My Very Own Gold Medal

two minutes before 26 miles

two minutes after 26 miles


Today I ran my first marathon. I know most are surprised, in the past, I didn't even exercise let alone marathon train. So here is the story. My little sis had Signed up to run the Park City Marathon, and started her training. During this time she was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis and has been fighting it ever since. It has been a roller coaster of emotions for her but she keeps working to get it under control. I know that she would have loved to run this marathon but since the diagnosis she can't run. So I started to train and was going to "Run it For Her" this only gave me two months to train for something that I should be training for six months. But it was more motivations. A marathon has been on my list of things to do for at least ten years. I was determined to finish it. And Today I did it. Not without some kinks in the road. Last week I had so much pain in my right ankle I was having a hard time putting any pressure on it. Yesterday morning I got the same stomach flu Jake had three days before and started throwing up. But by the mid day I was fleeing better and could keep food down. I was so nervous and at three in the morning I couldn't stand how much pain I was having in my ankle and had to start the Ibuprofen then.

I got up early and Jess drove me to the starting line. I didn't know what to expect from my ankle but as I started to run it loosened up and the pain was completely gone. What a blessing from the Lord. I felt great. The altitude didn't seem to be affecting me and by mile 6 I thought that this just might be easy. That story change quickly as I continued to run another 6 miles up hill. At mile thirteen I was ready to be done. I could feel the lack of energy and even though I had ran 18 miles before this seemed harder. I was truly humbled as 80 year old men passed me and I was beet, I decreased speed, and had to start walking through the water stations. I worked hard until mile 20. It got pretty ugly from then on out. But I was trying to run at least part of every mile until the 26.2 finish line. I didn't have the best finishing time but I was able to reach my goal of just finishing and it was nice to have reached my other goal of finishing under 5 hours. As I ran around the last corner I felt like crying I didn't know why, maybe it was because I had survived or that I had pushed myself and succeeded or seeing my family and kids cheer me on.
Matt couldn't make it because of work but he has been my biggest fan through it all. Taking the kids so that I could run as much as poss, bringing me ice when my bad knees hurt and always rooting for me. Ans thanks for all the prayers.
So when they handle me the metal I felt just like it was my very own Olympic gold.