the stranger
Germantown half marathon- 2014: I want to give credit to my maker for this PR in this half marathon. Secretly inside my head and in my hidden dreams, I wanted to break 2 hours in a half. I tried not to say it audibly, but if I did, I followed it with "I don't know why I am trying, I can never beat my best time, that was all I had" So, it was a rainy early morning, I loaded up with Amy and Jenny (we had planned to run the St Jude half in December but it was iced out!) We almost backed out of this one because of the rain, but instead we brought duct tape and rain guard for our shoes, panchos, etc....So, the duct tape fell off by mile 3 or 4 and it was sprinkling through most of the race, but never a downpour. Amy and I ran together for about the first 4 or 5 miles and then I pushed ahead and caught up with Jenny- stayed with her for about 3 miles, which put me around 8, I then got behind a pair of girls (one was clearly coaching" the other)- the "coach" helped to inspire me as well- they didn't know I was back there but I listened and fed off of her encouragement to her friend. I stayed with them until water stop around 10-11; my body wanted to fade- then a met a fellow, likely in his 50's, and we began to chat. He apparently knew I was fading. He asked me if I had a goal, and I told him my "secret" goal. I had done well so far, but this mile I had faded to the point that I could not make it if I could not speed up- (ever tried to speed up on the last 3 miles of a long race?:) He said he didn't have a goal- he signed up last minute and just wanted to run. Then he said "my new goal is to get you under 2:00" This guy stayed with me for the last 3 miles and gently kept nudging me on. We crossed the finish line together and I was unsure if I had done it or not (because the clock was faster than my watch due to wave start). We walked to the results table inside and got the results receipt, mine read "1:59:58" I had done it! I was beyond excited- I looked back on that race and realized how God had provided for me throughout that race- he provided inspiration each mile- friends to run with for part, strangers for other parts, and the unknown man who did not let me fail. It was very emotional when I looked back at how the race went- I had even prayed before the race that God either help me reach my goal or give me humility to accept any finish time! God is good, all the time, when we reach our goals and when we don't (because there has been many race time goals I have not reached!!)
