23 miles of AWESOMENESS

Family update! Click [HERE] for the individual post.

"He didn't run from something or to something, not for anyone or in spite of anyone; he ran because it was what his body wished to do... All he felt was peace."
-Laura Hillenbrand about Louis Zamperini

23 miles!!!!!!!!

This was the best run of my entire life. This was my final long training run before my marathon, and you know what? It took all I had NOT to run 26.2 miles on Saturday. Simply awesome. My average pace ended up being a 9:00/mile average, but what I'm most proud of was my final four miles. Darcy had to bail a little early, so I ran the last four alone. I put in my ipod and just ran what I felt comfortable doing- I didn't look at my Garmin. My last four splits ended up being 8:08, 8:09, 7:59, 7:41!!! My body felt strong and I didn't even notice any real aches or pains. It wasn't until I took my shoes off that I realized I had a small problem:
Bloody toes. It ended up being bloody toe- singular. My nail was long on one of my toes and sliced my other toe open. It was really small and I know it won't bother me.

2 days out- Monday- I'm still feeling great. My hip flexors are a little sore, and my toes feel bruised (I think my new shoes run a little smaller than my old pair), but besides that I am good to go! I'm going to do a nice and easy 4 mile recovery run tonight to assess how I'm really feeling, but I think I'll be able to complete my training week no problem.

Don't you think it's amazing what our bodies are capable of doing? All this time I have imagined hitting the 20 mile mark and just having my body fall apart on me. I've envisioned myself limping across the finish line and collapsing with shin splints, throbbing IT Bands, and blisters on the bottoms of my feet. After this last week's run, I know that isn't going to happen.

I was so afraid to run this for some reason. I was up at 4AM and praying in my bed. Pleading- please let us be safe... please let our bodies to be strong and do this thing we are asking them to do... please help us to feel peace.

We have a wise and loving Heavenly Father that created our bodies to do extraordinary things. Whether it be surviving years at the hand of physical and mental abuse in a POW camp like Louis Zamperini, breaking a 4 minute mile like Roger Bannister, or willing our legs to carry us for hundreds of miles like Scott Jurek, we can do very hard, and incredible things if we have the courage, and the motivation, to do so.

My prayers were answered. It went so quickly, and I felt so good; I couldn't even comprehend that I had actually run 23 miles- it honestly felt more like 10. I couldn't feel more grateful, more humbled, and more loved by my Father in Heaven. He cares so much about me, and He cares about what I feel is important. Know something else? I know He feels the same way about YOU.