From 0 to 26.2

I FINISHED, or should I say WE finished!  

It's been a week since I crossed the finish line and I finally have some time to sit and put it into words.  This will be a no picture post, I am working on putting the pictures into a video to share which I already titled: A Journey from 0 to 26.2!

A week ago Friday we packed up and headed out on our way to Chattanooga.  Before we left I grabbed my Lovenox shot and debated for a moment why I didn't pick a marathon less than four hours away, but that faded, I jabbed the shot in my stomach and got in the car.  One thing that scared me is that the Lovenox shots make me dizzy and give me a horrible headache for anywhere from 12 to 24 hours, it was 2:00 pm on Friday.

We arrived in Ft. Oglethorpe, Georgia to an amazing house 600 feet from the start line of the race.  The entire family was staying in this historic house that used to be the band barracks in the war.  It was awesome.  After dinner and some chatting I headed to bed.  Not a lot of sleep to be had but enough.  At about 2:30 am I was awakened by my niece yelling for her mom and realized my headache was gone, Praise the Lord!

6:30 am Saturday morning, I was up and getting ready.  It was awesome because we would usually be headed to the parking lot, but this time we were taking our time since we were walking to the race!  I kissed the hubs and Will and headed that way with enough GU for the trip!

The cannon went off and off we went.  I ran with my mom for about 6 miles until the half marathoners took a turn and went on my way.  Mile 6 to 13 were horrible, I wanted to quit but figured it was fear and kept running.  At 14 my legs found themselves and I felt great.  I passed the 15.5 mile mark where I DNF'd in 2008 and thanked God for strength to press on.  Miles came and went and it was awesome.  

22.5 miles, where did that wall come from? I hit it and kept plugging!  God blessed me with the peace to find my groove, I got into the music and ran ahead.  At 25.5 I saw my dad waiting, I was literally dancing to Lady Gaga I was so excited I was almost there!  

Right at about 26 miles you round the turn to head down the hill to the finish line.  That is when I saw him, Will came running up the road to dad and I.  He jumped in my arms and ran the rest of the way with me.  I was holding back the tears only because I still needed to breathe!

We ran by my family and my sister's great friends and through the finish line!  26.2 miles done!  On March 22nd, 2010 I couldn't run 2 feet, on November 10th, 2012 I ran 26.2 miles.  I am not embarrassed by my time, it took me 5 hours and 15 minutes, by far my slowest but more importantly my most meaningful 26.2 miles ever.  God is good!

Hebrews 12:1 "....let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross..."

2 Miles. Really?

Tonight my training plan called for a 2 mile run, yep two! And yes in third grade I nervously misspelled the word two in the spelling bee, and I cried! So tonight, being a good follower of the plan, I set out to run two miles, four loops around the neighborhood, BORING!

I will confess, as I got dressed I was debating the worth of this run. In fact it took me longer to get all my clothes on than it did to run, four boring circles around the neighborhood with the dog!  But as I ran it came to me, this was huge, yep this two mile run was huge!  

As I rounded the last corner tears came to my eyes.  Not because i was crying from boredom or crying from fatigue, but because I realized that a couple years ago I was longing to run two miles and I couldn't run two feet.  I was terrified that I may never run again.P

So tonight, I ran two miles, it started out dull but ended in a wave of emotions.  18 weeks of training has gone by and this two mile run was my shortest but one of my most meaningful runs.  I would have done anything to run those two miles years ago, and tonight they wrap up training to run 26.2 miles on Saturday, God is good!

1 MORE WEEK!

 

This morning it was a chilly 30 something in Asheville!  I got up a little later thanks to the darkness and the cold (and the hubs being home for the morning) and headed to my last Saturday run before the race.  I was alone, one of those weekends everyone had some different Saturday schedules.

 

This week has been a bit tough, my mind has played some games along with the weather!  All week my leg has hurt, its been a little swollen, breathing hasn't been the best, a cold came around, and my right abdominal region started to hurt.  These are things I never used to worry about, but now I am no longer the healthy 31 year old that runs marathons, I am the healthy 31 year old that runs marathons but has a history of a massive blood clot.  I have learned to take it easy though and see how it goes, nothing has gotten worse so I keep on going. 

 

This morning was my last Saturday taper before race week, 8 miles, and it felt amazing!  I love running in the cold once I get started, my leg loves it too!  And I got to look at this sunrise for about 4 miles!

 

So now I sit and look ahead, I am a week away from the day I have been training for since 18 weeks ago, the day I have longed for since 2.5 years ago, and the day that I thought may never come again. 

 

I am thankful, I am so nervous, I am so excited, I am so blessed!

 

A couple prayer requests (small ones at that):

 

That my leg holds up

That the weather stays cool (preferably nothing above 55:-)

That my mind not get the best of me

And that I NEVER forget to say thank you for each step I take!

 

All the way my Savior leads me, cheers each winding path I tread!