26.2 with Donna, the National Marathon to Finish Breast Cancer- Race Recap

This year I turned 40.  I still can't really believe that I am 40. And I don't even feel like a grown up yet.  I knew that with this milestone birthday I wanted to do something momentous.  I wasn't sure what that would be until I watched the film, Spirit of the Marathon. I found myself crying as I saw total strangers cross the finish line of the Chicago Marathon. And that's when I decided I wanted to complete a full marathon the year I turned 40.

Shortly after my actual birthday I got busy researching.  If I was going to run 26.2 miles, it couldn't be just any race.  I wanted it to be worthy of this momentous moment in my life!

My home town of Atlanta is pretty hilly and after some challenges with achilles tendinitis, a flat race course was appealing. When I came across 26.2 with Donna, the National Marathon to Finish Breast Cancer, I knew I had found the race for me.  It was far enough out that I had plenty of time to train, the course was flat and running on the beach sounded pretty awesome.  Plus, the funds all go to breast cancer research, a cause close to my heart. I convinced myself that I could always downgrade to the half marathon if the longer distance proved to be too much for me. I was a bundle of nerves as I completed my online registration. In fact, after I submitted my registration, I distinctly recall feeling like I would throw up.  What had I just done?!?  

February 2015 finally arrived. My family drove down to Jacksonville Beach, arriving late Friday night.  I wanted to have plenty of time to relax, check out the course and to hit the expo in downtown Jacksonville.  The expo was great and I was thrilled to meet Jeff Galloway and speak to him in person. What a kind and thoughtful man! I was grateful to meet someone who has inspired and resourced so many- including me- to get out there and go for their fitness goals.

Early Sunday morning, my family dropped me off at the race start in Ponte Vedra Beach.  Crowds of people dressed in coordinating outfits gathered together excitedly around the ports-potties and outdoor heaters. Although I had done all of my long run training over 14 miles by myself, I suddenly felt very alone. I walked around and tried to relax.  Soon, encouraging texts started coming in on my phone... and one from my mom, the 11 year breast cancer survivor I was running for.  

Soon it was time to line up in the corrals, and I began to relax as I started chatting with a few people and enjoyed the beautiful scene as the sun began to rise!

I started out pretty far back in the corrals- with the 5:30 pace group- so we listened from to the announcer from afar. And before I knew it, the first corral was off.  As we made our way closer and closer to the start line, it just seemed so surreal.  Was I really about to do this? Then it happened. Just ten feet from crossing the start line, someone stepped on the back of my shoe and it came off. Yikes! Thankfully I wasn't injured, but I was a little panicked about getting it back on and tied properly in time to catch up to my pace group. My worries were unwarranted and I managed to get it on and

 get started with no problems.

The first few miles were through beachfront neighborhoods that were full of amazing support.  I was just so overwhelmed by the way the community got behind this race! Yards were covered in signs, pink balloons, banners, flags, bubble machines and more.  People were out playing music, cheering, providing water, juice, donuts, cookies and more.  One guy was even cooking bacon!

After about 6 or 7 miles it was time to hit the beach! I was excited until I realized we had to run across some of the soft sand.  What if grains of sand made it into my shoes?!? 20 more miles with sand in my shoes would not be pretty. Thankfully it only took a few ginger steps to make it over to the packed sand.  The beach was beautiful, with the sun sparkling on the water and the strong breeze blowing across the water.

The best part of the beach for me was running past my hotel where my husband and little boy were waiting to cheer for me.  I had also planned to drop my jacket with them which was perfect timing. The swell of emotion I felt as I saw them ahead of me was great.  The realization that my boy was wet and sandy and still in the only pair of pajamas I had packed for him didn't even phase me. He ran along with me and the pace group on the beach for quite awhile... moments I will treasure forever!

This sign came up sooner than I was expecting.  Although I don't really know what I was expecting because I never paid one bit of attention to the half marathon course. But, seeing this neon green sign in a sea of pink was jarring. After this course split there would be no turning back!

A mile or so later we left the beach and began to wind through some other beachside neighborhoods- so beautiful and peaceful. And I just couldn't stop smiling. This race was amazing and I was on top of the world and feeling great.

I was soaking in the beauty of the God's amazing creation. And starting to get hot so I took off my hat. But after a few miles in the sun I started to feel sunburned.  Being the brainiac that I am, not only did I not put on any sunscreen, I did not even pack any.  Oops! I put my hat back on but started to slow down a little around mile 16 and fell behind my pace group. I was feeling badly and beating myself up a little until a friend from a Facebook running group hollered out to me. She recognized me from the "flat" pic of my outfit I had posted the night before. Just the encouragement I needed and we ran together for a few miles. These neighborhoods were quietly beautiful with sunlight squeezing through the hanging Spanish moss.

Before I knew it, we had turned around and were heading back towards the finish.  I was thrilled to run past my hotel again- this time past the front and got to see my sweet husband and son at the water stop. I felt bad for not stopping, but this was mile 19 and I was afraid if I stopped at all it would be too difficult to keep going.  Asher ran with me to the end of the block. What a sweet boy he is!

Everywhere we ran there were people encouraging us- front porches, balconies, cafe's. And always there was a word or cheer at just the right moment.

This particular sign was so meaningful that I had to stop and take a selfie and send out a tweet. Based on the advice of my more experienced running friends, I had adjusted my training plan to include several 20 mile runs- but that was my longest.  The first of which had been horrible and resulted in me totally hitting the wall and crying on the side of the road while contemplating calling my husband to come rescue me. The second one had been better, but ended in me being a complete vegetable for the rest of the day.  Ever since I had been second guessing my decision.  How would I ever do SIX MORE miles?!?

I continued along feeling ok, until I reached the final few miles on the highway overpass.  The torture began on the winding on ramp.  The angle was just enough to make me painfully aware of my IT bands.  This final stretch was lonely.  The runners were few and far between and most of them looked about as good as I was feeling at this point. Outside of the water stops, there were no spectators or people cheering.  It was just me and this horrible road... and it wasn't even pretty.  Thankfully this crazy guy passed by and gave me a laugh and even posed for a picture. I asked myself why I was wasting time taking pictures but figured it was definitely too late to worry about that!

I managed to trudge along just trying to focus on putting one foot in front of the other.  Soon, the 5:45 pace group caught up with me. Initially, I was horrified and depressed.  Then I decided to run with them.  It was just the oomph I needed to get back with the program and I was able to pull away from them a bit as we got to the exit ramp.

As I made the final turn off the exit ramp, the road was gloriously flat and I could see the 26 mile marker and the finish line in the distance.  I immediately began to be overcome by emotion. I took out my earbuds and put them away so I could totally focus on the finish. This is also when I realized my husband had texted to tell me that he and my son were still stuck on the shuttle bus and hadn't made it to the finish line yet.  I was so ready to be done that I didn't even care.

Crossing the finish line was amazing. Six months of planning and training were complete.  I may have been slow, but I completed my goal, and I enjoyed (almost) every step of the way!

The most proud moment of my life

Dear people of Jacksonville, thank you for welcoming and supporting the runners of 26.2 with Donna. I would be hard-pressed to find another race that was so inspiring, so well organized and so well-supported by the community.

One step at a time... Amy

Chick-fil-A Connect Half Marathon

I was really excited to run the Chick-fil-a Connect Half Marathon in Athens, Georgia. I had already run one half marathon in January so I knew I could do it.  That first was preceded by lots of anxiety and worry, so I was looking forward to just enjoying this one!

I drove up to Athens the afternoon before the race to attend the expo to pick up my packet.  I had never really been to a race expo before so I was excited about that.  However, I was disappointed to find just a handful of vendors. I decided to use my extra time to drive the race route so I would know what to expect... wow! Look at all those hills!

That night, I stayed with family in Toccoa so I would have a short drive of about 30 minutes in the morning.  Right before sunrise I met up with my Moms Run This Town buddies from back home. Now I was really getting excited!

McDonough/Stockbridge MRTT

Before I knew it we were off! A little crowded in the streets of downtown Athens, I heard someone holler out, " I love your skirt!"  This was my first time racing in a Sparkle Skirt and was thrilled to have everything I could possibly need packed into my pockets.  I am still a little self conscious so I chose to wear capris underneath.

I have to say that I absolutely loved this course- we started downtown, ran along the river, on to the University of Georgia campus and alongside the famous Sanford Stadium, and through some beautiful neighborhoods just as spring was unfurling it's beautiful blossoms and flowers then ending back downtown.  Although I loved the view this route gave, it was certainly challenging for a newbie runner like me.  My BRF and I had trained on hills, but these hills were no joke.  I also quickly realized that our pre-dawn runs throughout February and March did little to prepare me for the April sunshine which felt like it was baking me in it's rays! I was so grateful for the shade of the neighborhoods in the later miles. But, to make it to the finish we had to climb back uphill to the downtown area.  At one point I ran backwards up the hill just to give my legs a break- ha ha!

What is this hot, bright stuff touching my skin?  I'm used to running in the dark!

As I neared the finish chute I kicked into gear and started picking off a few people to pass as I gathered the last bit of energy I had. I was surprised to turn the corner and to run... inside!  It was dark and it took a few moments for my eyes to adjust after being in the bright sunshine outside. I also had to quickly put on the breaks so I wouldn't crash into a group of ladies who had stopped in front of me.

As I gasped for breath and to make sense of my surroundings I was handed my medal and ushered down the chute where there was water, gatorade, chicken sandwiches, fruit, etc.  I was really glad for my skirt pockets now. I knew I would probably want some of this stuff... later!  As I was about to leave the finisher's area I realized I didn't have my medal and was in a panic.  Thankfully, one of the volunteers took pity on me and gave me another one.  This was my first official finisher's medal (my first half was free and didn't give out medals) and I couldn't afford to lose it before I left the race!

We feel "official" now that we have a medal around our necks!

It felt like a sauna in this large convention hall where we had finished, but we had conquered the hills of Athens and earned our Chick-fil-a, so were happy!

Red Nose Half Marathon: race review and recap

THE DECISION

My BRF Michelle, convinced me to set goals of running a 10K and 15K race before I could run a 5K.  However I am the one who convinced her to sign up for our very first half marathon, the Red Nose in Columbus, Georgia. This race is free and is hosted by a local running club, the Columbus Roadrunners.

To be honest, the price tag is what first attracted me.  After all, if I ended up biting off more than I could chew I would have nothing to lose.  But after getting going on my training plan, I was good to go.

THE NIGHT BEFORE

We drove to Columbus the night before the race and headed straight to packet pick up that was hosted at Big Dog Running Company. Everything was very organized and we were able to pick up shirts we had pre-purchased.  Since the race was free, we wouldn't be receiving a medal or race shirt. We didn't care- we were just so excited to be running a half marathon! While at the store I purchased a running hat which I planned to wear for the race.  I had just been wearing a regular beanie for training and it would get too hot and too soggy from sweat.  I planned to do the worst thing ever- wear something on race day that I had never trained with... but I figured a hat couldn't hurt.  It's not like I would get blisters or chafing on my forehead!

After picking up our bibs we used my Map my Run app to drive the course so would know what to expect.  The first 4 or so miles were in downtown Columbus then headed to the Riverwalk... which we would have to wait until the next day to see.

The night before I was so nervous.  Especially since I had been having some strange muscle pain.  It hurt to sit, but not to walk or run. I practically bathed in ben-gay took lots of Advil, had everything laid out and ready to go and tried to sleep.

THE RACE

My local MRTT group met in the hotel lobby and walked to the start line together.  Some of the ladies were in the middle of marathon training and needed more than 13.1 miles so they ran the approximately 1 mile to the start.  I thought they were crazy and wanted to salvage all my energy. We got a group shot outside Big Dog just as the sun was coming up.  Many of these ladies I had never met in person before, but I recognized many of them from their Facebook profile photos and their posts.

 It was a balmy 26 degrees so I was all bundled up and I wore my winter coat on top of all my running gear until it was almost time to start.  My fabulous hubby came with me for this first big milestone for me and he was happy to head back to the hotel with the coats.  It meant so much to have him there with me and helped to put my nerves at ease.

My buddy Michelle has also been having some issues lately- but hers was her IT band. So we both decided to focus on finishing and just having fun instead of racing and pushing ourselves to go really fast. However we were faced with a tough decision.  There was a pace group for 2:30 finishers and one for 3:00.  We knew we were most likely somewhere in between... we didn't want to run with the 3 hour group when we could do better but didn't think we could keep up with the 2:30 group for the whole time, especially with our recent injuries. Finally we decided to just go on our own and stick with our original decision to just have fun.

We were so excited to be off and running!  I loved knowing exactly what was ahead since we had driven the first part of the course the night before. We were having a blast and our pace was great. Then we headed to the Riverwalk which was beautiful.  

The night before I had carefully prepared mini ziploc bags with my portions of Sports Beans and one Advil for each of my planned fuelings. At about mile five or six I was feeling great and pulled out one of my baggies and started nibbling away at my Sports Beans. That is until I accidentally chewed up an Advil. I didn't think I would ever recover from the Advil stuck in my teeth! 

Shortly afterwards we passed the Columbus Wastewater Treatment Facility.  We obviously didn't do our homework because we were completely unprepared for the horrific smell.  We were so grateful to have our neck gaiters with us to help protect us from the stench! Poor Michelle has a very sensitive stomach and she struggled quite a bit. 

The race route was an out and back along the river walk which was a challenge with many run/walking intervals and faster folks already coming back in the other direction, especially in areas that were icy and/or muddy. But we loved seeing our MRTT peeps and cheering for them as they ran past us.  It was a great feeling to make it all the way to the turn around and start heading back.  Now when we passed people, we were the fast ones- Yessssss! As we reached mile ten or eleven we were passed by a friendly group of senior citizens who were doing 30:30 intervals.  As we were getting tired they were still full of pep and easily passed us.  Hmmmm. 

Before long we were running through the sewage smell again and this time Michelle was having an even more difficult time.  She wanted me to go on without her but there was no way I was going to leave her behind.

THE FINISH

Finally the river walk was over and we were back on the streets of downtown Columbus. We had almost made it! I remember a race volunteer encouraging us on and hollering out, "Come on! You can do it!  Around this corner it's just one more block!" I teared up as I looked back at Michelle. We were going to make it. We were going to achieve this amazing goal.  I was almost overcome with emotion as I rounded the corner... and there was no finish line.  What the heck?  That guy totally lied to us! It was at least two more turns until the finish line.

Once it was in sight and I knew Michelle was set to finish I began to run as fast as I could.  In my mind I could hear the theme music to Chariots of Fire and I felt like an Olympic champion, or a even a cheetah on the plains of Africa.  The sense of triumph was palpable.  Then I crossed the finish line... and that was it.  I looked around and there were just a few people running the timing equipment.  I looked back in time to cheer for Michelle, then my husband ran over to us.  I had not even realized he was there.  He told us that up until about five minutes earlier someone was announcing each runner as they crossed the finish line, but they had just packed up to move around the corner to the awards.  Ok.  There were no medals being handed out- we already bought our shirts.  Our MRTT peeps were faster than us and had already finished.  So we grabbed some water and bananas and other snacks and headed back to the hotel.  Even though I was so happy to have reached my goal, sadly it was very anticlimactic. 

We headed back to the hotel where I took a long epsom salt bath and proudly donned my shirt. I was a half marathoner! It was a few weeks later that I proudly put my 13.1 magnet on my car.   It's amazing how I had lived my entire life kind of oblivious and not really sure what these random numbers on the back of people's cars were all about. But now, this number means so much to me.

What a difference a month makes

BEFORE

My husband is pretty awesome.  He didn't blink an eye when I asked him if he was ok with me running a race on Thanksgiving morning.  I was excited for the opportunity to run another 10K race- this time without anxiety or fear of diarrhea! Just a month after my first 10K I was full of confidence and ready to go!

So I signed up and got a few people from my church to join me.  Two days before the race, my husband and our neighbor, George, decided to do the 5K race.  I was surprised but didn't say much because I wanted to be careful not to bring any judgement or nagging when it comes to exercise and/or running.

The night before Thanksgiving my husband waited until the last minute to make his secret recipe pecan pie for our family get togethers. And for some reason, he let our three year old stay up to help him.  I should have said something- little did I know that letting it go would be creating such a big problem the next day.

PRE-RACE

Thanksgiving morning was freezing cold.  I was thrilled and excited to run. We had to drag my son out of bed to don his layers for the race.  The plan was for my hubby and George to walk with Asher and they would take the jogging stroller in case Asher would rather ride.

Because they signed up at the last minute, we joined the crowds to pick up their packets that morning.  Did I mention that it was cold? Brrrr! All the local races I had done before this only had a few hundred runners- I was unprepared for how many people were there to race.  Had all this been going on in years past while I slept in?

We slowly meandered towards the start area and chatted away.  All of a sudden, they were making announcements over the loudspeaker.  The race was about to begin and I was stuck at the very back behind throngs of people.  I gave everyone a quick goodbye and quickly left to get in as good a position as possible. 

THE RACE ITSELF- MY EXPERIENCE

There was the gun and we were off! It was so frustrating to try to get going past all the people who were walking, sometimes 3-5 people across.  Hadn't they every heard of race etiquette?

About two miles in, the 5k route turned off while the 10K'ers continued in a different directions.  I looked down the 5K route and smiled, so happy that my husband and son were enjoying this awesome morning- what a terrific way for our family to start our holiday! The crowd thinned drastically and I just focused on my race. At one point I pulled out Carmex for my chapped lips. However, when I tried to squeeze it out, it was frozen solid!

Soon the 10K route made its way back to the 5K turn off for the last mile or so back to the finish line.  I was tired on the last stretch of hill and internally cursed the race directors who always managed to squeeze in these darn hills at the very end! How many times had I driven this stretch of road.  How had I ever noticed how steep it was? I started to worry about my family who may have been waiting out in the cold for me- surely they were warm and waiting in the car? So I sent a quick text to my husband who told me they were about to cross the finish line. What?  See you soon!

At the finish, I was feeling great but only saw my family and the timekeepers.  The awards were going on in another area and most of the people were there. The race photographer has also moved to the awards area. I grabbed some water and a banana, but the bananas were frozen solid.  So I turned to Mr. Man, eager for news of the great time they had.  Instead of a glowing story, he gave me one of those looks.

THE RACE ITSELF- THEIR EXPERIENCE

For the last hour Asher had been screaming for me.  He started the moment I said goodbye right before the race start. He didn't want to walk.  He didn't want to run.  He didn't want to ride.  He just wanted his mommy.  Eventually poor George grew exasperated and went on ahead with the stroller.

At one point Asher sat down in the middle of the road and refused to move. That's when the deputy who was bringing up the rear of the 5K racers took pity on my husband and offered him a ride. They rode in the car for the majority of the race route until they caught up with George and the stroller. This time Asher got right in and fell asleep.  He was still rolled up into a ball snoozing away in the stroller as Mr. Man told me the story and slept all the way home too.  

The looks on their faces at the finish line say it all.  When will this be over... and I'm never doing this again.  

Neither George nor my husband has asked to join me on any other races- and I can't say that I blame them. 

Running Store Newbie

About six months into running, I decided it was time to go a real running store to buy some shoes.  I was training for a half marathon and wanted plenty of time to break in my new shoes before my big race.

I had just completed my very first 10K race and had nervously eyed the set up of my local running store.  But I was way too shy to actually go talk to anyone with all those real runners around. So a few days later I drove up to New Sole Running in McDonough. I had tucked my well worn Skechers GoBionics into my purse in case they wanted to see what I had been wearing.

Skechers GoBionic Run

I remember sitting in my car for a few minutes gathering the self confidence to go into the store.  Finally I made it through the front door and I was greeted by owner, David Jonson. We chatted about running and my goals.  I was embarrassed to say out loud that I was training for a half marathon.  I was obviously overweight and not in great shape.  I was afraid it sounded silly to have such a lofty goal. But Dave didn't seem to notice.  Instead, he and his employees spent over an hour with me checking out my gait and helping me try on lots of shoes.

At first I didn't want to try on some split toe shoes by Topo Athletic. They were just... well, pretty weird.  Why waste time trying on something that I would never buy?  But I did, and I did! This is the first time I have ever purchased shoes without any thought of the color or style- but purely on how they made me feel.  I instantly fell in love with the Boa Closure system.  No more too tight or too loose laces for me!

Topo RR's in red

I am so grateful for the patience, kindness, acceptance and encouragement I found at New Sole Running.  That's why I keep going back! 

One step at a time... Amy

Goblin Gallop- My first 10K race and first nightmares of having diarrhea in public

THE GOAL

After completing "Couch to 5K" and completing my first goal of running an entire 5K race, I was ready for my next goal.  It seemed only natural to pick the 10K distance as my next goal. So, I chose the "Goblin Gallop" a local race that benefitted a medical clinic for needy families.

THE NIGHTMARE

I continued with my training and all was going well until a few days before the race when I saw this horrible photo on the internet. This lead to googling and discovering many blogs and articles about getting runner's trots.  And I even had some bad dreams about this happening to me!

A few days before the race I went and drove the course.  It was through a neighborhood so there were no bathrooms at all unless a kind resident decided to take pity on you and welcome you into their home to do your business. I became consumed with worry.  This would be my longest run to date and I was so worried about having to go to the bathroom... and also worried about being LAST.

A friend and I decided that we wanted to wear costumes but didn't want anything elaborate because I was already too worried about the race itself. It's pretty ironic that I was consumed with nightmares of pooping my pants and our "costumes" consisted of Depends undergarments and a sharpie marker proudly proclaiming that "We've got the runs!"

THE RACE
The morning of the race finally arrived and it was cold and rainy.  A few minutes before the race started we decided to ditch our diapers in case they swelled up in the rain. We lined up with the crowd and I prayed that they 14 times I had used the bathroom since I woke up that morning would do the trick.

The first two miles were with a large crowd because many were running a 5K course.  When the 5K crowd headed back towards the finish line, things thinned out significantly. Our course had us running all the way to the front of the neighborhood, then turning back to run all the way back.  Soon I had other runners on their way back on the other side of the street.  I admired their costumes and running form.  None of them had pooped their pants.

LAST
My side of the road got more and more lonely and the runners grew further apart. I started to fixate on my other worry... was I last? Was there anyone behind me? From time to time I would look back to try to hopefully catch a glimpse of all those runners who were so much slower than me.  But, I never saw anyone.

So, I started to rationalize and tried to talk myself into not being crushed with disappointment.  It's ok to be last.  I might be last, but I'm not on the couch.  Who cares if I'm last? I've lost 40 pounds and many pant sizes.  No one can judge me or put me down for being slow... look at how far I've come!
Soon, coming in last was not the worst thing in the world.  I was beginning to embrace the idea of being last.

Finally, I reached the turn around point and started heading back towards the back of the neighborhood and the finish line. Each time a shuttle bus would pass filled with people who had already finished their race I would repeat my mantra, "Being last is not the worst thing that could happen to me.  Finishing this race is a victory even if I am last!" And that's when it happened.  In the distance on the opposite side of the road a small figure appeared... running towards me... still heading to the turn around point... it took a minute for it to sink in... I was not last! I was filled with such exuberance and a joy that can not be explained with words. I WAS NOT LAST!!!! I strained my eyes to see who else would be heading towards me.  But no other figures were coming my way. I was not last. I was next to last.

As the lone figure grew closer, I recognized that this person was clearly a senior citizen. The only reason I was not last was that I was beating a grandma.

I remember coming around the final curve towards the finish line.  A large crowd was waiting on the shuttle bus to take them to their cars.  They looked my way with confusion on their faces- people are still running?!? I ran past them.  All the food and festivities were in another area, so no one was at the finish line. But that's ok.  Because I was. I crossed the finish line. I didn't have diarrhea. I wasn't last. And that was a victory to me.

AFTERWARDS
I went to enjoy my free banana and water and other goodies they were giving away.  I clapped and cheered for my friends who won age group awards. And I cheered for the grandma who came in last place... she was first in her age group and beaming with pride. I guess being last isn't so bad after all.

One step at a time!

My first running goal- CHECK!

THE GOAL

I remember the day I spoke my first running goal out loud for someone else to hear.  Even as the words were coming out of my mouth, I almost felt embarrassed.  "I'm going to run an entire 5K without stopping." As soon as I said it, I regretted it.  This was too much.  Run 3.1 miles?!? How could I ever do that? What if I couldn't do it?

For a long time I didn't tell anyone else about my goal because I did not want to be embarrassed if I wasn't able to achieve it. But I continued doing my Couch to 5K program using an app on my phone. I ran and walked all over my neighborhood, often pushing my little boy in the jogging stroller I bought at a yard sale. Many times I wondered why I decided to work on this goal in the middle of the Georgia summer! 

As I progressed through the program, I decided on a local 5K race that would take place on a Saturday evening at the end of my training.  It was an evening race and I had to work that day at a training event.  I could barely focus all day because I was so anxious. I had just enough time to head home for a quick nap and to change for the race. While I was there I tried to explain my anxiety to my husband.  "What if I can't do it?!?!" I wailed. "Then you walk.  What's the big deal?" he replied.  

THE RACE

I arrived at the race in plenty of time and prepared for the start.  This was it! 

I hadn't checked out the race route and was surprised to find that it was an out and back, uphill on a gravel road.  And it felt like the hottest, most humid evening in August!

I felt discouraged to be running behind a couple who were wearing weight vests. They stopped intermittently to do burpees, lunges, planks and push ups... and they were smiling as if it was nothing and always in front of me.  Grrrr. Didn't they know I was using all the energy I had to keep running?

Finally I was almost at the end.  The course came behind a shopping center and would end in the parking lot in front of the stores.  I was ecstatic.  I was about to make it the the front of the stores and knew the end would be just steps away. Then I came around the corner to discover we still had to run around the parking lot before reaching the finish line. WHUT?!?  

There was a decent sized group of runners and walkers from my church and several others had arrived to cheer at the finish line.  My hubs and son joined them at the finish.  What a great feeling when I was so worried about achieving my goal to have the support of those who cared about and believed in me. 

After crossing the finish line I was on top of the world.  I didn't even care about my time.  I had set a goal that seemed to hard for an overweight, middle-aged woman like me to achieve.  But I worked hard and I did it!