14th Annual Palm Springs 1/2-Marathon!!!

Day 43/366 (2/12/2012)

Today's photo credit goes to my hubby!

Well, today was one for the books, at every turn.  Today I ran my first ever running event, a half-marathon.  Oh, how it was different than I was expecting.  But it was what the Lord had for me, and for that I must be deeply grateful.  Jitters ran rampant at the start.  When it was time to start, I took off like a shot.  I wanted to see if I could keep ahead of our school pack (not Angie and Ashley...I've never been able to run as fast as they); I'd been able to outstrip even the fastest of the next group at different times in the past month.  I also kept praying that that would not become my focus.  "Just focus on your race, Jenn.  Don't worry about anyone else.  Just pray for them."

I got to the second mile marker and looked at my time.  "Holy stink...I just did those two miles in 16 minutes.  16 minutes...I'm screwed."  Never in any of my training had I run that fast.  Two 8-minute miles?  At my best, I had done an average of 8:30, but that was only for 3.5 miles.  I knew there was NO way I'd be able to keep that up...and I had just blown a WAD of energy.

Sure enough, I was completely exhausted by mile 5.  It was going to be a looong race.  At mile 5, Melissa came up behind me and passed me.  I honestly thanked the Lord.  I was glad I didn't have to wonder about her any more.  And I was tired...

Then at mile 7, Mayra tapped me on my shoulder.  I paced with her for a couple of blocks and then pulled back.  She was running a much smarter race than I; she had started conservatively and was still feeling great.  I was...yes, tired.

Now my goal was just to finish.  And I didn't want to walk.  Oh, I wasn't going to walk.  But was I even going to finish?  I got to mile 10 and saw Mike.  Yeah, I wanted to stop.  Kept going, though.  At mile 11, Dave, my running partner Sherri's husband, came up beside me and said, "Come on, let's stride it out!"  Guffaw.  I told him I was just trying not to fall over.  And I couldn't bring myself to check my time.  It had long since stopped being about that.  I just didn't want to walk...

Rounded the final corner into the finish line chute.  I'll say this: The Lord gave me long legs.  I had enough in me for one sprint to the end.  I did feel good about how I finished.  Final time was somewhere in the 2:17-range (I don't know the seconds).  Way longer than I had originally wanted, but I didn't walk!  And I finished!!!  (Pictures of the event)

The team was incredible.  Christy and her hubby Mike came in at 2:30-something (GREAT job!!!!).  Sherri, my running partner through most of training, had injured her calf during last weekend's 6-mile run.  Even though she came to school on crutches this past Monday, she still ran today...the whole thing!!!  She came in at 2:55-something.  When I saw her round the final turn, I had to run with her.  Yeah, I'm crying even now thinking about it.  She finished, had her time chip collected, got her medal, and we held each other and cried.  God is good.

Mary woke up yesterday with a horrible head cold.  She couldn't breathe, had no voice, and felt miserable...but she finished.  We all did.  God is so good!  For some, it was their best race yet (YAY for Ashley, Angela, Melissa, and Mayra!!).  Our guys' relay team of Jeremiah, Casey, and Josh came in at 1:42:38 (Holy COW!).  For me, I landed at a 10:20/mile for the 13.3 mile race (yeah, I mapped the whole thing on MapMyRun.com, and with my wide turns and the starting and finishing chute, it was 0.2 miles longer than I thought).  I looked back at my past long runs: 11:53 minute/mile for my first 12, 11:20 minute/mile for the second 12, then 10:16 for the 10-mile run 3 weeks ago.  SO...10:20 minute/mile for 13.3?  I'm not going to be depressed.  And God humbled me...and sustained me.  Blessed be the name of the Lord!

Continuing on, bout #1 of diarrhea happened at the park before we left.  It took us 4 HOURS to drive the usually 45-minute drive home.  A wrong-way driver on the freeway caused an "unplanned freeway closure."  (I don't know any details; I pray there were no injuries.)  The state of CA then, in its infinite wisdom, chose the middle of the day for a construction project that shut down 3 of 4 lanes.  We got off the freeway at Casino Morongo to deal with bout #2, and it took us an hour and 55 minutes to get back on the freeway!!  After 4 hours, HOME!!!  I've now gone through bouts 3 and 4 and continue to be queasy.  Holy cow, what a dooze.  But my legs feel great!  Praise the Lord!!

SO... the moral of the story is this:

"²⁸ Do you not know?
   Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
   the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
   and his understanding no one can fathom.
²⁹ He gives strength to the weary
   and increases the power of the weak.
³⁰ Even youths grow tired and weary,
   and young men stumble and fall;
³¹ but those who hope in the LORD
   will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
   they will run and not grow weary,
   they will walk and not be faint."

Isaiah 40:28-31

 I love you, Lord.  This has been very cool.  ILCS Team Teach 2012, I am proud and honored to know you.  You are ALL an inspiration to me!  Thank you, Jesus!