I DID IT! I DID IT!!

So, girls...yesterday Mommy completed a half marathon!! That is precisely 13.1 miles!! WHAT!!??? I thought childbirth was rough...this run blew that pain out of the water. It was literally the hardest I have ever worked at anything in my life. I should've trained better but as far as endurance goes, I had a LOT which was surprising and pretty cool. If only my legs had gotten the memo. I always have this pinching in my left foot, which was killing me by mile 4. Eventually I could talk myself out of the pain and keep on keepin' on without very much discomfort. Around mile 9 I started feeling the REST of my pain. My legs got heavy and the "grandpa shuffle" took over my lovely lady jog. :( I could barely lift my legs...and I had 4 miles to go! I drank my hydration drinks and felt good with plenty of energy. Did I mention, though, that the entire course had hills of plenty??? I didn't train with hills because I...AM...DUMB. :( Anyway, by 11 miles I thought "ok, I'm home free"...but it got so hard on my back and hips AND legs that I had to stop countless times to stretch. I know that had to add to my time. I started bargaining with myself to push push push. I thought, "I either lay down and die right here or I finish this b*tch." So because I ain't no quitter, I kept going. It was horrendous pain, and it was sucking the awesome energy that I once had an abundance of. :( Soon I saw the Capitol building where Aunt Lynda and I had first started this journey and things were looking up for my hope and determination. I used EVERY OUNCE of my will power to PUSH me through the last 600, 400, 200 yards. I saw that yellow stretch of fencing curving me into the finish line and I turned on my jets, even though they were powered by fumes alone...and crossed it at 3 hours and 15 minutes. It was 16 minutes MORE than my goal, but I am proud of myself regardless. My point of this race recap is to show you guys that I am a woman of my word...I also have this awesome determination. After all, if I was a quitter, or lacked any kind of strength, I wouldn't have either of you in my life right now. I signed up, I paid, and I did it! The mind is SO powerful. I was able to talk to my body and make it finish. No matter how many times it told me to quit, I squeezed a few more steps out of it. It was emotional and SO hard. It was hard to not listen to my body because that is what you are supposed to do. But I think that theory goes out the window when you are running loooooong distance. :) It was SUPER cool to have Aunt Lynda there poundin' the pavement with me. :) WHAT a JOURNEY to share with my FAVORITE sister-in-law and friend. :) I wish you both and Daddy could've been with me, but you are so little and no way would that have been a good time. Having you hang around the race grounds waiting for mommy to crawl to the finish! ;) Natalie, you made me two pictures of me running and you were both SO happy to see me and hug me regardless of my race funk. ;) I love you and while I was running, I thought about how you would know how awesome your mom was/is in all things that she does....well, awesome for trying my best....my VERY best. :) I DID IT!!! :) All things are possible...for me...AND for you. XO, Mom