjoyable. I did not have to ask to pull over to eat or go to the bathroom. I got to listen to my book on CD the whole time. I did not have to entertain a small child. It was nice.
Coming in from I-24 there is a bend in the road, around that curve is the Nashville skyline. I cried when I saw it. I have a lot of emotions tied up in this city. It is where my husband and I first lived after getting married. It is where I was pregnant and delivered my child. It is where I went to school, started working in libraries and made some of the greatest friends. It is where I bought my first house, and sold it. I had to leave Nashville very quickly when I got my current job. I had very little closure with leaving my friends and the city.
This trip was really needed just for the closure part. I got to see friends again and say a proper goodbye and and "I'll see you again". When I moved to Peoria, I never thought I would see them again, now I have, so I know I will see them again. I drove by my old house and teared up as I got close to it. Then, I saw it and realized it is not my house any more. Sure I have memories to that house, but that house is not mine anymore. It feels great to really realize that.
The reason for my trip was to run a half marathon but I got so much more. More on the actual running next time.
Traveling to Nashville was an usual experience. I had never made the trip alone before. I have been in teh car many, many times on the stretch of road to Nashville from the 5 years that we lived there. However, I had never traveled alone to the city. I was pretty nervous about it. I am not a person who likes to drive a lot. My husband drives almost exclusively when we travel together; whether to church, the grocery store or many hours away. I was solo on this trip and it actually made the trip more enjoyable. I did not have to ask to pull over to eat or go to the bathroom. I got to listen to my book on CD the whole time. I did not have to entertain a small child. It was nice.
Coming in from I-24 there is a bend in the road, around that curve is the Nashville skyline. I cried when I saw it. I have a lot of emotions tied up in this city. It is where my husband and I first lived after getting married. It is where I was pregnant and delivered my child. It is where I went to school, started working in libraries and made some of the greatest friends. It is where I bought my first house, and sold it. I had to leave Nashville very quickly when I got my current job. I had very little closure with leaving my friends and the city.
This trip was really needed just for the closure part. I got to see friends again and say a proper goodbye and and "I'll see you again". When I moved to Peoria, I never thought I would see them again, now I have, so I know I will see them again. I drove by my old house and teared up as I got close to it. Then, I saw it and realized it is not my house any more. Sure I have memories to that house, but that house is not mine anymore. It feels great to really realize that.
The reason for my trip was to run a half marathon but I got so much more. More on the actual running next time.
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