in january, i ran a marathon.
i remind myself of that often. when things get difficult or uncomfortable i remember how scary 26.2 miles seemed but how great every single one of them felt. i can do hard things.
crossing that finish line was both a huge relief and a tremendous reward. months of training amid an already hectic schedule. entire sunday mornings dedicated to long runs. a brutal 20 mile run following an already emotional week. headaches, chaffing, two pairs of sneakers, and gallons of sweat.
thank god i registered for that marathon months in advance. i didn't know how much i would need it. running surely pulled me up from the trenches. most days i wanted to hide under a rock but a healthy fear of hitting the wall mid-race got me out of bed and out running. it made me realize that i can't wait for life to get better, i have to make it that way. it's still a work in progress.
i had some great friends help me on training runs and they even delivered a care package to my hotel the night before. others sent cards or texts of encouragement. i was even lucky enough to have my parents come cheer me on. as i went to bed marathon eve, my cup was more than half full.
lining up the morning of the marathon, i was terrified. 26 miles was intimidating. but knowing i'd see my parents at mile 5 in the magic kingdom kept me from a complete panic. so i focused on making it there, one mile at a time.
my parents were right in front of the castle and seeing them there was, well...magical. it filled my tank for the next leg of the course which was a long stretch from the magic kingdom to the animal kingdom. disney provided enough entertainment (of course) and before i knew it, i made it to mile 12. the energy of animal kingdom was electric; animals, guys on stilts, loud music and fire! soon enough i was on my way to ESPN.
it was then i knew that i had it. i COULD do this.
i felt awesome. i knew mom and dad would be at mile 19, a friend at mile 24 and then just two more miles. easy! i high fived my parents as i ran by and my dad says he knew i had it then too. he told me that after the race, with a ton of pride in his voice, and it still makes my heart swell.
next was hollywood studios, a personal favorite. running behind the scenes was enough distraction to keep me moving forward. the chocolate they handed out didn't hurt either. an awesome surprise came as i exited the park and saw someone cheering from me. i felt a bit delirious because i knew she was cheering for me but i couldn't believe it either. my college roommate had spotted me among the masses. i gave her a big, sweaty hug and i was on a high for the next mile. i almost wanted to slow down to make this all last but before i knew it i was running through epcot on the way to the finish.
coming up to that finish line was beyond amazing. i could have burst, i was so incredibly proud and HAPPY. before that race i had been neither of these things. that day, you couldn't wipe the smile off my face. i could not wait to get to my parents. i didn't feel like i had made them proud recently and i was so glad i could change that. they have always been my biggest cheerleaders, and i am so grateful. if my legs could have gotten me over the barricades to reach them, i would have. sharing this experience with them was so special.
my first goal was to finish the race. my second goal was to do it in four and a half hours. well, i finished it in 4:30:35. the fact that not only did i finish but i did it in the exact time i had hoped for was nothing short of a miracle. thinking back on that day, i'm pretty sure there was divine intervention. the weather could not have been more perfect. i hardly broke a sweat which was in stark contrast to my training runs. and not once did i want to stop running. for four and a half hours. thinking about it, it seems impossible, but somehow it wasn't!
i never let my mind get ahead of my body. i truly enjoyed myself and never once wanted to give up. i felt incredibly strong. when i crossed the finish line, my cup runneth over, fortunately with champagne!
so now, when things get hard i remind myself of that day and know that if i just take it one mile, one step at a time i will cross that finish line. (and if i forget, my wonderful mom always reminds me).
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