I Finished the Race!

I crossed "run a marathon" off my bucket list by conquering the Chicago Marathon on 10-10-10. I've since learned to have a new respect for anyone who has ever ran a marathon. It was the hardest thing I have ever done.

Starting off the race was easy, the day was beautiful and fall was in the air. At mile 9 the toes on my left foot began to throb. Around mile 13 the shade disappeared and the sun began to beat down with a vengeance. At mile 15 the pain in my left my toes moved to my knee. I prayed and spoke encouraging words to myself. I visualized Jesus carrying my daughter, Amber, across the finish line. So giving up was no longer an option.

At mile 20 I was thinking "this is the furthest I had ever run" in my training runs. It really felt like a good place to stop as runners all around me were giving up. It was then I overheard a pacer speaking words of encouragement to another runner. "If you feel like stopping, don't. Just slow down your pace and keep running." I grabbed a hold of those words.

How I finished I'm not really sure, it just happened by the grace of God. I had been meditating on, "I will run and not become weary, I will walk and not faint or fall down." I thought about raising money for Mercy Ministries and how I did not want to raise money for a race I did not finish.

As I crossed the finish line I was overcome with joy, I did not quit! I fought the good fight, I finished the race!