The end...

Is this the end because Endurance Weekend happened? Oh no! This is only the beginning!

My sister and I ran our very first 1/2 marathon this weekend. It was cold, rainy/sleeting (in Central Florida, no less), miserable. The race path was difficult at times due to crowd congestion, instability in the road surface or what-have-you. We didn't have the time we originally set our hearts upon when we signed up for the 1/2, but as tears poured from my eyes, holding the hand of my greatest supporter and motivator, I realized that almost a year in the making and I just accomplished a goal on my bucket list. I get to take my Sharpie marker and scratch off a dream of mine. As I touched the finish line, with arms in the air it occurred to me....I can do ANYTHING! I know people say that and I know everyone uses it as a motivational tool...but for the very first time in my entire life I understood it completely. It was painful, uncomfortable, and, at times, discouraging to be so much slower than I envisioned but maybe that is the point. Maybe the point of this "ah-ha"moment and life lesson is that the things that really mean something to you...the things you work really hard for and desperately want are always the ones that will cause you a little pain and discomfort because you are willing to knowingly put yourself through pain to reach the destination point you want.

I could not have been more proud of myself and my sister in that moment. Ironically, as much pain as I was in- my knees throbbed, my ankles were weak and screaming at me, my lips were purple for hours after and I would have done it again for the same thrill and experience as I had crossing that line. As I drove home with my beautiful son sleeping in the backseat, I had time to think and reflect upon the race and the accomplishment....I think I might want to do it again! Can I get a better time? Can I make it through and run a little more distance? We'll see. I am in no hurry to run another long race again (yet), but I am still logging my miles and time at the gym. How cool is that though?? I am considering putting myself through it all again because of that split-second feeling at the finish line!