I completed my first half marathon at the San Diego Half Marathon on Sunday, June 6, 2010. HOW INCREDIBLE!! I finished the race at an average of 10 minutes and 16 seconds per mile, 14 seconds less than my goal! I continue to wonder if I really did this.. But I DID! I'm so excited and so proud. What a feeling!! While I am so ready to train to improve my running skills, at my first ever face, I finished 286th out of 858 runners in my age and gender division. This puts me at 30%. The way I like to think of it is that if I were running with 10 people in my bracket, I would have come in third place! :-D (About 30,000 total people participated in the marathon, 13, 561 finished, and about 4,000 of those total participants were Team in Training participants.)
Not only was the event itself fantastic, but the entire Team in Training experience was phenomenal!! I certainly look forward to participating again in the future, hopefully next time as a mentor (an alumni participant who serves as a guide and resource for those who are new participants) or even as a coach (an experienced runner who serves as a leader of the participant group and provides them guidance through training). At the San Diego Marathon alone, TNT raised over $12 million dollars to fund Leukemia & Lymphoma research and treatment! The amount that Team in Training alone has raised for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is unimaginable. What an incredible organization!!
I felt completely thankful to have participated in such a giving and positive organization throughout each experience of the weekend. My particular favorite event that set in my heart the extreme need for organizations such as these was our "Inspiration Lunch," a catered pasta lunch on Saturday afternoon, the day before the race. At this event, we heard from a champion running coach and LLS staff to gear us up for the next day, but the most inspiring speaker was a man who had experienced what LLS has to offer. This gentleman told the story of his beautiful young daughter, McKenna. This girl spent her first few years in and out of the hospital through chemotherapy and radiation after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and having a relapse once. At five years old, she was cancer-free and remained so until she was ten years old. Again, she had a relapse, but this time, her body couldn't withstand what it was experiencing. Hearing this man's story of what his family experiences was almost too much. The entire room was filled crying TNT participants as we learned how cancer has so severely affected families everywhere. WHY? I just can't understand how this can happen to such innocent and beautiful people. I am so grateful that I chose to run with TNT in my first race in order to understand just how we are able to use our own resources to help others.
Race day was so thrilling. While waking at 3 AM and sitting near the starting line for about 2 1/2 hours before beginning was not too much fun, every detail of the event made for an amazing experience! The amount of people cheering us along the way, the bands playing at various points along the course, the beautiful scenery, and the extreme energy that all of this provided made for a fun and comfortable run. I barely felt as though I was running 13.1 miles! Okay, okay... There were points where I felt pretty tired, but when those times came, I said a prayer and remembered those who I'm running for, my loved ones and those I know who have experienced cancer and every other family worldwide. One of my favorite moments of race day came during mile 7 or 8. As I was running along the course and various spectators lined the sides of the road, I saw a man standing alone watching as the runners passed. He held a sign that simply said, "Hello complete stranger, I am proud of you." I cried. Truly, as I continued running, I cried! What a beautiful thing... I know that what I did is something that many have not or will not do in their lifetime. I felt pride and humility all at the same time. I am so thankful that I am able to set my mind to this goal and use my body and mind to help others. In addition to that inspiration, it was overwhelming to hear spectators encouraging runners along the way. One woman was telling us runners as we passed, "I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you!" and still others held signs or wore shirts declaring "Someone is running in my honor!"
One very exciting part of my race was my supporter! Alex came all the way to San Diego with me to cheer me on! I cannot be grateful enough to him for his continual patience and encouragement for me throughout the entire experience. Not only did he wake at 3 AM to accompany me to the starting line, but he visited various spots along the course to cheer me on. He was my personal photographer, fan, and best friend. THANK YOU, Alex, for your love and support throughout my entire training and TNT experience!! I love you.
As we have remained in San Diego to vacation and tour for the week following the race, we have seen various locations along our race course. It has been such a blast for me to recollect race day memories each day. "Look! You took a photo of me from that bridge!" and "I remember... This is the spot where one of my TNT coaches cheered me on!" Finding those locations and remembering what path we took, thinking of how I felt or what comments I made as I ran has been so much fun. It has reminded me that I really did so this. I worked for five months to prepare my mind and body to run 13.1 miles.
But this isn't the end.. I am so ready to continue my running experience. I AM A RUNNER! I am so jazzed, so desiring, so prepared to continue to improve my running abilities so that I may be healthy, fit, and happy... I have already begun to search for new races. In fact, I hope to complete another half marathon in the fall in preparation for a first full marathon that I hope to also run in in the fall. I want to be a lifelong runner!
Thank you... I am grateful to every one of you as you have shown support, encouragement, and love. To those of you who have given financial gifts to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in sponsorship of my race, I appreciate you. And I am thankful to God for all that I am capable of accomplishing.
What a beautiful experience...
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