Along with juggling a full time job, going to school, studying for GRE & class, applying for occupational therapy school…I have been training for the St. Jude half-marathon! Andrew has been training along my side as a supporter, coach, and running partner on top of school, rotations, meetings, interviewing candidates, research, & fixing computers! Hence, probably why our lives have not been updated since October ;-)Training started approximately 10 weeks prior to race day, Dec. 6. I wasn’t exactly nervous, but a little anxious the closer race day was approaching. Us runners were all praying for good weather – not necessarily warm, but clear weather. Last year Andrew and I volunteered for this event and it was well below freezing and cloudy. So cold we only lasted a couple hours passing out water and PowerAde! After an hour, I couldn’t feel my hands and feet! But I was elated to see someone I knew run by…my high school track coach, Coach Kerrick!!!!! I hadn’t seen him since high school…what are the chances?!
This year, the weather was GREAT! It was sunny and 25 degrees! Luckily we live close enough downtown that we decided to walk to the Start line at 6:30am. So that gave me 2 miles of a warm-up. With 15 corrals (waves) I was #9 at the 10 min mile pace…since I didn’t cross the start line until 20 min after the 1st wave…that gave plenty of time for my phalanges (fingers/toes) to freeze up.
Even Elvis ran :)
Before we took off, a little girl (approx. 5) with ALL (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia), sang the National Anthem – soooo cute! And her dad, thanked all the runners and people who helped fundraise the 1.7 million dollars (just from the marathon)!! FYI, St. Jude runs on $1.6 mil/day and all the costs of the hospital, state of the art technology, employees, etc. are funded – by not only the people but grants and organizations as well!!I am a very anxious and impatient person so if you could only imagine me waiting 20 min. to cross over. Andrew walked with me to the start and off I went! Despite my numb feet during the 1st mile…mile 1 came up quick! I was so focused on keeping a pace and watching the spectators cheer us on that I got distracted from thinking about miles into the race. Long distance running is all mental and distraction is a great thing!
As I was approaching mile 3, I started to choke up a little…live bands were playing (some were kids’ bands), people standing out on their balconies playing music or watching us in their PJ’s with a cup of coffee in the 25 degree weather – was all too overwhelming! A guy was even holding a sign that read, “If it were easy, I’d be running.” My primary motive was running for St. Jude and reaching my goal pace time of 10 min miles was only minor. I ran down Beale Street (the street of blues, jazz, and bars), thousands of people lined up on both sides hooting and hollering! Then I saw my hubby, “HONEY!!! Here I am!!!” He got so excited he couldn’t get his camera rolling quick enough. He said he realized he had to make a decision – to cheer, or take pictures.
Between miles 4-5, we ran through St. Jude’s campus and I was AMAZED once again to see the patients lined up bundled up hiding their faces behind their isolation masks and some with their IV poles. Signs, employers, CEOs, and our corporate band – oh my! My favorite sign read, “An IPOD = $150, Running shoes = $100….Saving Children’s Lives = Priceless”. Holy Smokes! These were some good signs! As I ran by, I smiled and some yelled out, “Thank you Heroes” or “Go, Heroes” – FYI, I ran as a St. Jude Hero and helped fundraise $280. This was enough to keep going at a steady pace. After all, I was already a fourth the way through!As we approached miles 6-7, cars were driving by honking under the bridges, people were standing outside their homes, children were yelling “Go Mommy” or “Go Daddy” and some were yelling, “Thank you for running for St. Jude!” I saw one guy in a wheelchair bundled under a parka coat with what looked like his wife standing behind him. I tear up just thinking about every step I took.
We ran through Overton Park in miles 8-9 and that’s where Andrew’s mom, brother and family, were going to be. It was a good point to have family standing because it means I’m getting closer and it was a good time for extra motivation. Although, I didn’t see them, I pretended they were there :) And they were, I just overlooked them.
Around mile 10 we ran past the Target House, where St. Jude kids and their families stay if they stay longer than a month for treatments (it’s like apartment housing). Again, families, kids, and even people in their cars were yelling for us to keep going.
The full and half marathon runners ran together until around mile 12. By that time, I was getting so excited not only because it was almost over, but my time was under 10 min the entire way (sometimes at 9 min)! Trying not to get too excited, I had to try hard to keep a steady pace. Well, my body didn’t quite listen to my thoughts and picked up around mile 11. I heard the announcer from a distance closer to mile 12.
Between mile 12 & 13, we just had to pass by the Wonder Bread factory. The aroma didn’t quite make me hungry by any means, but I sure did smell a little something of cotton candy around that time as well (I LOVE cotton candy)!! I also ran by a couple runners down being escorted by ambulance or medical personnel so I prayed for them. I continued to pray for strength and knew God paved each step for me.
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As I approached mile 13, I really began to pick up and began sprinting once I entered the AutoZone Park (the AAA baseball stadium). Into crossing the finish line, I threw up my hands and screamed, “Yey, I did it!!!” I was happy especially since I crossed under my goal time at 2:09:44 (that's nearly 20 min faster than my 1st half-marathon!!!!)!! The stadium was packed and I felt like I was a football player in the NFL playoffs! It was AMAZING!
I looked for hubby up in the crowd and he heard my name announced so he began taking random pictures not knowing where I was. He finally spotted my bright pink cap. I actually ran into him once I came up and was so glad to see him. I missed him so much! It was comforting to see him there and stand for over 2 hours in the below freezing temperatures to cheer me on. He was so pumped he said, “honey, let’s do a marathon together next year!” Uh, WHAT?! I just ran 13.1 miles…26.2…seriously?!
We headed home and walked back 2 painful miles (since the trolley was broke down -- of all the days). My feet were in some trouble. I went home to shower, make some mac-n-cheese, visit with his family for dinner, and wanted to party, but Andrew was tired. Needless to say, I didn’t realize how tired I was until he rubbed my feet and gave me 2 Advils. I passed out cold at 9:30p.
This was by far, the most AMAZING race I’ve ever ran! And by amazing…well, words can not describe the experience! I strongly encourage 1st time and regular marathon runners to participate in the St. Jude Marathon. You will walk away feeling like a winner – you’re a part of saving children’s lives, literally!!
I looked for hubby up in the crowd and he heard my name announced so he began taking random pictures not knowing where I was. He finally spotted my bright pink cap. I actually ran into him once I came up and was so glad to see him. I missed him so much! It was comforting to see him there and stand for over 2 hours in the below freezing temperatures to cheer me on. He was so pumped he said, “honey, let’s do a marathon together next year!” Uh, WHAT?! I just ran 13.1 miles…26.2…seriously?!We headed home and walked back 2 painful miles (since the trolley was broke down -- of all the days). My feet were in some trouble. I went home to shower, make some mac-n-cheese, visit with his family for dinner, and wanted to party, but Andrew was tired. Needless to say, I didn’t realize how tired I was until he rubbed my feet and gave me 2 Advils. I passed out cold at 9:30p.
This was by far, the most AMAZING race I’ve ever ran! And by amazing…well, words can not describe the experience! I strongly encourage 1st time and regular marathon runners to participate in the St. Jude Marathon. You will walk away feeling like a winner – you’re a part of saving children’s lives, literally!! .
