Finishing 13.1 miles...in this crowd...
And I did...I crossed the finish line on the boardwalk at 02:57:49. The crowd was immense. The energy was overwhelming. Live bands at just about every mile marker and streets lined with cheerleaders and loud spectators.
My equally nutzy, determined, fabulous and fellow global nomad cousin flew in just so we could run the half marathon together! Love you, Jenn!
Jenn currently lives in a land locked state. When I said I wanted seafood after the race, she didn't argue. She and I stayed with one of the most amazing friends anyone could ever be blessed with. Not only did Amy feed us the night before and shuttle us to the start line at 6 am and meet us at the finish line on the beach with balloons and our own wee cheer leaders, she let us in on one of the best kept local secrets: an amazing seafood restaurant/dive right on the bay....the shrimps were swimming with the fishes just that morning.
My own personal reward...Magic Hat #9...and the glass even saluted me!
Cleaned up. Full. Happy. Content. And sore. I have muscles I didn't even know I had introducing themselves. But, dang, if we aren't both proud of ourselves!
The elite runners were awesome. Of course a Kenyan won...we had just crossed the 5k marker when he passed us going the other way. Crazy fast.
But the group of runners that most impressed me? The ones I was running with. The ones who were running to prove something to themselves. Running for a personal cause. The ones who were struggling with keeping one foot in front of the other and still kept on going. The ones who wanted to quit, but didn't. The ones who stumbled, fell, got back up and kept running and finished. Those are the ones who I'm proud of.
So why do I put myself through this? Because I believe in parenting/teaching/living by example. My children will know that they can do anything they put their minds to. And they've been gifted with the tenacity to see it through.
Things are labeled Impossible just because it hasn't been done yet. A year ago I couldn't run a mile. Sunday I ran/walked 13 of them. I threw up at the end. But I finished. Three weeks ago I suffered a ruptured ovarian cyst. Derailed my training just a bit. But I still ran. And finished. Because I said I would.
5 comments:
Congratulations! Had a bit of shudder when i read about your ruptured cyst. You're amazingly tough!
Congratulations Dori and Jenn! I like the way you celebrated. Definitely an experience to be proud of.
I've missed reading your blog this summer. I've missed your training tales and apparently, a health issue.
Hope to back-track soon. Once I get these kids in their school rhythm, I might have some actual blogging time. :)
Not impossible - just difficult, but well done :D
Ruptured ovarian cyst?!? Ow..... Glad you're okay!
Hi! Just came over from Brigid's blog to visit.
My lovely wife is a half marathon runner, too. Running helps her to burn off stress.
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