Run with Perseverance!

The evening of October 26th I laid out my very important outfit for the next morning...my black & pink ensemble for my very first marathon! 

My alarm woke me up at 6:00 am on the morning of the 27th.  Ok not really I was awake way before my alarm went off, laying there thinking about the day ahead.  I had 3 hours before my race began... a race of 26.2 miles to complete with over 2200 feet of elevation.  Not necessarily the best choice for a first marathon but getting to experience this race with my dear friend Rachel (and the breathtaking scenery) was worth it!!  I had quinoa with bananas, blueberries, almond milk, and brown sugar for breakfast!  Then another banana and a bar in the time leading up to the race.  I drank coconut water too!! 



at the starting line!

 

As we gathered at the starting line I had this moment of fear..."can I really do this?"  I reminded myself of how hard I had trained and prepared for this moment and that everything was going to be fine.  So much about getting to the finish line is being mentally strong.  I had a strategy to go out at a 12 min/mile pace for the first 5 miles, then increase to 11:30 pace up to mile 13, 11:00 pace to mile 20, and then 10:30 pace for the last 6.2 miles.  This would give me an overall average pace of around 11:00 minutes per mile and a finish time of around 4 hours and 48 minutes.



Waving to my family!



My supportive friends cheering me on and holding up signs!



A photo at the turnaround point (mile 11.8)

I was so blessed to have several friends, my parents, and my girls all there to cheer me on.  It was so beautiful out but after the turn around the wind started to pick up, the sun disappeared behind the clouds and it started to rain.  I just kept pressing on and on but as I approached the 18 mile marker I was beginning to feel tired.  I also knew once I passed the 18 mile marker I would be going further than I had in my training.  I passed my group of friends cheering me on and asked them to pray.  It was an uphill climb for several miles and I knew it was going to be tough.  Later they shared with me that they gathered and prayed immediately, then looked up and saw me running up towards the top of that portion of the hill. 

Between miles 18 and 23.5 I was on a paved trail with no through traffic, so I was without any support from my family or friends.  It was raining rather hard at this point, I was running uphill, and my phone died so I had no music to help motivate me.  I had forgotten to grab more fuel/food from my friends the last time I had seen them and was out of my electrolyte drink.  Basically everything I relied on to help sustain me, motivate me, encourage me and keep me going was taken away from me. 

I remember calling out to the Lord, "You are the only one I have to sustain me and get me through this Lord.  Help me to stay strong and keep moving forward.  Give me the endurance, perseverance, and right mindset to make it to the finish line." As I continued running I was feeling like I needed to get some carbs in me quickly and suddenly I saw a wrapper on the ground that caught my attention.  I picked it up and discovered it was an unopened packet of gummies.  I couldn't help but smile..."Manna from heaven" is what I thought of in that moment.

I prayed for someone to be up at the top of the hill (mile 23.5) so that I could get more food/electrolytes.  Sure enough my family was there to greet me and give me what I needed.  Now it was the downhill and final miles to the finish line!!  As I came down the winding road around mile 24.5 I suddenly heard clapping, cheering, shouting...and saw my entire group of supporters cheering me on.  I was filled with such emotion and began to cry.  It really gave me that boost to keep going and finish the race.

My biggest fans!!

What an amazing feeling it was to cross that finish line!!  Victory!!  Success!!  Perseverance!!  Relief!!  Joy!!  I was overwhelmed by so many emotions and so so so thankful to be done!  I crossed the finish at 5 hours, 13 minutes, and 27 seconds.  A little slower than I had hoped but taking into consideration all the hills I was very proud of my accomplishment!

And Rachel did amazing...finishing in 3 hours and 51 minutes!  I am so very proud of her and how well she did!! 



A few photos after crossing the finish line!



 

Every gal in this photo is a homeschooling mom!! 

 

 

I am so thankful to have had this experience.  It. Was. Hard....but so worth it!  Running has so many comparisons to our Christian walk.  I didn't just go out and run a marathon.  I had to train & prepare my body, mind, and spirit.  I had to be disciplined.  I had to push through even when it was hard.  As a Christian, it's a growing process and requires discipline.  We train ourselves to trust God, to lean on Him, to walk in our spirit and not in the flesh, to be humble, to forgive, and so much more.  In our life we experience hills, obstacles, rainy seasons, fatigue, and hard times.  But there is purpose in every step we take.  We can not give up...we must keep moving forward...we must press on and run with perseverance the race set out before us!

 

 

 

 

I am so thankful for everyone who has supported me, encouraged me, and prayed for me during the past few months of training and on race day!  A very special thanks to Rachel, Sarah, Anna, Sandi, Mary, Bob, Gracie, and my girls!!

 

 

 

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Solid Ground

 

Today I dropped my girls off at a friends house so I could go for a run.  I started at her house and ran through neighborhoods and on roads that I am not super familiar with.  I found myself running downhill for a very long time and ended up on one of the busiest roads in our area.  I am not a fan of running with lots of cars and traffic but decided to just keep running.  The sidewalk I was running on suddenly stopped and as far as I could see there was construction going on.  By this point I couldn't really turn around and the 4 lane highway was not something I was going to attempt to cross.  So I ran through the chaos, the mud, the rocks, the dirt, the puddles, the tree limbs, the construction crew, and the cones. 

 

As I ran today on the unstable and muddy ground I thought about people in my life whose lives are so full of chaos, pain, hardship, challenges, addictions, sadness, depression, guilt, anger, brokenness, struggle...they've made a few wrong turns, as we all have, but they haven't found their way to solid & firm ground. 

 

Sometimes we make wrong turns in life and find ourselves in a place we never thought or wanted to be.  Sometimes hardships and difficulties come, not by our own doing, but as a result of living in a fallen world.   Whatever the reason, it can be messy, hard, challenging, and feel like it's never going to end. 

 

 Thankfully for me on my run today the construction finally ceased and I returned to solid ground and found my way back to where I needed to be!  The only way we can recover, the ONLY way we an recover...is by turning to Jesus and clinging to Him through the mess.  He will set your feet on solid ground and He will make your path straight!
 

 

God doesn't want us remaining stuck in chaos...He is all about seeing people through those difficult circumstances, bringing freedom, healing, redemption, and recovery.  A friend, Jeremy, from Bible college shared this quote on his Facebook page and it blessed me tremendously to read it:

 

"Jesus helped the woman at the well recover love, the woman caught in adultery recover dignity, the blind man recover sight, the tax collector recover purpose, the religious people recover relationship, the sick recover health, the lonely recover friendship, the world recover life and hope. Jesus is in the business of Recovery!!"

 

 

 

"Lord I lift up anyone reading this who needed to hear these words, whose life resembles the chaos and mess of a construction zone.  May you direct their steps and lead them through the chaos and to a place of peace, safety, wholeness, strength, freedom, healing, joy, and a strong & firm foundation in you.  Thank you that nothing is too difficult for you.  Thank you that you are in the business of recovery. Thank you that you make all things new.  Guide and direct them back to solid ground.  In Jesus name I pray. Amen"

 

 

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At my side for 18 miles!

When you are preparing for a marathon and you are down to the wire with only weeks left in your training...you hope and pray nothing gets in the way of your plan and your training.   But as we all know life doesn't always go as planned.  Life happens!  After my 16 mile run on August 31st I began to have some pain in my left knee.  Nothing real serious but some tenderness that made me step back and evaluate my running plans.  Do I keep moving forward?  Do I bring this whole thing to a halt and drop out of the race?  I did the only thing I knew to do...I asked the Lord for wisdom, guidance, and of course healing. 

 

I am not an expert runner, there is still much I have to learn, but I do try to always listen to my body and back off when needed.  So I decided not to make any final decisions but to just take it one day at a time.  I iced my knee and took it very easy for a few weeks.  This caused me to get very behind in my training.  I only had one shot to run my 20 mile run....this big magical number that you are suppose to run before a marathon...and now I knew it would be next to impossible to gain lost time. 

Then another situation occurred to make running even more of a challenge....my husband had to go out of town for several weeks for work.  When he is the one I rely on to watch the girls for my runs...well that really puts a damper on things.

 

Thankfully family & friends are coming to my rescue to help and my knee has improved!!

Yesterday I ran 18 miles.  It is my last long run before the big day.  I will not get to 20 but that's OK.  My knee did great the entire run.  I was also extremely blessed to have my mom watching my girls and my dad riding alongside me the entire time.

 

Sometimes he was at my side, other times in front of me or behind me.  I had total peace knowing he was with me from start to finish!  And that was important as I ran a somewhat secluded trail with some sketchy looking men along the way.  He carried a backpack and had extra fluids and food I needed during my run.  He was there each time I needed his assistance.  At one point we were approaching some gals walking and he said, "Serious runner coming through"...and they made way for me to pass and cheered for me!  During a moment of silence I thought about how this is such a great picture of how the Lord is in our lives.  He is always with us, He goes before us, behind us, and is constantly at our sides.  He is our protector, our friend, and he cheers us on and believes in us!  Jesus is our bread of life and He quenches our thirst...he provides us with all we need on our spiritual race!

 

 

 

I thought too about how God is a father to the fatherless....because my real dad actually passed away when I was 12 years old and I feel so blessed to have such an amazing step-dad in my life.  He has stepped in and taken that role of a father in my life.  Thank you Bob for all the many ways you bless my life...and a huge thank you for riding alongside me yesterday!

 

 

 

Sometimes it can feel that God is a million miles away and doesn't see us or our circumstances...but the reality is He is with you, every step of the way!  He loves you!  He is always working on your behalf!  He is proud of you!  He will never leave you nor forsake you! 

Looking forward to running 26.2 miles in a month with my Heavenly Father at my side the entire way! 

 

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A year of running tribute!

This blog post is in loving memory of my Grandpa Woody who passed away in November of 2011.  My grandpa was a very active runner, walker, hiker, bicyclists, and archer all of his life!!  Even after losing a leg to diabetes he continued to go, move, and stay active.  He didn't let not having a leg stop him!  My sweet and amazing Grandma still gets out and walks miles upon miles every day...even though the love of her life is not with her anymore!  I am so thankful for their example in my life of being fit, healthy, and staying active even in their later years! 

Tomorrow marks the one year anniversary of when I started running!!  If you don't know me I should tell you this is a huge thing to celebrate because I never thought running would become a part of my life like it has!  Running was for crazy people and didn't look fun in the least to me.  I was happy and content to sit on my couch thank you very much!

Since my first day of running I have put in 665 miles.  I have ran in a 5k, 8k, 10k, and half marathon race.  It has been a year full of challenges, overcoming obstacles, setting goals, running in the rain & cold, reaching goals, gaining speed, having personal records, surpassing what I ever thought I was capable of, growing in so many ways, did I mention running in the rain and cold, and developing a stronger work ethic than I ever had before running.  I wanted to take a moment and reflect back on this past year and the things I have learned and the people who have made such an impact along the way!
 

To start with I need to thank my sweet friend Rachel...if it were not for her I am not sure I would even be writing this blog post.  She was willing to meet up with me in the beginning, when running wasn't even in my vocabulary yet, and walk with me (and run for those 30 second increments full of huffing and puffing).   She believed in me!  She encouraged me!  She kept me accountable!  And she was willing to go with me at my very snail pace!  Rachel and I did not have a deep friendship starting out but running brought such an amazing bond and depth to our friendship.  We started out living in the same town and so running together was a regular thing...now we live several hours apart and running together is a special treat.  But we have managed to still get in a few runs/races together.  I'm so excited (and still in shock) to be running our very first marathon together!!  I am so thankful for you Rachel my sweet sista!!!  You always have uplifting and wise words when I am having a rough day.  I love our silly moments and late night laughter when we are together!  Looking forward to seeing you again soon!  Big hugs!!

 

 

There have been a few other amazing friends along the way who have been such an inspiration and encouragement to me:  Anna, Sandi, Sarah, Harmony, & Melanie....thank you so much for all the times you have ran with me, signed up for races with me, challenged me, and been such faithful friends in my life!  You each mean the world to me!

Anna-thank you for being my long run day "partner-in-crime" and for being willing to train with me for my marathon...and putting in some crazy long miles alongside me!  I am brought to tears thinking of your faithfulness and support in my life.  You were at my side for one of the hardest years of my life and I can not thank you enough for your support during that season!  It's been so much fun doing life alongside you!!  I am beyond blessed by you!!  You have the kindest, sweetest, most giving & sincere soul!



 

 

Sandi - I love running with you and spending time with you and your family!   I love running side by side and all of our conversations and laughs we have had.  You were there alongside me for my very first race as well as several others...and many more to come I'm sure!!  Thank you for being so genuine, transparent, funny, and a treasure of a friend!  P.S. I'm excited to teach our running class, "Got the Runs?" at our homeschool co-op together!!

 

 

 Sarah - Due to our husbands different working schedules we haven't been able to run together as much as I would like.  But when I think of my running partners you are high on the list!!  I love your energy and excitement for life.  You have the most contagious joy and personality about you.  You are hard working and do so many things I only hope/dream of doing someday!!  I also love to spend time with you and our families getting together!  I know running has had it's own challenges for you but you should be so so proud of what you have accomplished!!  Even when running isn't an option you still find ways to stay active with hiking, walking, riding your bike, etc...!!!  You inspire me in many ways...so thank you for that Sarah!!

 

 

Harmony.....oh my sweet friend of almost 15 years.  I admire you so much.  I wish we were able to run together more often but I am so thankful for every chance I have to come down and have coffee with you (and on a rare occasion run with you!).  I am looking forward to October when we get to run the Astoria bridge together!!  You bring a tremendous amount of laughter and love into my life!!  You are one of the most beautiful people, inside and out!!  So many memories with you that I hold close to my heart!

 

 

Melanie - You are one of those crazy running people I mentioned above!!!  And when I grow up I want to be just like you!!!  You are a precious person with the biggest heart.  Thanks for all your inspiration and the example you set of loving the Lord and putting all your trust in Him, even while walking through some of the hardest and most painful things in the last few years!!  I am blessed immensely by you and your beautiful smile, heart, and personality!!



I am also blessed to have the most amazing and supportive family! 

  

To my sweet husband, who has been a long time runner himself, thank you for all your support, cheering me on, and help watching the girls whenever I go running or have a race!  I look forward to getting to run a race with you one day soon (that is NOT something I would have ever said a year ago!)  I love you so much babe!

 

 

 

To my girls, and future runners of America, I am so thankful for each of you.  You girls rock and I love all of our runs/races we have done and will do together.  I have no doubt you'll be passing me up very soon!!!   I love you so so so so much!

 

 

 

 

To my parents, you have also been such a major support, encouragement, and help with the girls so I can get my runs in!  Thank you for being there to support me at my very first 5k race and then surprising me and showing up to cheer me on as I crossed the finish line of my first half marathon.  Thank you for all the ways you bless my life!!  I love you both tremendously!!

 

 



As I look ahead to the next couple months and the year ahead...it's a busy season.  I already have another few 10k's, one, maybe two, half marathons ahead, and something I never in my life would have imagined I would be doing...a MARATHON.   Wow I am tired just thinking of all that hard work and training ahead of me.  I wouldn't trade it for anything though...running has done so much to improve my life physically, emotionally, mentally, & spiritually.  I have learned how good hard work, dedication, commitment, perseverance, and not backing down even when it gets hard feels like.  It feels GREAT!!  Mostly, I have learned that I like being a part of the "crazy" running crowd...they are some pretty amazing people!!  One year of running down....only 50 more years to go!

Ok time to find some tissue and wipe away all these happy tears!  I feel so incredibly blessed by the people the Lord has put in my life!!

UPDATE:

A photo from the run I took on my one year running anniversary:

(Left to Right) Sandi, Anna, and myself

 

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