13.1 One and Done?

The day came. The day I swore would never come. I ran for distance. It's amazing what you are willing to do for friends. I really dislike long runs. Knowing how I feel about them, it guilted me into offering to train with a gal pal on her marathon runs. I didn't want her to suffer through long runs. Last Saturday was the dreaded 13.1 miles.

I will not lie. The run frightened me. I woke up thinking, "Maybe I'll pretend to have diarrhea." I didn't though. I got up at 5:30 on a Sunday morning, got dressed, hydrated, ate, put my shoes on, and got in Erica's van.

We decided to run a long stretch of a nearby town and a new friend was joining us.  That was the biggest blessing of all. Sarah, our new friend, is also running the Chicago Marathon and in the middle of her training. It was so nice to have new scenery and a new person to get to know while we were running. In a lot of ways she lives a very similar life in regards to her business (Arbonne), her faith, her children, and her upbringing. It was wonderful to compare notes and learn from someone who shares the same goals.

On the other hand, Sarah leads a very different life than most.  Where most of our husbands' have jobs that allow us to live in one specific area, she lives in 3 places in one year's time. She also meets many different people who have varying backgrounds. Hearing her routines and heart towards the people she meets in the different locations is inspiring.  It really made me evaluate how I live my life and whether I truly affect those around me in a positive manner.

As I was thinking about this and we were rounding out mile 5, I looked over and saw a lady with a sign. It was my MOM!  Erica had coordinated my mom and family to be there to cheer me on like I were in a real race.  So incredibly thoughtful!  As we took a little stretch and potty break, I felt so blessed.

It was a nice surprise that blocked out what I was truly doing.  After hugs and encouragement, we hit the remaining 8 miles. There was a time my body, mainly my knee, wanted to shut down, but I pressed on and engaged in some serious mental toughness.

When I was finished, I felt amazing. My original plan was to run 13.1 miles with Erica and then coordinate others to run with her. Now that I know I can overcome my own negative thoughts, I plan on completing the training with her. Yes, I just said that. Yikes! That just became real!

So I guess I'm not a one and done girl. From now one every weekend until October 11th, I will run half marathons and beyond. Now who's crazy???