The Lincoln Miracle

As most of you know, on May 4 I crossed an item from the bucket list, I "ran" the Lincoln 1/2 marathon.  13.1 miles in 3:50 beating my goal of just finishing before the course closes.  I learned so many things from this experience, first off, I still do not like running.

I went to see Jillian Michaels when she was in Omaha a few months ago and she said something that shocked me, she said "I hate working out." This from a professional trainer and fitness guru who makes her money on her body and working out.  The profound statement, "I hate working out" somehow gives me permission to say I do not like running.  That being said, I've been told by my two closest friends I'm not allowed to say I'm not a runner.  I protested saying "a runner will just go knock out 6 miles on a Tuesday." Jen was so fast to retort with what did you just do last Tuesday, I reluctantly admitted it was 6 miles.  So I'm a runner.  I don't love it but I am.

I also learned that asking for help and accepting unasked help will make all the difference.  Asked help looked like this, taking on "the hill" at mile 9 with blisters seemed daunting until a little boy, maybe 9, took my hand and ran up the hill with me.  I nearly cried and have thought about him so many times since then.  He will never know what that did for me, for my spirit.  So please, offer a hand when you can, and no one does that better than my friend Darcy.  Darcy drove to Lincoln and was there at every turn on her bike offering a drink, a banana or a dance.  At mile 12 when I was ready to quit she was there in sneakers to keep me company the last mile.  She offered a hand when I didn't know I needed one.

Finally I learned by doing the Lincoln 1/2 is that I am stubborn (not shocking except to me) and sometimes stubbornness is enough to get to the finish line-and run to it no less.  I have never in my life been so tired but quitting wasn't an option.  One foot, then the other just to keep momentum going, one step then another will finish the race. You don't have to be perfect, you don't have to compare yourself to anyone else.  Finish your race.  And I beat that girl, the one I broke up with?  She would have quit at mile 3, maybe 5 but quitting came easy to her.

I know this is my last 1/2 marathon, but as a runner I will keep doing races.  So far I have a 5k in June, August and September with maybe a 10k in October.  We all have to do things we don't like, this is what will keep me spunky well into my 80's.

What about you? Have you done the impossible? Do you have your miracle? If not, go find one, I highly recommend it.