"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."
~ 2 Timothy 2:4
My four months of training has finally come to an end. I am happy to report I survived running a marathon. The experience was incredible. I've been thinking for a week straight now what I want to write to all of my followers and I still cannot come up with anything. It's hard to even describe the feelings I had and still have. I actually really enjoyed the race, well most of it anyway. I ran alongside my good friend Nicole and we had good conversation in between praying for all of our friends and families at each mile. I really enjoyed having someone (all of you) to focus on besides myself at each mile.
We ran a pretty consistent pace thanks to Nicole's coaching. At mile 19, I was still feeling pretty strong so I picked up the pace which allowed me to finish just under my time goal. The last few miles getting there were tough to say the least. I finally started feeling like the race was never going to end around mile 23. However, right at that time, my mom caught up to me in the car and out popped two little girls (my little girls). They were so excited to see me running they raced across the road and ran beside me for a minute. That totally made my day and got me through that mile! Then came mile 24. By some miracle, I was still passing people. I passed a guy who read the back of my shirt (I had written "Philippians 4:13" across my back), he yelled "AMEN". Again, totally what I needed at that moment. It reminded me why I was there doing what I was doing. Throughout mile 25, I prayed and prayed and prayed....for the person that sponsored mile 25...and for it to just end already! At mile 26, Matt (my husband), met me to run me into the finish line. I was grateful for his presence. He tried so hard to be encouraging and get me fired up to finish strong but at that moment I felt so tired, weak and pained. It was by far the longest mile of my life. As I neared the finish line and Matt left my side, I looked to my left to see so many friends! Some of my closest friends AND some of my Incline teenagers were cheering me on!! I was soooo happy to see them! My first goal was to finish the race alive. My second goal was to finish in under 4 hours. My third goal was to finish in under 3 hours 50 minutes. I'm happy to report that I finished with a time of 3hrs 48min 55sec!
The feeling of finishing..with a good time..with all my friends and family there..at Presque Isle...was amazing!! The only word I could come up with all week was "surreal". I really felt like a miracle had happened...like it was too good to be true...like it was all a dream. I just could not believe I had actually run 26 miles. Well, that was what my mind felt. My legs and hips had no problem doubting what had just happened :) When I finished running, I could not even walk right. I didn't know what to expect having never done this before. I certainly did not expect to be walking like I had just ridden a horse for 4 hours. Everything from my waist down was in extreme pain and I was walking bowlegged with a bit of penguin waddle mixed in, haha. Fortunately, after some walking, showering, and ibuprofen, I felt pretty decent.
It was an absolutely beautiful day. I had preplanned a big picnic at the beach with all of our friends and families. I'm confident in saying a good time was had by all. I felt so blessed to have such support surrounding this event. It was a day I'll remember forever!
Throughout the last week, I just wasn't sure how to accept that this mission had ended and what to do next. I am really anxious to get back to running but know that my body needs a little more time to recover. It's been a busy week which left me with little time to focus and reflect. This Sunday morning's church service came to be the perfect ending to my story. At the end of service, a solid 15 minutes were left solely for praying for others....for miracles in healing...for salvation...for whatever someone may need. I took that time and prayed for all of my marathon sponsors...for their personal prayer requests and for their individual relationships with God. My training and running 26 miles is done (at least for now) but please know that I will continue to pray for all of you!
If I had to pick one thing that I took away from this experience over the last 6 months it would be that GOD IS WHO HE SAYS HE IS AND WILL DO WHAT HE SAYS HE WILL DO. I have learned that I am my own worst enemy. I had no faith and no confidence that I could do this... until I gave it up to God. God was there throughout all of the ups and downs..giving me exactly what I needed at exactly the right times...which was sooo perfectly portrayed through the last 4 miles of the race. (Which is why I explained all of that above.) My faith has been multiplied exponentially.
My prayer now is that others can be encouraged from this experience. That they listen when God speaks and take action despite their own doubts. God can do amazing things in and through us when we submit to His will and that is something you will NEVER regret!
The story was titled "Feeling Tired?" Well, "yes", I was feeling tired..thanks for asking. (In fact, I have been sooo tired since the race..it's like my body just shut down..all it wants to do is rest.)
The Bible verse for that day read, "He gives strength to those who are tired. He gives power to those who are weak." Isaiah 40:29
That verse was applicable to me during the race right up through now. Again, God knows exactly what I need when I need it!!..........and He knows the same for you!! Keep your eyes and ears open. He loves you and has a plan for your life and don't you EVER doubt that!
Monday, September 26, 2011
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Feelings
I have been training for 4 months now and here I am less than 5 days away from running a marathon. Remember, I'm not a runner...or at least I wasn't for the last 32 of 33 years of my life. It still sounds weird to hear that word spoken in reference to me. I didn't even routinely exercise most of my life, haha.
I sit writing this with such mixed emotion. Sometimes I feel prepared and sometimes I think surely I could have done more training. Sometimes I feel nervous. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed. Sometimes I forget about the race and dream about the big family picnic afterwards (that being Erie and Pittsburgh family..because all of our friends are like family to us). What can I say, I love family, friends, and food! Several times a day I think about whether I should wear shorts or capris if it's 50 degrees at the start of the race...yes, I obsess over the weather which is out of my control anyway. I feel excitement about spending 4 hours with God praying for all my supporters. I feel blessed to have such a supportive family, friends, and church. I feel fortunate for being chosen to do this. I wonder how nervous I'll be at the starting line and how many times I will have to pee before it starts :) Will I sleep the night before? Will I even be good company at the picnic that I'm so excited about or will I want to plant myself in a chair and sleep. I wonder how many people I have encouraged in some way, shape or form throughout this process.
I feel very excited about finally seeing this goal through to the end...that being the finish line. In fact, I frequently think about what I will feel at that moment. Will I be proud? Will I be happy? Will I cry? Will I hurt so bad I won't want to be near anyone? Will I ever be able to walk normal after such a run? Will I be tired or will I get one last rush of "I did it" adrenaline before crashing? Will I be hungry or ready to puke? Hey, I'm not ruling anything out! The one thing I know for sure is I'll be thanking God for getting me across that finish line!
Most of all, I expect to feel blessed to know a God of such infinite wonder and to see the results of submission and faithfulness to His will!
Acts 20:24
"I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me- the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace."
I sit writing this with such mixed emotion. Sometimes I feel prepared and sometimes I think surely I could have done more training. Sometimes I feel nervous. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed. Sometimes I forget about the race and dream about the big family picnic afterwards (that being Erie and Pittsburgh family..because all of our friends are like family to us). What can I say, I love family, friends, and food! Several times a day I think about whether I should wear shorts or capris if it's 50 degrees at the start of the race...yes, I obsess over the weather which is out of my control anyway. I feel excitement about spending 4 hours with God praying for all my supporters. I feel blessed to have such a supportive family, friends, and church. I feel fortunate for being chosen to do this. I wonder how nervous I'll be at the starting line and how many times I will have to pee before it starts :) Will I sleep the night before? Will I even be good company at the picnic that I'm so excited about or will I want to plant myself in a chair and sleep. I wonder how many people I have encouraged in some way, shape or form throughout this process.
I feel very excited about finally seeing this goal through to the end...that being the finish line. In fact, I frequently think about what I will feel at that moment. Will I be proud? Will I be happy? Will I cry? Will I hurt so bad I won't want to be near anyone? Will I ever be able to walk normal after such a run? Will I be tired or will I get one last rush of "I did it" adrenaline before crashing? Will I be hungry or ready to puke? Hey, I'm not ruling anything out! The one thing I know for sure is I'll be thanking God for getting me across that finish line!
Most of all, I expect to feel blessed to know a God of such infinite wonder and to see the results of submission and faithfulness to His will!
Acts 20:24
"I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me- the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace."
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