Finishing the race

I finished my 10 mile race!  I had such a great experience this time around.  Granted it was not a half marathon but it was a long run.  I don't know if any of you reading this remember my post about running my half marathon over 2 years ago.  It's called Half Marathon if you want to check it out.   It was not a good experience as I trained for 6 months and then got a stomach bug the night before and still ran my race.  I finished but it was so hard and not very enjoyable. So I was a little hesitant after that to sign up for another half.  I couldn't even stomach the thought of a 15 K.  But in December my son in law Andrew who is a runner said he was going to do this 10 mile race in February.  So I finally, though hesitantly decided to start running and took the plunge and signed up.  For me when I sign up for a race it's gonna happen.  I am going to do that race!  I was a bit reluctant to train in the winter because of the rainy cold weather and also the lack of daylight after work.  I am not a treadmill runner at all.  In fact I had never even run on a treadmill until this training time because I needed to get a good run in one Saturday and the weather was bad.  So I tried it.  It seemed so easy but I didn't know what I was doing. The next few days were torturous for my legs.  They were so sore.  Fortunately I was able to get all my running done outside after that incident.  I came to the conclusion  that I like winter training much better than summer.  It was so much easier for me to breathe and I felt so much stronger during my training.  I had a few issues as I normally do when I put my body to the test but I figured it out and made it to race day healthy and strong.  

Now to my run:

 I had a good night sleep and woke up thankful.  I got a little nervous but tried to calm myself. I had to ask Jesus for help.  It worked.  The sunrise was beautiful as I drove to the race.  I had to stop and take a picture.  For me it was a gift from God saying it's gonna be a beautiful race day.  I met Sheila and Andrew there.  We watched Sheila take off for her 4 mile race.  Then Andrew and I got in line for ours.  I was off !  It's always a struggle to not run too fast starting out. I seem to want to stay with the crowd.  I always have to remind myself to run my own race.  I was going too fast that first mile & 1/2 and started to get a side ache. That got me thinking, YES, thinking all this during my running.  In our lives we have one life to live.  We are not to try to keep up with others.  We are made specifically for the life God gave us.  We can't fill anyone else's shoes.  Once I got on my pace I got rid of the pain and ran better. Only when we get on our own pace are we effective for the long journey.  

I've noticed in my racing, there are always a few people that are running pretty close to my pace.  Back and forth we go.  I will pass them and then a little down the way they will pass me.  Back and forth we go.  It's an encouragement when I pass someone.  It pushes me to run harder for a few moments.  It also reminds me when they pass me, that it's ok for them to go past. I'm running my race and I may pass them further down the road.  It's a long run.  

I don't know if you've run in a race but in everyone I've run there is water different miles throughout the race.  It gives you refreshment for your journey.  In longer races there is gatorade.  In my race yesterday it was at mile 6.  I drank that little cup of gatorade and it gave me a boost.  I had the best time at mile 6 and 7.  I couldn't stop smiling.  I had good music and a beautiful flat shady trail on the greenway.  I felt such joy!  I was over half way to my finish line and I was having the time of my life.  But just up ahead were some BIG hills.  I had been told beforehand that mile 8 and 9 had a few hills.  Why do they seem so big when you're running a race?  And why do they have to be part of the journey?  Well that's another thought I had.  During our lives we have those great moments of happiness and joy!  Relish them because up ahead is going to be a hill that feels like a mountain.  It's part of everyone's journey.  However during that mile 8-9 there were people on the sidelines telling us we could do it. They were ringing bells and giving us high fives! They said "keep running. It's not too much further, you got this! " In the bible it says we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses cheering us on.  That's what I was thinking when it was happening. For us who walk in faith that is going on behind the scenes. Don't get discouraged, You're so close to the finish, don't give up now!

 In one area toward the middle of mile 9 in a neighborhood of beautiful homes, almost every house had an American flag at the street. It was just beautiful.  I don't know why that touched me so greatly.  Maybe because of the division in our country lately.  Maybe because I was just coming out of the hard hills on the last part of my race and I was getting so tired but  I was moved by it.  It was a banner waving and saying to me, "You are in a beautiful country and you are free.  You are blessed."  At this point I was very tired but in the distance I could hear cheering.  It was for the people who were ahead of me who were crossing the finish line.  I was getting close to the end and I knew I could make it!  I was hearing the cheers and I just needed to go less than a mile.  I could picture in my mind crossing the finish line.  I had run for months thinking of this moment. It was almost done.  I knew Sheila and Andrew would be there waiting for me. They already finished their race.  People I didn't know would cheer as I crossed the line.  For this reason I was encouraged and I started to run faster.  I didn't even know I could but I did.  I saw the crowds and I saw my family!  As I crossed I heard the announcer call my name!  It sounded so wonderful to hear him say my name!  Won't it be wonderful when we finish our race here on earth and hear Jesus call our name and say Good job?!  You finished well!  Then I got the reward!  I got a medal!  I got wonderful orange juice that tasted so good. I couldn't stop smiling! My race was over and it was a wonderful journey!