What 26.2 Miles will Teach You!

 Walt Disney World Marathon

So a few weeks ago I did something that I was far from prepared to be able to do.  I participated in a marathon!  Most people would say...I ran a marathon....But I can assure you that there was a lot more walking and crawling than there was running that happened during that 26.2 miles!

Sometime last April I signed up for the Disney World marathon and later downloaded a training schedule to prepare for the race.  The first 10 weeks of training I stuck to the plan like glue!  Then at some point during October I decided that I was going to run a half marathon here in Arkansas.  I have done 4 or 5 of these before so it was no big deal.  After running the half in Conway I decided that 13.1 miles was enough for me.  The thought of going twice as far kind of made me sick to my stomach!  So I continued to train, but really had resolved that I was only going to run the half when I got to Disney World.

Somehow when the morning of the race rolled around I found myself up at 3 am ready to get on the bus and head to the starting line for the marathon.  I would like to say that it was pure determination and discipline that got me up and going at 3 am, but I'm pretty sure it was just my pride.  With this being my first full marathon ever my goal was just to finish and to do whatever I had to to keep from getting picked up for falling behind the minimum pace that you had to keep.

If you have ever ran even a 5k before you know that there are always people in races around you who you can't believe are beating you.  Nothing does more to humble you than to look up and see an old man triple your age beating you.  Usually in races I pick out those people and do whatever I have to to make sure they don't beat me to the finish line, however one thing I learned about myself during the marathon is that my pride goes out the window after about 20 miles.  For example an older lady dressed up as WonderWoman spent most of the last 6 miles within eye sight, yet at that point I no longer cared that an old woman dressed in spandex from head to toe looking like WonderWoman was going to beat me across the finish line, I just wanted to finish.

At mile 26 my parents were waiting for me to cheer me on.  At this point I think it was clear that I wasn't at the risk of setting any world records so I stopped for a minute to give them a nice sweaty hug and receive the encouragement I needed to finish my .2 mile crawl to the finish line.  It never fails!  Those two amazing people are always there to offer me the encouragement I need to finish what I have started!  I am beyond blessed to have them.

After crossing the finish line I couldn't help but smile.  It didn't matter that the huge blister on the bottom of my foot had exploded about mile 23 and hurt like the dickens.  It didn't matter that I was completely exhausted.  It didn't matter that I knew I wasn't going to be able to move for the next 2 days.  It didn't matter that it had taken me forever to finish the race.  I was done!  I made it!  I didn't set any world records along the way, but I finished what I had set out to do.

I pray that in this marathon of life that I will set out to do the same thing.  I pray that I will finish.  I pray that I will make the name of my sweet Savior known.  It doesn't matter how you start the race if you never make it to the finish line.  I pray that when I make it to the finish line that I will be absolutely exhausted because I gave my God everything that I've got.  I trust that He will be there throughout the whole race providing me with Powerade and icy-hot to keep me going!  I pray that I will run His race in humility and thankfulness for all that He has done for me!  I want to finish.  I know He will be waiting for me when I cross that line!