Well, I did it. I ran a half marathon. And it was glorious. It was cold and wet (51 degrees, 10-15 
mph winds, heavy rain during parts), and hilly but I did it. More importantly, I had a really good time doing it. It’s supposedly not recommended to decide whether or not I want to do another one of these within a week of the race, but I’m fairly certain I want to do another half sometime in the not-so-distant future. I loved it – loved the pounding feet and watching the people go by, loved the air in my lungs, loved the continuous movement of it all. I will admit, I did not love the pouring rain, but that’s part of the reason I want to do another one, because the weather couldn’t possibly (she says with fingers crossed) be as bad as the last one.
Mile by mile I watched the weather change and the people around me change. The first 2 miles I was almost a minute ahead of my per mile pace. After that it started getting really cold and really wet so I definitely started to slow down. Around mile 8 I started to regret not doing more hill training. Mile 12 I wished I wasn’t so reliant on my glasses – they had been wet since mile 3, but now between the heat coming off my body and the rain and the wind, they were starting to fog up big time. The only thing I could see was Rob’s blue running shirt next to me. Our clothes were soaked through to the skin. I was wringing water out of my shirt and shorts just to get them not to stick. But as we approached the finish, I was glad I had done it. Thrilled in fact, although I probably didn’t express it adequately because I was freezing cold.
My awesome friend Rob, who got me into this running thing in the first place, ran the race with me. Paid the entry free, got up at the crack of dawn, drove out there, ran with me the whole messy, windy, rainy 13.1 miles. Rob’s amazing wife, Nikki, got up at the crack of dawn, drove out there with us, held our stuff, got soaked waiting for us to come by, and supported us in the wee hours of the morning. One of the coolest things about this race was the support I got from Rob and Nikki. There just aren’t that many people out there who would run 13.1 miles just for kicks, just for a friend. And so my heartfelt gratitude goes out to Rob and Nikki for their support and enthusiasm and willingness through all of this. Friends like you are rare, I am blessed beyond words to have you in my life. I could not have done this without you both. Thank you.
Of course my incredible husband, who got up early in the morning to watch Natalie so I could train, who came out in the rain with a 2 year old to support me, who allowed me the time I needed to get ready for this, was my stronghold. I was constantly reminded as I trained what a patient and generous man I married. I am blessed to call him mine forever. I could not have even dreamed of doing it without him. Thank you.
And as for the next one? I’m already looking at event dates because I loved it. I had originally thought that the next thing I was going to aim for was a full marathon but I think that I’m a half-marathon girl for now. And as soon as my legs will bend normally again, I’m going to start training for number 2.
yet?” Long before the Western part of the world started keeping track of history, Chinese people were making rice and feeding families. For years and years, families gathered over big tables heaped with food, passed dishes, and ate together. It is, after all, a tried-and-true approach to friendships and relationships. Jesus himself tells us to break bread with fellow believers, to eat with one another, in remembrance of Him. But as a confirmed food-aholic (I’m not sure I’m knowledgable enough to call myself a “foodie” per se) it is an attitude I try to perpetuate. In a world where fast food is more convenient (and, in some places, trying to become healthier) and the pace of life is so hectic that fast food just makes more sense, it’s hard to say that the same ideal of breaking bread together really exists anymore. At least from where I’m sitting, it doesn’t seem to.
