The Mini

I DID IT!  I completed the Mini-Marathon!  I have had time to rest and reflect, and there is so much I want to say about it.  I honestly could not have done it without the love and support of my family and friends.  For all of the love and support you have each given me, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

The night before the Mini I received many encouraging texts and messages.  I also knew that several people were planning on tracking my progress during the Mini using their app.  Here is one of my favorite messages:

My day started at 4:30 in the morning when I woke up to start fueling up for the big run.  I was surprised that I had slept so well.  Considering I had spent many sleepless nights during spring break fretting about the Mini, I was shocked that I was able to sleep through the entire night.  After eating I started getting dressed.  I had laid everything out the night before so that I was not scrambling around.  I wanted to be prepared.

My brother-in-law Jared came to my house and we left to pick up Kristal.  I had already prepaid for a parking spot so we headed downtown.  We hit a snag when the street to access our parking lot was closed. Jared helped to expertly navigate our car to the right parking lot without any further issues.  We started walking towards the start line with two quick restroom breaks between our car and the starting line (nervous bladder!).  When we got to the starting line, our corral was already starting to move so we jumped in and headed towards the official starting line.

While we were waiting, we took our beginning of the race pictures.

I knew I had a friend waiting for me at the starting line.  She gave me a huge hug and gave me some encouraging words before we started. She has been a running inspiration to me, and she has given me so much information about what to expect for the Mini.  She has been so helpful!  It was the perfect way to start my race

Our wave finally started.  We took off with excitement.  Kristal was tracking our overall pace while I was tracking our intervals.  We knew going into it that it is very common to start too fast.  We knew it, tried to avoid it, but failed miserably at it.  Our first miles were some of my fastest miles ever.  We kept trying to slow ourselves down but being caught up with people all around you, it is more challenging than you would think!

Between miles 3 and 4, I saw some faces I recognized on the side of the road.  Some of my friends were there with cowbells cheering for me!  I was completely shocked and surprised and excited!  I called out to them and waved and kept going.  I had no idea that was just the beginning...

When I was on 10th Street I saw two more friends standing there with pom-poms and cowbells cheering for me!  They even came out on the course with me and walked/ran with me on 10th Street and Main Street.  Again, completely surprised and so elated to see them!  Before I got to the Speedway Racetrack I saw even more friends!  They, too, ran alongside the course and cheered and encouraged me.  It was awesome!
I entered the Speedway and had to take a quick restroom break.  My pace was still decent so I was not too worried about taking the break.  The track was the most challenging part for me.  I thought I would enjoy it more because I had never been there, but I did not like running on it.  At this point I was tired and worn down and really struggling.  I was also getting discouraged because my RunKeeper that I use when running was registering longer distances than the large mile markers along the course.

I was so excited when we finally left the track and what do you know?  My friends I saw before the Speedway were waiting for me as I left the Speedway.  It was too much.  I was so overwhelmed with emotion that I began crying.  Here I was thinking about quitting and getting tired and my friends just kept popping up all over the place.  Again, God knowing exactly what I need when I need it.

I was still tired and worn out, but I kept putting one foot in front of the other.  At this point, I just had to finish.  On the way back downtown I saw another friend!  She walked right out to the course and started encouraging us and talking to us.  It helped keep my mind off how tired I was.  Then all of a sudden, my friends from miles 3 and 4 appeared.  All of these friends stayed with me until miles 11 and 12.

We started the last long mile.  I know our pace had decreased considerably, and we kept looking back to see if the bus was anywhere in sight.  I can now officially say that I never even SAW the bus!  That was a pretty great feeling!

I saw some other friends in the last mile.  One of them had finished the race and she and another friend yelled out some encouraging words for me.  Seeing them made me smile!

I saw a lot of great and funny signs along the course.  However, the BEST sign came in mile 13 when I looked over and saw even more friends cheering me on.

I was so tired and so completely overwhelmed with emotion.  I didn't even know what to think or say or do.  I just knew I had to keep pressing forward.  I had to get over that finish line.  I had too many people there that loved me and supported me through all of this that I could not let them down.  Luckily, my friends were able to capture the moment when I finally crossed the finish line:

I completed the Mini-Marathon!  I could not have done it without the love and support of my family and friends.  I would have quit at the track.  I had even more friends waiting for me after the finish line.  It was a friend of mine who was volunteering at the event that was able to give me a hug and put the medal around my neck.  

I received two more congratulatory hugs from two other friends that were volunteering in the medal section.  We moved through the fruit and water and cookies and sat down to rest.  Here is my RunKeeper information:

Here were some of my splits:

I had two goals for this race.

1.  Finish the race.

2.  Avoid the bus.

I achieved these goals!  RunKeeper reminded me of that:

Do I have any Mini regrets?  Maybe one.  I did not get my chocolate milk at the end of the race.    

Will I do the Mini again?  I can not say I will NEVER do the Mini again.  I can say that I will NEVER do the Mini again at this weight.  I trained for the Mini and it was still very difficult and grueling both mentally and physically.  I literally would not have made it through without YOU.  Whether or not you were there on the day of the Mini or not, I knew that people from all over were praying for me, thinking about me, believing in me, encouraging me, watching my progress, supporting me, texting me, calling me, checking to make sure I was alive after the Mini, and the list goes on and on and on.  I cannot even begin to thank you.  My heart is so full, and I love each and every one of you so much.  

So what is next for me?  Well, some much deserved rest time to fully recover.  I also need to pick up a new pair of running shoes.  Right now I am going to work on improving my speed on my 5K distance.  I am also going to incorporate more cross training and focus on nutrition.  My journey is not done, and I am so thankful that I have amazing people traveling with me!