Countdown to the BIG DAY!

Race day is finally here. All these months of training and preparing...with all the ups, the downs, and all the setbacks... I am going for it. In two days I will be running a marathon! A marathon!!

We had our final meeting last night and received all the details of the race. I will be 1 of 24,000 women running on Sunday. It's hard to imagine what that's going to be like. I've been calmer than I thought I was going to be...it probably helps that I try not to think about it too much. I finally have a real peace about the whole race and it's because of the overwhelming support and prayers I've received from all of you. You will never realize what a tremendous help you've been and how much it means to me. I know I'll be too anxious to sleep on Saturday night, which is probably not a good thing considering we have to meet at 4:00 am to catch our bus to the starting area. I'll have a lot of "standing around trying not to psych myself out" time before the race. If you think of me on Sunday morning, keep me in your prayers... that I won't get too anxious and I'll be able to finish strong.

Betsy had a setback this week and we really need to keep her in our prayers. She had her last chemotherapy session two weeks ago, but last Tuesday was admitted into the hospital. She was running a high fever and her white blood cell count was almost nothing. She is extremely weak and very anemic. I talked to her last Friday before she became so ill and, as always, her attitude is amazing. She's a fighter. I will be thinking of her on Sunday morning, and if I have half the fight I've seen in her and so many incredible people...well, it's going to be an amazing race. :)

See you at the finish line!

Bump in the Road

Last Friday night I had a setback that could potentially affect my running the marathon on October 19. I was getting everything together for my Saturday morning 22 mile run when I started having terrible stomach pain. It came on suddenly, but within 1 hour I could hardly stand up. I started getting chills and was running a fever. Bob was helping me walk from one room to another when I actually passed out from the pain. It was only for a few seconds, but I have never passed out before. On Saturday we went to the hospital emergency room and after tests and a CT Scan I was diagnosed with Diverticulitis. I’m not supposed to run for 10 days and unfortunately that leaves about a week to complete my training for the marathon. I have another CT Scan scheduled for Monday. Although there is a slight chance I may have to back out of the race, I’m very hopeful that with all the medication I’m taking I’ll be well enough to run my marathon!

I really don’t understand why this is happening and at first it was hard not to feel a little depressed about it, especially so close to race day. I called Betsy to see how she was doing and shared with her that I may not run this marathon in her honor. She is going through her fourth chemotherapy treatment today (so soon after her last difficult treatment), and yet she still managed to be an encouragement to me. She helped me to remember and embrace all the positive lessons and experiences I’ve encountered throughout my training. I have learned incredible discipline (it takes a lot getting up in the early mornings and running when I don't want to!), and I have met so many exemplary, selfless people who are willing to put their bodies through intense challenges just to bring honor and remembrance to the names and lives of the people they cherish. It has made me more aware of the pain my honorees have gone through and has instilled a sense of duty to do whatever I can to prevent others from having to experience their kind of pain. Whatever the outcome, I am finally at peace about it.

Thanks again for all your support and prayers…