I had two main goals. 1) That I finish the marathon (and preferably in under five hours– although I don’t know if I ever spoke that out loud for fear it was asking too much) and 2) That I beat at least one person (I kept envisioning the little workers trying to clean everything up before I could get across the finish line :))
and FUN. I wish I could count the number of times I whispered, “Thank you Jesus!” on the first half (the second half, the prayers were a little less filled with thanksgiving) of the run. I knew it was Him. It was your prayers. I ran faster and felt better than I have on ANY long run. And all those people cheering on the sidelines…made me want to cry. I wanted to hug them all. When I crossed the half marathon point at just under 2 hours, I thought, “I could do this all day!”
We ate…
and ate…
and ate…
and ate…
I never want to take another trip without Ashley :).
Dr. Bonantz. Oh, what can I even say? He was our fearless leader. Throughout the training, the traveling, the moral support. He has such a big heart, and such a funny (cute) little German accent, that I cannot imagine this whole experience without him in it. After he finished the marathon, he ran BACK (Can you FATHOM running 26.2 miles and then RUNNING anywhere out of choice?) first for Ashley and then (much later :)) for me. I’ll never forget the site of him rounding the corner just before I got back to the finish line and screaming, “Look Jeremiah! It’s Ekkehard!” I knew I was almost home, and he was going to be dang sure I got there…
Well, this isn’t even my real post. I was just trying to hit the MAIN points. It, as always, got much longer than anticipated. But, I have lots more pictures and story to tell. So I’ll be back soon. Right now though, I have to go pick up my little chicken wings in Dothan! If I don’t get my lips on them soon, I might explode. See you soon, and thank you, thank you, thank you again for your support and prayers. I CAN’T BELIEVE I FINISHED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!At this very second, I’m feeling like this:
Sitting in a quiet house…with no babies. My friend Berkley:
is driving the girls here:
for me!!!!!!!!! They’re sure to come back looking like this:
but that’s how we like it, right? Give’em back to me all ready to nap for three days straight 🙂 Now, I am sure to miss this:
But at least I’ll be looking at this:
instead. I hope to come back with a picture like this!!!!
(Oh. My. Goodness. Do y’all think it was the “outfit” that did it for her too? Please tell me you’re laughing out loud at the thought of me showing up on the starting line in a get-up like that one).
And hopefully not a pic, of me looking like this:
Thanks for all the encouragment!!!!!!!!! I am even a teeny tiny bit excited 🙂
Five a.m. Two pieces of whole wheat toast. One buttered. One crunchy peanut buttered (and covered in banana slices if the girls haven’t eaten all of them for the week). A tall glass of water. A Psalm of encouragement. And a prayer of survival. That’s how I’ve started (almost) every Saturday morning for the last three or so months. And I just did it for the last time. My marathon is THIS COMING SUNDAY in Falmouth, MA (part of Cape Cod).
Who came into the study yesterday and announced, “Mommy, I need to do some surgery on your hamstring…And this is preeeetty serious.”
When I saw her surgical instruments included Cinderella’s slipper and some swimming goggles…I got a little worried. When she apparently though my hamstrings were joined to my big toe, I knew I probably should have gotten a second opinion.
The surgery went pretty well overall, despite my loud, dramatic screaming effects 🙂 The prognosis is still hazy, but one thing’s for sure, if I am screaming in pain, I will always be able to count on Dapples for a heart burdened with sympathy:
Would you like to know the three primary (physical) things (Besides God. I do know that is the real answer here) that are sustaining me on this nerve-racking week building up to the run? 1) The fact that my past four runs have involved some pain, but on the whole have been really good. 2) All those amazingly sweet notes you see scattered in the picture below, from dear friends who encourage and support me AND 3) That cute little running ensemble that Mrs. Linda (Jeremiah’s Mom) just sent me (via Ashley, who picked it out). This may sound crazy, but now that I know what I’m wearing in the race, it’s a lot easier to envision myself crossing the finish line (like everybody keeps telling me to do). You KNOW you’re a serious runner when…the outfit is the deal clincher 🙂