Racing P.M.

This Saturday marks my first race "post Meredith." Two years ago I ran my first race-the Susan G. Komen-at Rivertown. As I get back into running, I think it is fitting that I am running the same race again.  Running has been a stretching/raising the bar experience for me. I really don't enjoy running. I love the high I am on when I am done. And I really like racing. I'm not the fastest runner ever.(that is a putting it mildly) But racing is amazing. You feel part of a community as you are generally racing for a cause. It is often intimidating-seeing all these runners in professional racing duds and wondering if you are way out of your league, and will come in last. I remember being at the Komen race, and lining up according to your pace. There was the 6 minute milers, 7 minutes, 8 minutes, 9 minutes...and I'm looking for the 10 minute pacers. Not anywhere to be found. I thought, "I'm going to be last, I'm going to be last." And yet I wasn't. And I discovered I could go a whole lot faster than I thought. All those early morning runs paid off. I was hooked. I ran several more races in the next year-5ks, 10ks, and my personal high and favorite-the half marathon. I was at my peak. It was beautiful running through Holland. I did better than I thought I would. It was great. An amazing experience. And then I got pregnant...and hardly ran at all for 10 months. I was determined to run a race this weekend though, so I started training again in July. There were bumps to overcome, like a hip out of joint from baby. And nursing a newborn, and trying to get a schedule that works for both of us. And extra weight. Let me tell you, a little extra weight goes a long way-toward making your run harder. Everything just didn't pop back the way I hoped it would. Hills were hard, muscles needed reminding, breathing needed regulated. So here I am, at my goal race time, and I don't feel ready. Will I truly be last this time? Will I be able to run most of it? I know I can finish, but how well?

I have raced to tunes, and not to tunes. I've decided music-less is the way to go for me. But each race God gives me a verse. My mantra. For the half marathon it was, "run with endurance the race set before you...looking unto Jesus."(Hebrews 12:1, 2) This week God gave me Philipians 4:13-"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." So, it may not be pretty, it may not be my best time, but it will be God who keeps me going, my legs a-pumping.