Marathon = Check!!

I AM A MARATHONER!!  I did it!  I’m so proud of myself!

I had been having some major issues with my knees, among a few other things.  I truly didn’t think it was going to happen.  The night before the expo (where I was going to go and change over the 1/2 marathon), I read this email.  This is what did me in…

At mile 25, take out the headphones.  It’s time to engage ALL your senses and fully feel what’s going on.  Your legs are sore.  Your body is tired.  Your stomach has had ENOUGH Gatorade and water.  The people around you are all feeling the same.  All that discomfort is a result of YOU, DOING SOMETHING FEW OTHERS WILL EVER DO!  Feel it.  It hurts.  But YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES.  Talk to your comrades, the people you’ve been sharing the battle with.  See that 1 mile to go sign.  Three more turns.  Far in the distance you see the FINISH LINE.  The race announcer’s voice is heard as you approach.  26 miles.  Feel this with your whole being!  It’s a victory!  It’s a marathon!  YOU ARE AMAZING!

So as I was reading this (in tears I may add), I thought there was NO way I trained for 17 weeks straight and I wasn’t going to run this marathon.  I am a runner and VERY competitive.  So, to give in and not do it was really eating me up inside.  The next day I went down to the expo with Lili.  I had my packet in hand and asked where to change from the full marathon to the 1/2.  I started walking over the two or three times and stopped every time.  By now, Lili was getting tired of my indecisiveness.  So…I called my buddy Gretchen (and world’s BEST chiropractor….my personal and accurate opinion!).  The first thing I said to her was, “I am asking your professional opinion not your opinion as a friend, should I run the marathon?”  Her answer, “Do it!”  So, I gathered my things and exited the expo with a HUGE smile on my face!  Later that day I called my friend Jen to tell her the news (we have been training the whole time together).  She then told me she thought I would run it.  I guess I am predictable…I don’t want to lose and I don’t like being told what I “can’t” do. 🙂

I walked into my house and Mike looked at me with a smirk.  He knew too that I hadn’t changed my race.  He has been my BIGGEST supporter for this.  If it weren’t for him (and my God, but I’ll get to that in a minute), there is no way I would have been able to train and run this race.  From watching the girls, to putting up with my moodiness to stretching me out when I didn’t want to be stretched.  He is my perfect match and an AMAZING husband!

My God is the actual reason that I finished this race.  With the pain I was experiencing up to the race, there is no way I could have finished it on me alone.  At time of struggle, well really after mile 16 to the end, I constantly called on my Father in Heaven to help me get through to the end.   There were times when my body alone was NOT able to do it and He got me through it!  I remember crossing the finish line and almost immediately the pain in my knee started (that of which I had no pain in that area through the race).  Since starting my running, I feel that I have become so much closer to my Lord.  It’s just me and him out there running.  Just us.  No one there to hear me cry out to him and talk about the day’s activities and/or challenges.  I love my Lord!!

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13

So, what’s next?  Not really sure.  I love to run and will always do that.  So many have asked me will I do another marathon.  Well, it’s too soon to answer that, however I am not saying “no” anymore like I was immediately following the race.  I will run the 25K in May and go from there!  One last thing that I thought was super cool about me completing my marathon was the fact that my friend Jen and I were an inspiration to many of our friends.  I have had approximately 4 people tell me they too are going to run a marathon.  Crazy? Yes!  But I love it!!

Yes, she really did look this amazing throughout the ENTIRE race!  I believe she could have kept running if need be.  She was amazing!  A great inspiration to many!