I'm so sorry it's taking me so long to get everyone updated on the marathon. It's been a crazy busy weekend and start to the week. Overall, a great experience and God revealed so much to my heart...as I start to process the whole weekend a part of me is dissapointed in how the actual run went, but at the same time I'm trying to grasp what God wanted me to learn and to cherish the fact that He allowed me to finish.
So from the top, we left for San Antonio on Santurday and got up there and setteled into our hotel before going to the expo. The hotel was picked because it was cheap but turned out to be this awesome old west/train depo style and we loved it...we did find out why it was cheap...there was a note by the bed that apologized for any disturbances that the trains going by would cause and they provided complimentary ear plugs! I think there was like 7 trains the first night but nothing unbearable, and the boys got a lot of amusement out of playing with the ear plugs :). Anyways, after setteling in we went to the expo. I had never seen so many runners in my entire life. There were SO many people getting ready for the race. It was exciting chaos, and praise God we were able to get in and pick up our number, chip, and t-shirt quickly...a slight moment of panick coming when they handed me my number and they were completely out of safety pins to fasten it on. We all just stood there a little dumbfounded. How in the world were we supposed to get safety pins hours before the race. 10 min. later one box was found way down the line and there was a mad rush for the pins, it was kind of funny to see all these people hoarding safety pins like gold...and then of course by the time we left the expo they had brought out like 6 more boxes. After the expo, Melissa and her husband and Matt, the boys, and I all went out to Red Lobster. Yes, we did carb load with pasta and biscuits! :) But we didn't eat to much. Saturday night I didn't sleep very well. I kept waking up and dreaming about the marathon in between. One time, I woke up and had dreamed that I couldn't remember the marathon and I was so upset, and then I dreamed that the marathon got moved to Colorado and I was so upset cause I hadn't trained for hills! Glad they were dreams.
Sunday morning, I woke up early and had my devotions and got ready for the race. By 6:15 A.M. we were all out the door and headed to get pictures with the group from the base. The boys were troopers and didn't complain at all about having to wake up so early and have to run around all day. They are my heros! Well, Matt too who had to do all the hauling of two children all around a busy down town so that they could cheer us on. We got caught up with all the base people to do pictures ( the first pictures on the blog) said a quick prayer, and headed to the Alamo. We went strait to the port-a-potties (thanks Jody for the tip!) and then got in the crowd! A massive crowd...I'm not even sure how many runners there were but I thought I hear around 5000. So many runners that the gun went off and we didn't get to cross the start line for like 3 min! The race started out awesome and the adrenaline rush was crazy. It was so sureal to be running with thousands of other people in a race. The first six miles flew by so fast and were so enjoyable. We got to run through down town San Antonio and through some increadible beautiful old homes. Dad and mom and Matt and the boys met us at mile 6 to cheer us on (I love the pictures of them waiting on the curb for us to come). It was so encouraging to hear them cheer and to have their support. (Mom and Dad also made it to the start of the race which I was so blessed by). The only hard part about seeing the boys is Caleb cried everytime I ran by and didn't stop, so that made my heart sad. After we ran through the houses, we ran in town a bit more and then headed out along the river and toward the missions. At mile 9 ish the half-marathon runners headed back into town and the rest of us kept running strait. Melissa and I ran with one of the Lt.Col from the base for the first 9miles and that kepts us preety entertained. We did really well just praying and running, and talking and running and at the half way point we had a time of 2:18 which was a bit fast for our normal pace but still good. We kept going and the course just seemed to stretch on forever. There weren't to many hills and it was preety so that was a blessing. About mile 15 I started to get real light headed and my ears got all fuzzy, like when you're sick and everything is muffeled. I started to worry about dehydration because my legs were feeling so tired and heavy but we just kept going. By mile 17 and a half I had to start walking. The tired leg had turned into a cramped leg that would not keep going. So I walked/ran for the next couple of miles and then at about 19 decided to finish I was going to have to walk it. Melissa was amazing. She never left my side. She just ran slow beside me until mile 21 when her knee gave out and she started walking too. Matt met us at mile 18 and that was a great encouragment, he was so amazing. I couldn't ask for a better husband. He just amazes me. Anyways, we just kept walking as fast as we could and cheering on all the runners around us. However, I was comforted by how many people were walking so I didn't feel totally alone. Mile 23-25 lasted FOREVER I didn't think we'd ever make it to the end. By then the entire lower half of my body was numb and in pain all at the same time. Coming up to our last mile my dad showed up on the side line and started walking with us. That was such awesome enocuagement for the last stretch, and then Praise the Lord we were able to run the last quarter of a mile into the Alamo dome and to the finish line. A time of 5:25...
Things that were awesome about the race...water stations and cheering people! God bless each one! The down fall being I drank way to much water early on and gave my self a stomach ache. The scenery was really pretty and there was a cool breeze, but it was still in the high 70's low 80s so pretty hot for running in November! Wow, there are so many details like how some people were dressed to cheer us on(there was a Pat and Vanna White!) but this blog is long enough as it is...and if you're still reading...bless you.
Things God taught me...I was so humbeled to have to walk. My goal had been to finish the whole thing running under 5 peferablly around 4:30...obviously that didn't happen. I felt like God was allowing me to finish (cause there were so many time I wanted to stop) but I had to do it His way and not on my own...and by obeying I felt so much closer to Him. I really wanted to learn what God had for me through this and I think it was just to hear Him, to allow Him to be sufficient, I don't have to be a great marathon runner to be worthy of His love, this was His gift to me..to cherish and enjoy and who I am is found in Him not in what I accomplish or don't accomplish. I don't know if this is making much sense. I'm still trying to sort things out in my heart. After the race I was just so happy to be done I cried and decided I would never do a full marathon again only half...now two days later...I 'm wanting to try again...kind...I need to pray about that one. Part of me still wants to try to run one completley through...so today I'm dissapointed in how things went but grateful at the same time...and that really doesn't make much sense.
Ok, one more thing...the recovery....on my goodness..my legs were SO sore. Especially the left one that had the cramp so bad I couldn't bend it...it was like having a wooden leg it was so tight...anyways. I walked around like a cripple all Sunday night and Monday but my legs are feeling much better today and I'm ready to get at it again. Oh another praise, my knee which always hurts when I walk didn't hurt at all! Praise God!
Ok, I think that's about it. Thanks for your prayers and support, they meant more then you will ever know. I wish I could describe everything better or pour my heart out in a clearer way...but I'll have to wait until I'm done processing everything...until then...God Bless
Precious baby Gracyn!
