This morning I woke up with excitement in the pit of my stomach. The excitement was joined by a nervous feeling, but a good kind of nervous. The kind of nervous that reminds you that you're about to do something awesome.
Today was a local city's marathon and half marathon. I ran on a relay team with three other girls. Together we did a full marathon. I ran leg 2 which was 7.1 miles and what an amazing 7.1 miles it was!
I spent some quality time preparing for this race as it was on hills and I typically don't do my runs on hills. It is also the longest distance I have ever ran! A week after I committed to this I honestly didn't know what I got myself into. After driving the course in my car I was definitely doubting myself.
Last week I got a chance to practice run the first two miles of the leg I did today and it felt like a piece of cake after all the training I had done! I was pumped and ready to go! I kept that practice run in my mind all week long and I visualized the entire course, imagining where I would be and how it feel.
The first mile and a half was a bit weird. I felt full as I had recently had some almonds because I thought I had more time before the girl who was running leg 1 would be in... I didn't have as much as I thought so I felt my insides flopping around as I started my leg. I finally made the mental decision to stop paying attention to it and I slowly found my groove. By mile 3 I felt good, focused, and was having fun!
It was SO cold this morning. I'm talking 20 degrees when I woke up at 6:45. By 10 am it was around 35 degrees or so. I had my cold weather running gear on and by mile 3 I was getting hot! The sun was getting high in the sky and the temperature was slowly climbing.
I saw a friend from work on the sideline with her two kid cheering me on! It put a huge smile on my face and I was able to ditch my warmer clothes with her. Seeing so many smiling faces of complete strangers clapping and cheering the runners on was amazing and definitely gave me a boost when I needed it.
Mile by mile I kept on going and then I reached the final long stretch of road that would lead me to relay leg number 3. I got to the peak of the road and I could see the entire city before me. I felt so happy and proud of myself because I had not stopped once, despite the hilly terrain, and the long distance.
When I get to the final turn and I see my husband, my mom and a few of my close friends standing there waiting to cheer for me! It was such an amazing moment.... I thought I just might cry.
I keep replaying the whole morning over and over in my mind, not only because it was so much fun, but because I pushed myself to do something that I had always wanted to do but just never did. I am so thankful to have so many friends and family who are there to support and root me on! Talk about love.
This is by far my favorite race day.
Now that is over I don't know what I am going to do. I currently have no races lined up... I feel lost!
6 comments:
Congratulations!!! 7.1 miles is incredible!
HOOORAY!!!! for you!!! I seriously teared up reading this!!!! I know that feeling of accomplishment so weel, and I am glad you were able to experience it! Find another race, andother goal ~ FAST! You will never look back, you will continue to strive forward, to push yourself! I KNOW you could run a 1/2 and THAT my friend is amazing as well :-) Enjoy your accomplishments of the weekend!!!
What a great accomplishment! I have never been a long distance runner, but I was the fastest sprinter in my eighth grade!! ha And now I am losing and have lost cartilege in my knees and can't run, and wish I could. So run a few miles for me!!
Yay, I'm glad you are so happy. I am truly inspired - your excitement and happiness make me want to experience it myself. I am so proud of you - what an accomplishment!
Congrats to you on this major accomplishment!!
I admire you! I would love to be a runner... I am working on it slowly but surely. I have a looog way to go, though! ;)
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