13.1 miles

September 12 was a Sunday that started out like any other... False. It actually started with my alarm clock going off at 3:30a and us waking up in my parent's guest bedroom. It was September 12, 2010 - the Chicago 1/2 Marathon, our first 1/2 marathon ever.
I started pre-training for this in May, and yes, I do thoroughly enjoy running. I find it relaxing, time to just breath, and even spend time with the Lord. I enjoyed getting to run through the beautiful country on the flat roads of somewhat endless cornfields. Ben declared that he would never run that far or do anything like it, he was not a fan. It wasn't until probably 1/2 way through my training that Ben decided to join me on my adventure of training and eventually running this race with me.
The best way to describe this experience is probably through sharing some of the many things I have learned through it.
Here is what I learned through TRAINING for this day:
1. This is the first time I've ever set a long-term goal of my own, and therefore completed a long-term goal that I made. As far as I can remember that's true. It was the first time that I've ever had to commit to something way in advance and work at it a little bit everyday until the big day came. I like "To-do" lists, but more than that, I THOROUGHLY enjoy checking things off of my "To-do" lists. So it's hard for me not to rush through doing things, even far in advance, just to get them checked off. This wasn't something I could rush through and finish.
2. I am a slow runner, I enjoy my slow pace.
3. I am not a morning runner - the attempt to get up and run before work was a joke, and I got physically ill.
4. Ben is FAST, and can automatically run 3, 4, or 5 miles faster than me and with less effort than me even if he never trained a day in his life and I had been training for a WHILE (true story).
5. I am thankful for the country roads, the area that we live in, and the beautiful sunsets that God paints for us.
6. Treadmills and I can only be friends for approximately 45 minutes at a time. That's all.
7. Training takes energy, but it gives energy, too.
8. It took a lot of time, wisely juggling my schedule was hard.
9. The Bible talks A LOT about running the race that is set before us, running to win the prize, finishing well, training, being faithful with your committments, being wise with your time, etc. It was absolutely amazing how I saw each of these come to life in my training for this race - something I didn't think to expect. It was so cool that I was learning about my faith, about my Faithful Creator and God just by training to run a race. I think the one that still sticks out the most is finishing well - I hope and pray that when God takes me home or sends Jesus back that I will have finished well. That I will have run the race only to hear "Well done, faithful servant." To be honest finishing well for my training was HARD. Just weeks before the race I came down with Hand,Foot,andMouth disease, something I hope to never have again, and there were other times of travel or whatever that I couldn't exactly train - and it was hard to keep being motivated. To set my eyes on the prize even though I couldn't see the finish line, even though I had no idea what it would be like, even when I wanted to quit. Yet I want to faithfully live the life that God has granted to me, day in and day out, no matter how crazy or monotonous, easy or hard.
RACE DAY. Finally! It was here after pre-training, and regular training, totaling 18 weeks of training. I'm not sure there are words to describe it, but I will try... Overall it was hard (and I don't mean physically hard in and of itself). I know that my body could physically run 13.1 miles. The race was unlike any of my training. I faced obstacles, physically and mentally that I hadn't experienced throughout any of my training. The mental game was the hardest part, beyond the cramping, the crying, the throwing up, the pure emotional exhaustion, as well as other things. Even though it was hard, it was a really good learning experience. And we finished, mission accomplished.
So here's what I learned on RACE DAY:
1. Never training with anything but water + drinking gatorade during my race = nausea/puking. Gross. They say to never change anything on race day that you always did the same for training; I didn't think that the gatorade thing would matter, but oh, it did.
2. Mile 7 is when the insane amount of doubt, discouragement, strong desire to quit set in for me and stayed throughout the entire rest of the race.
3. I think I cried twice between mile 7 and mile 8. When I cry while I'm running, my air passages begin to close/my body has a little anxiety attack. Ben coached me through that the couple of times it happened and then we were off again. I had no idea that could happen because I thought that an anxiety attack meant I was anxious but I wasn't, I was just crying. Ben hugged me and encouraged me and kept telling me he was so proud. He is so great.
4. My body is stronger than my mind will allow it to be.
5. Satan is the king of doubt. Just like I was struggling with doubt and discouragement during my race, Satan tries to use doubt and discouragement to persuade us that living lives that glorify God can't be done - while we're running our race on earth. He tells us that we're failing. That when we fail we can't keep going, might as well give up. That we're losers, that God won't love us anymore. That when we don't match up to our expectations or God's that quitting is the better option. Etc. Etc. Etc. All of which are lies. Every single one of them.
6. I learned about God's love that day. Ben showed me what it was like to love someone unconditionally and completely. He ran with me the entire time, even when I was mentally done with the race and I told him to go on without me. He stopped and held me when I cried. He walked when I walked, even when it cause his legs to cramp. He encouraged me and encouraged me over and over again. He affirmed his love for me. He reminded me gently that my first and foremost goal was to finish and I was doing just that. He repeatedly told me he was proud of me. He held my hand, sometimes he pulled me along when I wanted to badly to quit. God loves us like that; He meets us right where we are and loves us right there. He doesn't push us, He doesn't bully us; He knows our frame that we are but dust and He's not disappointed in us. Even when we're failing, even when it's ugly, even when we've given up, He loves us. He wants to take our burdens away. He wants us to succeed. He takes away our doubts and discouragement and replaces them with His truths. He wants to show us His perfect love, His perfect grace.
7. I saw a glimpse of God's love through Ben, and I saw Ben's love for me. The whole reason he did the race was to share an adventure, one that I wanted to do, with me. For the memory. To encourage me. To serve me and love me. And wow, he did just that.
8. My mom will never stop being my cheerleader. She woke up after getting 2 hours of sleep to drive us downtown, and cheer us on. She was so proud of us and it was SUCH a blessing, such a sweet encouragement to have her there with us.
9. Milk Chug's 1% Chocolate Milk = Best. Recovery. Drink. Ever.
10. I can complete a 1/2 marathon. Not only that, but something crazy in me wants to do another 1/2 marathon, but do it better and run the whole thing. I learned Ben wants to do another one, too; and a marathon after that, and maybe a triathalon after that. I can't committ to anything more than 13.1 just yet :)
11. I was discouraged even after the race. But just because I didn't meet my other goals, I finished, and I learned that that is something to be proud of. That's enough.
12. I also realized how much I want to train myself to finish well, in running/training, but also in life. Lord I need Your help :)
13. I have never been to a race before, talk about a cloud of witnesses - there were people EVERYWHERE! People screaming MY name, even though I didn't know them! Cheering me on, keeping me focused, encouraging me to keep on keepin' on, that I'll be done soon. And although I know it's not the same, it's the closest I've ever come to realizing what it talks about in God's Word about running the race before us while we have such a cloud of witnesses.
14. Running with peole that all have the same goal, thousands of them, young and old, was just like living life with others who want to live to glorify the Lord. Encouraging one another. Being real with one another. What a neat picutre. I got to run the race with my husband, I get to do this life journey with him everyday, and what a blessing that he and I have the same goal, the same motivation; one purpose in life. Thank you, Lord, for him and for our other brothers and sisters that we can do life with to glorify you! What a blessing.

Wow. That was a lot. I'm sure there's more I could write, but we'll leave it at that for now :) And yes, I would recommend a 1/2 marathon to anyone & everyone.