Big Changes

Big Changes

In February of this year, my sweet hubby and I signed up for the United States Air Force 10K with every intention of training clear up until the day of the race.  Yeah!  That didn't work out so well.  We trained, walked on a treadmill, for several months and were doing well and then ...we stopped.  I don't know what possessed us to think we could actually do a 10K without training.  That's 6.2 miles people!  Anyway, flash forward to two weeks before the race.  My sweetie kept asking "are you sure?" "are you sure?" until finally I just said, "look, I'm doing this.  If you don't want to, you don't have to. But I'm doing this!"  I knew I would be kicking myself in the butt with every step I took for not training better.  The point was, it was my 55th birthday and I was going to do something memorable. 

The day before the 10K, I went to pick up our packets - bibs, t-shirts, hats, etc - as I was at the counter to pick up, I looked over to the line next to me and there was my best friend's husband picking up their packets!  What a great surprise! 

September 15, 2012 RACE DAY!  The day dawned a little chilly and the parking lot was filling fast.  It was dark at 6:15 a.m. when we pulled into the grass field that would be our "parking lot."  Cars were lined for at least a half mile ahead of us and I don't even know how long behind.  We got out of the truck and started walking as the sun was rising.  No one told us you have to walk for a mile before you even start the 10K!  Our friends showed up right before the start was called.  We saw the B2 fly over and it was amazing!  We were humbled by all the wheeled racers. And then we were off!

The first two miles were not so bad.  Mile two was the big hill we had been dreading.  There were live bands along the race route and water/Gatorade stations along the way as well.  We were pulling up the rear after the 3 mile mark.  We were on a long walk in what seemed to be a vacant land.  Around mile 4, my older brother called to wish me a happy birthday.  I was now having back spasms as my constant reminder that I had not trained well, so I sat on a guard rail to talk with him.  When we reached the 5 mile mark, our youngest child called and was screaming into the phone how proud she was that we were actually doing this race.

When we reached that corner where we turned and could see all the well wishers and I heard "good job, you're almost there" and "great job Debra", and "keep it up, you're almost to the finish line" I wanted to sob.  Those people didn't know me from Adam and yet, here they were cheering me to finish.  The greatest cheerleader I had all throughout the 10K was my friend Bev.  If she hadn't been there, I don't know that I would have made it as far as I did. 

As we turned down the last stretch and I saw that finish line, my heart beat increased and I wanted to run!  We were going to finish and finish in under the 4 hour time limit.  My hubby and I held hands as we finished together and our friends finished right beside us.  It was probably one of the most memorable birthdays I have ever spent!

As I sit here typing this, I am reminded of the pain I went through the rest of that day.  Most of which, I probably would not have gone through if I had trained better.  I am now on a quest to get healthy and run at least half of that same race next year and finish in 2 hours.  I have signed up for the Couch 2 5K training program and will start that on Monday.  I know I have it in me to run that race and finish well.  I know I have Someone who will be with me every step of the way and I cling to His words from Hebrews:

 "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."