Eye of the Tiger, Baby

Thanks, my friends, for your encouragement and prayers for this morning!

I was so scared about doing 14 miles today. After my discouraging 12 miles two weeks ago, I was really terrified about this run.

Well, for the first time, I must say . . .

I ROCK!

It was a FANTASTIC run! I was energized and excited at the half way point and had to be careful not to push myself too much. I still had 7 miles to go! As we neared the end, I started to get sore and tired, but never experienced the injury type pain I had before. When we headed into the last mile and a half, I was SO pumped! I couldn't believe how great I was feeling and that we had DONE it!! What an amazing experience!

And I'm not as sore after this run as I was last time. When I stopped at my usual Quick Stop to get ice, I actually bounced up onto the sidewalk to go into the store. Usually it's about all I can do to just lift my leg up onto that curb.

Thanks, Becky, for being my running buddy! It was great spending the nearly 3 hours with you this morning. Thanks to my coach and my mentor for keeping us encouraged as we ran. Thanks to all my fantastic friends who not so gently told me to knock off the negative attitude that said, "I can't do this! I'm so terrified!" Instead, they told me, "You can do this! You rock!"

And thank you, Lord, for the strength to finish strong and for holding off the rain. I asked my friend Lisa to pray for the rain to stay away until the afternoon. Well, it rained all over the valley this morning, but never a drop on us as we ran. Then on the way home at 12:04 it started raining on me!

You know, some people run the distance we ran today and end up with a medal. We did a half marathon and then some. So, for you Becky, here's your medal: