It was a cold, windy, rainy run that night.
There was standing water on the streets in downtown Las Vegas.
Our running shoes soaked up the water like sponges through the mesh.
The rain pelted our faces.
At least it was only a 5K.
Just 3.1 miles until we could be dry and warm again.
There were six of us running, separated into smaller groups, based on our average pace.
We all crossed the finish line that night, with rain dripping from our clothes, hats and shoes.
And then it was a madhouse after the run. A fight for taxis and Ubers as thousands of people tried to get back to their hotels.
It wasn't until we were back at our hotel, in warm, dry clothes, seated at a restaurant for beers and good food, that we were able to swap stories.
I was at the far end of the table, picking up bits and pieces of the conversation at the other end.
My ears perked up when I heard, "FU Left Shoe!" Followed by a stream of laughter.
I had to know the story.
I leaned over, inserted myself in their conversation and asked for details.
Several of the people in our group who had been running together had an interesting adventure along the way.
Each of them, at some point along that miserable run, had their left shoe come untied.
First one of them...stopping to try to tie her shoe again with freezing cold fingers.
Then another.
And another.
Until it made them laugh. And cuss at their left shoes.
I don't blame them. And how funny that it was always the left one!
Why do you think that would be?
We tried to theorize on that.
It didn't make sense that there would be a difference in how tight you tie your shoes if you were left-handed vs. right.
Or which one you put on first.
We couldn't explain it. But it was always the left shoe.
So...FU left shoe!
An untied shoe wasn't going to slow us down. We were not going to let that minor obstacle get the best of us.
This became a mantra for us the rest of the weekend. Any obstacle that crossed our paths, including during the half-marathon, was pushed away and told where to go.
Those untied shoes were frustrating in the moment, for sure.
But what I love about this story (and about life) is that our frustrating moments are just that.
Moments. Blips in time.
We can retie our shoes and keep moving. Keep running that race and cross that finish line.
And then train for the next one.
Doesn't have to be a 5K or a half marathon. Or even a huge life change.
Whatever you are running after, when your shoe comes untied, just retie it.
And no matter what you do, keep moving.
Feel free to use our mantra if you'd like to - it's pretty catchy.
FU Left Shoe!
And maybe for the next race, we'll all get those laces that don't come untied...
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