Pre-Race Dinner: Chicken Alfredo with broccoli, mushrooms, whole wheat pasta, small sweet potato.
Pre-Race Night Prep: Outfit laid out, along with post race emergency kit (ibuprofen, water, towel). Hot bath in epsom salt and oatmeal soap with a green tea candle to set the mood, a few minutes on the foam roller to loosen muscle kinks, my nightly routine of watching Everybody Loves Raymond.
Hours of Sleep: about 4.5. I really wanted to get 6 hrs. I fell asleep in the tub, which was so relaxing. But, I was pretty restless most of the night
Pre-Race Snack: about 2 am when I couldn't sleep, I ate a small amount of strawberry greek yogurt with honey.
Pre-Race Breakfast: At 5 am, I made some whole wheat pancakes with bananas and walnuts, syrup, green tea with honey and lemon.
Pre-Race Meditation: Prayer for injury-free run. I asked God to send the perfect verse to meditate on for this occasion. This is what he gave me: Proverbs 16:3: Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.
Time leaving the house: 6 am. It takes about 1 hour to get to Huntersville from my house. I wanted to get there in plenty of time.
Highlight of the Race: Finishing!!!
Post Race Reward: Pasta with Chicken at one of my favorite spots, Firebirds. Napped for 2 hours.
There were several moments of the race I felt inspired. My first observation upon arriving to the race site was that there were not a lot of African Americans participating in this race. Maybe it was the time of year. However, I would assume that running is an activity primarily dominated by Caucasians in America. Until I joined Black Girls Run, I would not have thought as many of us were out in society running. Of course, I had to represent with my "Black Girls Run Charlotte" tee so that people would know we are not a myth. I got a few compliments, too. The 3rd place winner of the race in the female category was actually African American. She finished at some ridiculous time like 1:30 or something like that.
My second observation was the determination of these runners. I finished in the 800s. I don't think I was going very slow, I just think the other runners were very fast! Usually when I run in these events, I try to keep up with one person to help pace my run. There was a girl who I started to run beside. She may have been about my age, about 4'11 and 160-170 lbs, which would be considered overweight in our society. I kept up with her for about 7 miles, then she got further and further ahead. She was getting it in! She was so focused, and had a great pace. Another runner, a guy, was running along with me about the last 5 miles of the race. It was hilarious to me because it was almost as if he was competing with me. He would run a little, then stop to walk. I kept my pace, never walking. When he would see me pass him, he'd hurry and pass me. Then, as we got to the finish line, he shot past me, like "Oh, I am not going to let this chick beat me". I will let you in on a little secret, I let him go ahead!
The third observation was really a moment of reflection. Was I actually running a half marathon?! I wasn't the first to finish, and I wasn't the last to finish. But I was a winner! I was triumphant! I didn't pass out or had to be carried off the course! There is a time that I suspect every runner experiences in the midst of a run when you start thinking, "Why in the world am I out here running? I could be doing something else, seriously!" This question came to me oh, about mile 8 when I was charging up one of the many inclines of the course. My butt was killing me, my calves were tightening up, but I didn't stop. Why? Well, I guess I have been a quiet fighter all my life. People have hurt me, I have gone through some serious events that for the longest I would internalize. The result of this would be stress induced over-eating because I was fearful of facing the people or circumstances that hurt me. Running gives me a sense of control and release. To make this more tangible to me, I think of it like this: during a run I practice controlling my breathing but at the same time I am releasing stress. Participation in a race and finishing it is like being victorious in a battle. All of the preparation, the tears, the pain, brought you to this pivotal moment.
Roger D. Joslin, the author of "Running the Spiritual Path" states that "Here, in this activity(running)primarily thought of as simple recreation, lies the possibility of re-creation; creating, with God, a different way of relating." I am a better person, a stronger person when I run. It is a time when my mind is a blank slate, for God to impress a spiritual truth to me that I may not otherwise hear at other times in my life.Running this race was the equivalent of earning my college degrees. Okay, so I didn't pay 60 grand to run it, but the feeling I had when completing it was the same. Getting through this race was as mentally challenging as it was physical. I had to study, I had to practice, I had to concentrate. The race was the test. Never did the verse, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me," mean more to me than when I was running this race. God has given us unlimited ability to do so many things. We miss opportunities because we doubt his strength that is working through us. I finally managed to tap into His power source to achieve my goal.
First Half Marathoner's Club: 3 of us ran the same race, the other young lady ran a half in Jamaica!
Every race is special to me. They are constant reminders of the inner strength and physical power that I possess. It doesn't hurt that I get medals, and a 13.1 car magnet for a half marathon! Don't judge me...it's the little things that make my day. And I EARNED this!
Bragging rights!
