Hour 12

Hour 12: There are blessings to a looped course and there are curses. Heading back out the big loop for the 2nd time was bittersweet. Even though my mind was trying to be optimistic and say “hey come on, this is the last time you have to come out here, you are more than ½ way done and you have what it takes to finish this thing running”, my emotions were fragile, I was tired, I was hurting, I was mentally exhausted and I just wanted to lay down and be still for a while.

I was having to do some serious self talk to get myself to keep running, I wanted to stop and walk soooo bad. As I was looking deep inside myself to find reasons or encouragement to keep running I was reminded of something I had heard in a Triathlon Camp last winter “it doesn’t hurt any worse to run faster”. I must have said that over and over to myself 100 times. “Kathi it doesn’t hurt any worse to run faster”!

I was heading towards the big hill just before the turn around on the big loop and was experiencing a really weak moment, when up ahead I saw my GG (Jessi) coming towards me, coming back from the turn around. She was running with her dear friend and Cheer Squad leader Tiffany. I started waving my arms to get her attention and then as we got closer, I couldn’t stand it, I needed a hug, so I moved over stood in front of her and forced her to stop. We hugged, mutually acknowledged the pain we were in and how hard this was. She said to me, keep going because just around the corner there is some major cheer waiting for you at mile 20.

My heart started to race with the thought, because my 1st loop no one was way out here. My GG was right, as I rounded the corner, there was my husband and a car full of people cheering me on. Kevin was standing on the side of the run path taking pictures and I stopped to give him a kiss, it seemed like the Greatest Kiss I've ever had!

Then Adam jumped out of the car in his running shoes and runs to join me. Oh my Gosh, this gift was better than any pain killer. Adam ran with me, talked with me, listened to my discomfort, made me laugh and distracted me from my pain for about 3 miles. This was the perfect gift at the perfect time, it gave me wings.

At mile 23 Kevin came to pick Adam up. He said, “come on Adam you need to get in the car now if you want to get back to be able to see you Mom cross the finish line! Those words were energy for my body and mind. Just hearing Kevin say “your Mom cross the finish line” gave me my vision back for the finish line and made me realize that not only was I almost there, but I was going to make it!

The last 3 miles were very hard but I was determined and motivated to keep going, knocking of one aid station at a time. I could sense the Glory of the finish line so intently that I did not stop at the last 2 aid stations. I was on a focused mission, get to the finish line!

As I re-entered the city and neared mile 26, it was a slight up hill and approaching a corner. There was a guy there yelling out “Nice Job, you are almost there, once you turn the corner, its 6 blocks to the finish)!

This was JET FUEL for my tired body.