Hell may have frozen over today.
Last year, I received an Email about the St. George Marathon not doing a lottery for the first time. I don’t know why that sparked something in me. (Because clearly, the lottery system wasn’t holding me back in years past!) But that day, I impulsively signed up to do the St. George marathon. Then I never revisited it again. UNTIL…a few days before Father’s Day, Micah said he saw the marathon on the credit card. I thought “CRAP” in my mind, and then sheepishly said, “Happy Father’s Day”! He said he knew it was for me, and then I said, “I don’t want you to ask another thing about it…EVER!” (Basically, I didn’t want a coach telling me my training was a little off.)
That day, I started running my 1/2 mile. Then over the summer, I ran almost every day in Europe, and wherever else we were. (Including the month I had Poison Oak all over my trunk…and it almost did me in until I found frozen peas! But that is another story….COLBY!!!)
October arrived, and I was laughing that I had only run my max of 7 miles as we drove to St. George. So many people were sure I wouldn’t finish it….but I never doubt myself (Nor did any of my brothers and sisters or Micah!) — and my ability to not build up lactic acid. I figured I would walk the hills and run the flats.
The morning of the race, I got up early while my kids slept. Micah took me to the race start. He kissed me goodbye, and I was off with nothing but a visor and sunglasses, and an IPOD shuffle I bought the day before. I figured running with something in my ears might help distract me from my footsteps. Of course I was wearing black head to toe — and fully covered. Heat stroke sounded better than running with sunblock on.
I got up to the race start, and hung out at the fire pits for the race to begin. Micah advised me to start slowly. HA!!!! How else would I start!!!
I started that race with the only music that appeals to me in my ears (classical piano of course — Chopin to be exact). I ran the first nine miles without a second thought. I already had my PR…and I wasn’t even half way! I ran past the first spectator spot, but no Micah and no kids. (I later found out that he got mixed up on the directions, and was in tears he was so frustrated he wasn’t there for me. Poor guy…but spectating is not an easy task. I’ve just made it look easy all these years!) So I kept running. I met up with them at around mile 15…and they were shouting, holding signs, and cheering like crazy people. It was an absolute blast!
I stopped for a quick picture, and headed out with Scout who wanted to run a mile or two with me.
We ran the next few miles, and met up with everyone again. Scout stayed in the race with me, and kept staying in every time we saw everyone.
By the time we got to mile 23, I had met my goal….the only thing I wanted to do, was complete the race — and NOT get swept off by the sweeper because I was too slow.
Scout stayed with me for the last 11 miles of the race, and it was so fun to do it with him.
When the finish line was in sight, the rest of the kids jumped in, and we all crossed together!
Who cares if it took me over six hours to finish….I finished.
And now I can add Marathon Runner (or Wunner) to my lengthy resume of ridiculous things I have done.
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