Background

Sunday, October 30, 2011

335/365

VICTORY! So thankful for a beautiful race day, for my shoe inserts (Oh they are woooonderful! Thanks, Fleet Feet!!), for the dunkin donuts on mile 21, and for my friends and family who encouraged/supported/ran/cheered.... I must say my first and foremost goal is always to come in before the ambulance, and that was accomplished today. :)

Here's how the day started. Woke up 5:15am (which is later than usual for these races...) and drank some water and gatorade, scarfed down a banana and granola bar, and got ready to go! All of the group headed out the door (after taking pictures in which we look half dead-- you will see them below) to the Foggy Bottom metro stop, and continued our trek from Pentagon Station to the race start. When we got off the metro, we had about a mile walk to the race start and it was freeeezing. In the video blow you'll notice several of us were wearing trash bags as the race was starting. It's a nifty trick shared with us by the Bundricks, veteran marathoners and our inspiration. :) We missed having them there this year-- next year we can reunite in DC!
After about 45 minutes of standing around with butterflies in the stomach, they finally start the race- but even then it took us about 25 minutes to cross the START line. With 30,000 runners you don't get anywhere fast... unless you're Kenyan. Then you knock out those 26.2 miles in about 2 hours and 15 minutes. But we won't go there.

The race started CHI-LLY! It was incredible because yesterday we had snow and rain, and today it was just beautiful and sunny. Spectators lined the race most of the way- which is so encouraging. I ran into several Clemson fans along the way, and lots of people had great things to say about our recent defeat... cough.... against GT. :) Made for a fun run!

Ran with Sarah and Anna, and felt great through about mile 21, then we hit the bridge of doom. This bridge is terrible and for some reason I can never ever run it. I just hate it. :) While we were running it my leg cramped and froze. It was the weirdest thing I've ever experienced! If you notice in my pictures below, when I run my face gets really salty :), which is why I cramped up! So right as I was cramping we came up on this little aid station and they gave me salt packets! HEAVEN! You've never tasted something so great as three salt packets washed down with water. Mmm... and bam, cramp gone!

So, after that minor tragedy, we kept moving through Crystal City, ate some donuts along the race course (carbo load, friends... carbo load.), and FINALLY neared the finish line. I tell you, Iwo Jima is my favorite monument in DC! Brought tears to my eyes... and probably 60,000 other eyes also. (30,000 runners X 2 eyes.... you do the math ;))

I must admit that I finished at the same time this crazy guy finished... BAREFOOT. But hey, I finished. He said his feet were pretty torn up... you THINK. ;) All in all, a GREAT race and a great experience. The whole "you hit a wall at mile 17" is all in the mind. I hit no walls- I didn't hit anything except the ground running!! SUCH a fun day!
                                   
We were all pretty excited at the start of the race. Barb Fisher, Cherith and Bryan Horton, Chuck Horton, Andrew Hudson, James Studdard, Timothy Reeves, Anna Whitwell, Jon Ledbetter, Sarah and Alli Campbell... what a crew!
5:30 am... getting ready to go! This is most of our group... we met the other 4 at the race start

I feel like this was around mile 8 but I'm not sure. Still pretty chilly!!

Sarah got to talk to my nephew Benton.... mile 19 (I THINK... it's all a blur). I was pretty
jealous I didn't get a call from a cute little man.

MI 26... ready to be DONE! As you can see my dad's holding the Clemson Flag high.
This is how we found them along the race... so we could
steal advil and gatorade from them. :) CRUCIAL!
SO HAPPY!!!! Notice the salt on our faces... it's a Campbell thing.
If you know why this happens, please tell me. I'm so curious.
I think it's because I eat too many french fries.....
Part of our group... exhausted but happppy!

So thankful for AMY and the rest of our support crew!
It's unbelievably encouraging knowing there are people there
waiting to cheer for you... thanks to my PARENTS and to the Ledbetters, Randy Page and
Mrs. Horton for cheering us on!!
One more... unbelievable. So we started this running group this summer... Saturday mornings...
run/swim/kayak out at the rowing center. Who knew we'd all end up in DC together.
So thankful! 

The moment we've all been waiting for...
(... and no, I'm not referring to hanging out with this really beautiful marine... I'm talking about
getting that medal around my neck ;))
Thankful to finish with my best friend!!!! She's the one
who got me into this mess in the first place...
two years ago! Then she ditched me and made me run it TWICE!
We'll see... I think another full is in the works. Maybe next year....

God's good to allow us to enjoy meeting such silly goals... even running is important to Him! Always reminded of this passage before a race.


Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
(Hebrews 12:1-2 ESV)

Thankful that in the "race" of life that God has called us to, we can look to Jesus as our support. He gets us through... every time. :)

No comments:

Post a Comment