We took our annual trip to Leavenworth this weekend for the half marathon and Oktoberfest. I haven’t run in four weeks outside of playing soccer once a week and well… I ran probably 11.5-12 miles of the half and finished in 2 hours and 22 minutes. Not bad considering I haven’t really trained much. I am finding that 8 miles is my sweet spot – I can run it with no preparation, run it decently quick, and my body still feels good. After 8 miles … well, yeah. It is not so pretty. Knees were hurting, feet were hurting and I have this stupid mentality of, “I might as well just keep running to get this over with faster.” It is a miracle that I haven’t injured myself – I am not a spring chicken anymore!
There was also something very significant about this run. My sister-in-laws mom (basically like another mom for me) has been on this amazing journey into better health. Quick summary story here, but between four and five months ago she learned that her iron levels were scarily low … as in so low they phoned her immediately with the results so that she could get into a doctor to get it corrected as soon as possible. A side effect from this iron deficiency (that she had been unaware of for probably years) was such low energy that she had trouble doing pretty much anything physical – her levels were so serious that she had trouble walking from her car to a store without becoming out of breath. Once she got that corrected she was like a whole new person.
And four months later she walked her first half marathon!!
I cannot put to words how proud I am of her and this huge accomplishment. There is so much that goes into preparing for a race from an emotional and mental perspective, not to mention physical, that for her to attain this goal after the previous challenges she was up against is simply inspiring.
Two of her daughters, Chris & Kelly, shared the experience with her and all of them teared up at the finish line. I remember my first race and I remember that feeling of completion – that I had overcome something so big that I had never thought I could. It was so wonderful to watch them have that experience and I am so thankful that they let me share it with them.
Congrats Cindy – You did it!! Cheers!!
