This last weekend Steve and I packed our bags and headed out with our friends Laura and Craig for Nashville, Tennessee. Leaving the kids behind (hip-hooray!), we spent the night in a nice hotel (wow, we haven't done that for a LONG time, especially without kids) and got up early Saturday morning so that Laura and I could run our brains out in the Country Music 1/2 Marathon. Holy Big Race Batman. I've run a few races in my day, but this race made them all look PODUNK. We are talking major claustrophobia. There were 35,000 runners in this race. Yes really. If you look back in that sea of people behind the starting line, Laura and I are back there. We were about 10,000th in line. It took us a whole 15 minutes just to cross the starting line. It was an amazing, inspiring, give you goose bumps kind of a race. There was live music every mile or so and a whole lot of people cheering on.
Laura and I started training for this race in January and we have run almost every Saturday (even in the rain) to prepare. I am SOOOO thankful I found someone to run long runs with. It makes the miles pass by with ease. I also love running and chatting. Its like therapy for me. With every step I pound out any frustration and talk out any confusion. By the end of a long run I feel much better mentally and physically. Coming to the self-realization that I love to run is one of the greatest blessings Heavenly Father has given to me. It has allowed my body and spirit to mesh together as one. Running makes me feel whole.
This was Laura's first race and it was a tough one. It was hot and there were a lot of hills, but she reached her goal of finishing her first half-marathon and I achieved my goal of finishing under 2 hours. It was a great feeling to cross the finish line. There were so many people neither Laura or I were able to find our husbands after finishing the race. It was like trying to find Where's Waldo. After stumbling through the shoot and walking aimlessly through the crowd, I was finally able to come to my senses and find the family reunion area where we planned on meeting if we couldn't find each other. I sat in the "B" section for about 20min. until Steve found me. He snapped this picture of us after giving me a hug.
I am thankful I have such a supportive husband. I try to make sure running doesn't take away from my family. I believe it makes me a better wife and mother, but he has always been supportive of me. He makes sure he is home with the kids on Saturday mornings when I run. Most of all, every time in our marriage I have wanted to go after something, he has never once discouraged me or been negative. I am grateful he believes in me and inspires me to be the person I am and want to become. I am a lucky girl to have him as my number one fan.
