26.2 miles...The Making of a Marathoner

Wow where do I start!? Just a few days ago I finished a marathon...26.2 miles! Seems so surreal but so amazing all at the same time. Considering where I was 2 years ago, not running at all, it seems crazy to think about how it all came to be. I had a dream, made a goal, found a plan and just went for it. I won't say it was easy, far from that if anything. But all the obstacles, all the hard training days, life stresses and even injuries were so worth the end result. It has made me stronger and has proven to myself and a few others that if you truly want something in life, you have to be brave, believe in yourself, trust God and know that with Him you will have the ability to make it happen.

I will never forget the week I decided to change my status from the half to the full race. Several things happened, but the one thing I remember most vividly is running through the rain one evening and wondering if I really could do this. I was coming into mile 7 of a 10 mile run( my first 10 mile run), my ipod went out (and those who know me well know I have to run with music!), and I look up into the sky and see a rainbow appearing and all of sudden I felt God saying to me, "You can do this Sarah, it won't be easy and there will be hard times ahead, but you can do this." In that moment, I felt God carrying me those last 3 miles, and I believed he would do the same for 26.2....

In the week I decided to do the full, I got some funny looks, and a few comments questioning my sanity! Why in the world would you want to run 26 miles?! I heard that A LOT! lol I began to ask myself why in the world I felt compelled to put myself through the vigorous training that was coming my way. Here it is. I love to run. I am passionate about it. Some like painting, crafts, decorating, party planning, weight lifting and the list could go on. Me, I want to run. What do I want to do when I am stressed, mad, sad, angry, happy, excited or just to pass time? Run. When do I have my best thinking and best prayer time? When I am running! Preferably outside, although I am starting to love the treadmill on these cold rainy days we've had here lately! Running is my thing, and when I am needing a break from the world, from work, and being a wife and mother (which I love dearly!), just give me my running shoes, ipod and the open road and I will be one happy lady. You have to have YOU time and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that! Your family and your sanity will be better for it...

I will post about the race experience soon...