Today I would not of chosen to run 22 miles on hills but I needed too. I am currently training for Silver Falls Marathon on November 3rd. If it had of been up to me, I would of ran Portland in October, but this marathon isn't about what I want or even about me! I am running Silver Falls Marathon for Lincoln, a 3 year old boy who is battling Leukemia...running 22 miles for someone else is very different than running it for yourself.
My bestest friend Tonya is doing this as well, so we do all our long runs together. We met this morning and started off on a new hill loop along with my husband Jerry. It was about six miles of hills and it was hard but the weather was per-fect!!! We came out at Oakdale. Jerry got to turn and head home but Tonya and my run wasn't even a quarter done yet! We turned and went out to Bridlewood to get another good hill in before we ran out to Hwy 99 and back. We just took it slow and steady. As times we turned on our music and didn't talk. It gets hard out there. I was going up Bridlewood and all I could think about was Lincoln. What a little blessing he is. Running is hard but somehow Lincoln made me feel better. I got to the top and Tonya told me that she had been thinking about Lincoln...I couldn't believe it! Lincoln you little superhero!
We headed down Bridlewood, my stomach had been hurting all morning, Tonya was all stressed out...how were we even going to finish this? We got to my church out on Miller and stopped at the faucet for water, nice to stop for a second. Our next checkpoint was Hwy 99. Off we went.
About half way there we were just tired. We had to start playing mental games to keep going. It really really helped. We would say, lets run to that pole then walk to that pole" and so on. We did this for several miles and our spirits were lifted.
Finally we made it back to my church for another water refill. Now, all we had to do was go home with Safeway hill added on, no cheating! To make the full 22 we needed the hill. At this point we didn't feel much like talking so we put on our music and one of us went ahead. You just do what you have to go get done when your that tired. It was that deep deep tired in my feet and legs that just ached. My shoulders were beginning to feel it too. I was glad for the new music Jerry put on my phone, it helped.
I came off of Reed and onto Douglas and felt a bit of relief. A downhill and only 1.5 miles to go (funny how 1.5 miles can be so close but yet so far away)!!! I finally get to Wyatt with half mile to go and was so done, I even threw up with a nice little burp...yah, just what you wanted to hear hu! I got to the end of Wyatt and hit my 22! I felt so good to be done and so glad I made the choice to run for Lincoln this morning!
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| Our little Superhero Lincoln |
I am asking you (if finances allow) to send in $22 for Lincoln this week. I ran it, you send it! Together we can show Lincoln's family love and support! Running for Lincoln 598 SW Augustus Drive, Dallas OR 97338.
