….and My Story Runs On….
Tattoo #3 just happened last week! It’s been almost a year since I’ve written a blog post so I figured I’d share the meaning behind this tattoo with you.
Quick history on my two other tattoos:
My first one I did maybe in 2004?. It’s on my tail bone (when the “tramp stamp” was all the rage). I was heavy into scuba diving at the time and have always loved the ocean and dolphins. So it’s a yin yang with 2 dolphins around it.
First Tattoo
My second one was to commemorate my first 50 mile race and I blogged about that one here.
For my first 50 miler tattoo
The idea for this one has been brewing since 2/17/18, when I crossed my first 100K finish line. This was a big one for me. I had attempted this race and distance the year before but the weather was really bad so I had to drop to the 60K and retrain the following year.
When I started thinking about how I felt before, during and after this race, the best word to describe it was JOY. I know it sounds crazy, right?! I was on my feet for 19 hours and 45 minutes! How could that be joyful? If you talk to most runners doing these distances, not sure that’s the most popular word to describe these experiences……..but I am not like most runners…so….
Let’s start with a basic definition:
- Google: a feeling of great pleasure and happiness
- Merriam-Webster: a: the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires
- 2. a state of happiness or felicity
- 3: a source or cause of delight
Honestly, just the word makes the corners of my mouth start going up into a smile! But how could this word really describe 62 miles of trail on foot all in one day?
Let me try to explain:
1. I wanted to complete this race so bad I could taste it. Having to drop down the previous year after all that training was a big let down for me. I was super jazzed up to finally do this! I had trained and I was ready! (A good way to feel good about a race, is to train for it. As a running coach I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people say they barely trained and they show up at the start line all nervous and freaked out. When you actually take the time to train for a race, it takes a lot of this negative energy out. You build confidence during your training cycle because you get mentally and physically prepared. Some nervous energy is not a bad thing but to feel confident and prepared really helps) So I was ready as can be!
How you feel before, during and after a race is directly related to the amount of training you put in!
2. I set the intention before I started the race that I was going to have an amazing race. (amazing to me does not have anything to do with speed or placement. I know I’m never going to win the race . I knew I was going to be out ALL DAY doing one of the things I love doing most in the world: hanging out in nature on the trails.) I literally say to myself “I’m just going to hang out on the trail for a “few” hours.” Your mind believes what you tell it. Part of my pre race prep was to do a lot of visualizing about how I would feel during the race. I visualized myself happy and joyful, just having fun in nature….and as I put that intention out there, it’s exactly what happened. I created the environment for that positive energy and it was one of the most amazing days of my life!
Affirm it!
3. My goal for the race was to have fun and finish before the cutoff. I prepared to have fun that day! I had some of my favorite music, audio books, podcasts. I also knew I would have two of my best friends pacing me from the 60K-100K point. Again, I set this intention ahead of time to have fun and that was part of my plan….and it’s exactly what I did.
Yes I am!
If you want to read more about my race experience, my race report is here….now back to my tattoo.
JOY was the word that came to mind when I described this day.
Then I was thinking how could I make this into a tattoo….and where would I put it. Sometimes this process takes longer than it needs to (it took me a year and half to finally get the tattoo done!) I may have pondered a bit about it…LOL But then ideas started coming in..
What else brings me joy? The sun! This is one of the reasons I still live in AZ! I love the sun because:
- I get cold quickly so I love how the sun can warm me up right away. I’d rather be hot than cold any day.
- The sun just lights me up! I wouldn’t be surprised if I were to be diagnosed as having SAD (ironic acronym that stands for Seasonal Affective Disorder). It is a type of depression that’s related to changes in seasons. Although I’ve gotten better at enjoying rainy, cloudy days, I love to see the sun. My boyfriend has found me, on my apartment floor, right by the sliding patio door, like a cat, gazing up at the sun, with my eyes closed and just soaking it all in. Literally one of my happy places. Sometimes I feel like it’s literally charging me up!
- I picked the colors yellow/orange because the sun is these colors but they also make me feel warm and fuzzy. If you look up the meaning of these colors:
- Yellow: “Studies show that the meaning of the color yellow can be warmth, cheerfulness, increased mental activity, increased muscle energy. The color yellow helps activate the memory, encourage communication, enhance vision, build confidence, and stimulate the nervous system.”
- Orange: “the orange color can create physical effects such as increased hunger, heightened sense of activity, increased socialization, boost in aspiration, stimulated mental activity, increased oxygen supply to the brain, increased contentment, and enhanced assurance. Orange also helps aid decision making, and enhances happiness, confidence, and understanding.”
I am not sure how I came up with the idea but at some point I thought: why not write the word JOY and use the O as the sun.
As I was googling sun tattoos to get ideas, I saw several that had a spiral in the middle which reminded of another symbol I plan on using for another tattoo. I love the spiral and what it stands for:
- Spiral significance: “They symbolize the slow reveal of things that are hidden. It can mean growth and evolution. They could represent people coming back to the same point in their life, but with new and better kinds of understanding. The symbol of the spiral can push the viewer to be flexible and have trust when things change. (https://www.sunsigns.org/spiral-meaning/)”. Ultra running has definitely been a huge source of growth for me, personally and professionally.
I put it in that specific location on my arm so I could see it. If you know me, you know that I am a joyful person. I am typically always happy, smiling and laughing. This is part of my nature so generally my normal state of being…..but I am also human and have my moments. I always say “self awareness is a bitch”! So the reason I chose that location on my arm is because I could see it. This will also serve as a reminder for me that I always have a choice…..
I can always choose joy!
You too can choose whatever emotion you want for your day or your next race, so make it a good one!
Today I choose JOY!
(Huge thanks to my tattooer, Jayare (check out his Instagram page) from Idle Hands Tattoo. I told him what I wanted, showed him a few pictures and this is his creation. He also did my 2nd one. I enjoyed telling him the story about how his comments about my last one are a big part of the meaning of that tattoo now. Then we got into a deep conversation about whether tattoos have to have meaning and how it can change.)
Here it is 😉 Notice my Black Canyon shirt I wore 😉
Better view
From My Running Story to Yours….
(if you feel inspired to share your comments, do so below…I want to hear your story too!)