The Trumpet Sounds

" It paws fiercely, rejoicing in its strength, and charges into the fray.  It laughs at fear, afraid of nothing;  it does not shy away from the sword.  The quiver rattles against its side, along with the flashing spear and lance. In frenzied excitement it eats up the ground;  it cannot stand still when the trumpet sounds."
-Job 39:21-24

this is bryan, in training mode.  "afraid of nothing".  his feet "eat up the ground".  he "cannot stand still when the trumpet sounds".

today is a day i've been waiting for...for 9 years maybe?  i drove the kids to swim team.  bryan was going to play wall-ball with his friends during brookie's practice.  i was going to lift weights.  BUT, he ASKED if we could go running on the battlefield.  

a word about the battlefield.  it's not just a run, it's a RUN.  all of us, our group, train on the battlefield.  our blood, sweat, and tears are all over every square inch of that place.  it's where long runs, hill runs, stake runs, runs in the snow, ice, bitter cold, to the blazing sun, are done.  there is almost an unspoken code among us there, "what happeneds in the battlefield, stays in the battlefield."  it is littered with memories.

but i said no.  it was hot.  i had already run 6 miles.  besides, i didn't think he truely wanted to go anyways.  he asked me again.  even begged almost.  it doesn't take much convincing to get me to go for a run.  again.  especially on the battlefield.

we arrived.  his feet "ate up the ground".  i trailed behind him, occasionally yelling for him to pace himself.  after all, it was a 6 mile run.  he was "afraid of nothing".  the run is mostly all UP hill.  on trail.  and these are big hills.  but the "trumpet had sounded" and he was off.

he slowed at around mile 4.  i paced and helped him with the last 2.  we finished with a hard sprint to the car.  i won't tell you who won.  he was exhausted.  we high fived, got brookie, and went home. he lay watching movies, motionless for maybe 4 hours.  i thought for sure, he'd never want to do that again.

when he finally got off the couch  he said, "mom, can we go running now?"  really bryan?  he has talked about it ever since.  we already have plans to run it again tomorrow...after his 2 hour swim practice.   but the trumpet has sounded in his heart. 

he is hooked. 

 and i soooo love it.