LOTTS GOING ON: Let us Run with Perseverance

After many months of training, experiments with various shoes, accomplishments and failures in training, doubts, fears, excitements and more....I have completed my half marathon! A friend and I started talking about doing a half marathon way back in March. I couldn't run farther than 2 miles at the time, but was determined to train and to be a "runner." I started running about 4 times a week, gradually increasing my mileage each week. My friend ended up not being able to continue training due to some knee issues, so William started running with me some just for fun. I tried running in brand new $100 running shoes with special insoles, running barefoot, running in huarachi sandals, and back to the running shoes sans the fancy insoles. It took awhile to figure out what worked best for long distances. I liked running barefoot, but it was not the best for long distance on hard surfaces, so I stuck with my shoes with as little padding as possible. I was going strong in my training until we started moving and were in the desert. I didn't get to run as much as I wanted and most of the running that I did do was on a treadmill. One morning I woke up with a really sore achilles and wasn't sure what I had done. I stayed off of it a bit until I was in Memphis and attempted to do the 7 mile green belt. I only made it about 4 miles before my achilles would take no more abuse. I tried running just 2 miles again while in Memphis and didn't make it. I thought my hopes and dreams of being a half marathoner were shattered and that I wouldn't be able to do the race because of the injury and because I just hadn't gotten to do all the training I needed. Well a couple of weeks before the race I eased back into running doing a couple of miles every other day. My achilles was doing well, but I thought there was no way that I could do a long race. I got my email confirmation for the race and was pretty bummed that I had decided not to do it since I didn't think I was ready. I asked William if I should just go pick up my t-shirt anyway - I mean, I'd paid $60 for it after all - even if I wasn't going to run. He convinced me to just go pick up everything - the t-shirt, my number and my timing chip - and to just do the race. Worst thing that could happen is I have to drop out or walk, right? Right! Um, ok! I'll just go for it and try to run 13.1 miles even though the farthest I'd run to date was 6 miles. Why not? A couple of days before the race I attempted a 4 mile run (mind you it was in 95 degree weather and I picked an all uphill course accidently) and failed. I really wasn't thinking I could do the race, but had committed to it all over again anyway. I didn't sleep at all the night before because I was so nervous. I got up at 5am on Sunday morning, November 7th and drove to Santa Clarita all by myself. I parked my car, made myself choke down a granola bar after almost throwing up a bite of banana due to nerves and the early morning, drank some water, and walked over to the starting line. There were a LOT of people there (almost 3,000 ran one of the 3 races that were going on that day) and it was exciting to be around all the runners. I definitely had a few thoughts of "what am I doing here with all these skinny runners?" but I didn't let myself get discouraged. The race started at 7am. I had told William that if he got there by 9:45 that he'd have plenty of time to make it to the finish line before me, because I didn't think I would be done before then. Well, I did a lot better than I thought I would! I finished in 2 hours and 32 minutes - at 9:32am! I ran, without walking, the entire race! The entire first half of the race I ran exactly 1o minute miles and the second half I slowed down a bit making my overall average 11:30 minute miles. As I approached the 13 mile mark, I decided that that was as far as I ever wanted to run, but that it was worth it. I started "sprinting" when I saw the finish line and was thrilled to finish! William and Arden missed my finish by about 4 minutes, which was sad, but totally my fault for underestimating my mad running skills. I got a medal as I crossed the finish line and was so proud to wear it! I even finished in enough time to shower and make it to church on time! I was exhausted, but it was a great day!