10.01.2012

13.1

someone asked me why I was training for a half marathon, I told them, "I love to run."

and I do.

When I was 7 years old my grandpa had to have his leg amputated. I will never forget seeing {what was left of} his leg after. I remember thinking, "how will he run?" I asked my grandma, and she said, "you just run extra for grandpa."

 Running has always been a release for me. I love the time to think. I love to see how far my legs can take me. And I love how it makes me feel.

I think of my Grandpa every time I run, I think of my mother-in-law and sister-in-law with muscular dystrophy, I think of the woman that walks by our house with her seeing-eye-dog. I think of how grateful I am for a healthy body that can do so many things.

With 3 miles left in the race I started to feel my body getting tired, my goal was to run it in less than 2:10 and to run the entire time. At this point I really wanted to walk, but I also really wanted to prove to myself I could do what I set out to do. My legs were sore, but I thought of every run I had done to prepare for that exact moment, I thought of my two babies and husband waiting at the end. and I thought of my Grandpa- so I kept running. Around the last corner, was a women in a wheel chair holding a sign that simply said "you can do it!" I almost broke down right there, I found whatever energy I had left and pushed to the end.
I finished in 2:05, and then ate the best banana I have ever tasted!



7 comments:

Nicole Wendorff said...

wow!!!! Great time! Good for you :)

Unknown said...

Thats awesome! What an amazing time!

Cole and Paige Barnett said...

Congrats Amy! That is really exciting. I used to run a lot but fell off the track for a while. It is so nice to get back into it.

Unknown said...

you are amazing...that's so fast!!! loved this post...i need to appreciate my body more!

Shayla said...

Way to go Amy!!

Stephanie Bengtson said...

Way to go Amy!!! We are so blessed!! You always have the best posts and most make me cry!!

missLaura said...

GOOD JOB! I love race stories.