A visit to Saint Mary's

What a week it has been. At school this week, I have laughed with my colleagues, missed my friend Erica (on maternity leave), graded 400 note cards, submitted midterm grades, caught up on my Journalism grading, posted the January issue of the school newspaper to our web site, teared up with a student, met 13 sets of parents at Parent/Teacher conferences, had a student choke on a turkey wrap in the library (he's okay, but had to be Heimliched), talked to a fellow coworker about her brand new Rheumatoid Arthritis diagnosis, and consumed my body weight in caffeinated beverages and sugar. 

And this week was only four work days long. 

I woke up this morning to a new baby cousin (Jack is here two weeks early!) and really felt the need for a good run. But winter has finally arrived in northern Indiana, which means far too much snow and not nearly enough degrees to run outside. Therefore, my seven mile Saturday was going to be spent on a treadmill. I thought and thought about driving to La Porte, but didn't want to have to make the trek if I didn't have to. Then it dawned on me! Alums can use the gym at Saint Mary's! So off I went, back to my alma mater. 

I signed in at the desk (the girl thought I was a current student and asked if I had my ID! Thanks, sweet, innocent, college student for thinking I am still of college age!) and headed over to the treadmill. There was a sign that said a STRICT thirty minute usage policy was enforced for all machines. Luckily, it was 9 a.m. on a Saturday morning on a college campus, and me, the desk workers, and two other girls in the whole place didn't seem to mind that I kept it for longer than necessary. 

Running at SMC was fun. It reminded me of so many great college memories. I can safely say hardly any of them happened in the gym (except for that time Teresa and I took the Butts and Guts class in preparation for spring break in Daytona Beach. We cried out in pain a lot in the class.). But it was fun to see girls walk in together in their sweat pants, laughing about last night. It was fun to listen to the girl on the treadmill next to me talk on her phone THE ENTIRE TIME SHE WAS ON THE TREADMILL about some picture she put up on Facebook today. It was fun to remember all those mornings and afternoons and evenings and nights I spent with the women I still call my best friends today... watching TV, complaining about homework, going to the dining hall, overanalyzing things boys had said to us on AIM, and dreaming about what our futures would hold. 

Shout out to my wolf pack: you guys got me through my run today! 

The treadmill turned off at 60 minutes (6 miles in) so I ran my last mile on the track there (nothing like running in a circle 12 times!). For some reason, I was filled with hope as I was running. Maybe it's because the last time I was there, I had my whole adult future in front of me and was so excited about where life would take me. Maybe it's because a really great song from my childhood popped up on my iPod (Leeann Rimes, "One Way Ticket" (note: I don't like country music. But I like that song)). Maybe it's because the sun was shining in and my run was almost done and life is just really pretty good right now. 

Whatever the reason may be, it was wonderful, in that moment, to be uplifted, positive, energetic, and renewed. 

Yep, a run can do all that!