Isaiah 40:31 For those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength, they will mount up with wings as eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.
Last night, with the help of the Toneys, we mapped out a new course to run into Lynchburg, thereby avoiding Rt. 29 altogether. We would start in Amherst, VA and run the back roads into Lynchburg. Donnie Toney was going to run with me, his goal to do the whole distance if he could, otherwise he would hang in there as long as possible. I was ready to run, but so tired. I knew that having Donnie run with me would be the shot in the arm I needed to make this the best run yet.
Also joining us, additional angels that God has placed in my life, were Pastor Karen and Reba. They got up really early in order to make the 3 hr trip to be with us the whole day. There was a real spirit surrounding me as we joined hands to pray - I was being renewed and lifted up by the support of others. Then we were off! I felt as though I was being pulled toward the finish line with wings of eagles guiding my feet. Donnie and I talked and ran, and I knew we were going out faster than normal. Our mile splits for the first 5 miles were: 10:39, 10:38, 11:00, 11:04, 11:39. The course was very hilly, but there were long stretches of down hill to counteract the long stretches of up. I ran aggressively on the downs and so our mile splits showed when the mile was mostly up or mostly down: Miles 6-10 were 10:21, 10:52, 10:55, 12:04, 9:33!
The countryside was beautiful! We were surrounded by mountains, and I could only imagine the glory of the autumn leaves in another month. Each stop we made, Reba would be there holding up her bright pink sign and Pastor Karen would be cheering me on. Lindsey was ever faithful with putting ice in my water, getting me sports beans or whatever else I needed.Kendra Toney also arrived to help with the rest of the run. Miles 11-13 splits were: 11:09, 11:19, 10:53.
We ran down a couple miles to Route 130. The next 3 miles were difficult as we were running on the shoulder of a busier highway. The sun was out in full force and there was no shade. Plus with the traffic we were needing to run single file. Still our splits from mile 14-17 were pretty good: 10:21, 10:08, 10:12, 10:08. When we were going up the hills, Donnie was stronger. In fact I think he was helping to pull me up the hills. On the down hills I was able to really take off. After several miles of this, Donnie had a cramp on one of the downhills. But he was able to persist and keep running until another cramp occured at mile 17. At this point, he decided to take a break and would join me as I went into Lynchburg.
Now I was on River Road, and the final stretch before going across the bridge into Lynchburg. The road was winding and up and down. At mile 20, I was starting to have an issue with cramping myself - mine was in my side, so I was able to keep running, but had to keep pushing the spot to keep it from cramping. At about mile 21, ABC news showed up to interview me. My crew warned me, so I tried to put on my best form and ran down to meet them at a pretty good clip. Then, as I continued on the run, they followed along filming my feet! I waiting to see what they actually show on the news. Now I looked at my watch and realized that I could have my fastest time of the entire 15 days. I tried to keep my pace up as I neared the 5th St. bridge, but it was mostly uphill and my side was really hurting. Splits from 18-22: 10:11, 10:37, 10:23, 11:05, 9:47.
Now all that was left to cross the bridge and climb the last hills to Fort Hill United Methodist Church. Donnie joined me and we started across the bridge. I was almost done. The final climb was almost done. After a mile and a half Donnie had another leg cramp. I kept going and hit the 26.2 mile mark at about 4:42. But I wasn't there yet! Boy, it was hard to keep running after that point. I kept looking for everyone who was going to walk with me to the finish, but they seemed to be nowhere in sight. Finally, there they were waiting for me - Steve and Lindsey, Pastor Karen and Reba. At 26.92 we ran into the parking lot of the church and up the steps "Rocky" style. Then big hugs and tears all around!
It has been an amazing journey. God definitely sustained me every step of the way. Instead of falling apart or having an injury, he kept me strong and protected me. I felt like the Israelites as Moses led them through the wilderness. Even though the journey was long and hard, God promised that their clothes would last and their shoes would never wear out. For 400 miles, I never got a blister. That had to be from God.
As I spoke at Fort Hill, I explained the reason for my run. In a scene from the movie, Eric Liddell was trying to explain to his sister why he wanted to run in the olympics. He said, "God made me for a purpose - for China." Well I believe that God made me for a purpose - to reach out to the poor and homeless and to inspire others to never give up, to overcome all obstacles. Then Eric said, "but he also made me fast (well, I'm not fast, but God gave me the ability to run long distances without injury - to be focused and to keep going even when the going gets tough). He then said, "when I run I feel God's pleasure." and that's how I feel. When I run on the trails in the mountains it's my chance to get away, to commune with God, to be still and hear him speak to me. And so I run where God leads me.
Never let doubt keep you from taking a step of faith. Never give up. For with God all things are possible. We can change, God can transform our lives and take us on a new journey of faith. We merely have to believe and be willing to listen. And God will be with you every step of the way.
Joshua 1:9 Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
15 in 15 Run - Day 14 (Aug 30) - Charlottesville to Lynchburg (Leg 2)
After a restful night's sleep at Robert and Susan Dube's house, we made the trip back to our starting point. With packing up and travel time, we got a little bit of a late start - it was sometime after 9am. We started at the railroad crossroads in Rockfish, VA. The first 4 miles were along the river and weren't too bad. It was shaded and had only a slight uphill grade. As soon as I turned the corner onto Stagebridge Rd, things change. I climbed a mile, got a 1/4 mile break, then climbed another mile. It was also starting to warm up quickly. Kendra Toney from Lynchburg came to help crew, while Steve went back to Charlottesville to take care of the truck.
Kendra was great. She was the cheerleader. She would clap and say "You're looking great! Keep going." I tried to keep focused on knocking the miles off. At one point, I had to run along Route 29. After 2 miles of that, I realized that I needed to change my route for the last day. There was no way I was doing 20+ miles on that highway.
Slowly but surely, the miles went by. Up, up, up - hot, hot, hot. We turned on Oakridge Road and there was a long two mile stretch where the sun was beating down and there was no wind blowing. I felt like I was running on a high plateau in the middle of the desert. When I came to the next stop, Steve was back to take over crew duties. I stood in the shade for a minute before running on.
When you map routes and the road is called Digges Mountain Rd, assume that you will be climbing over a mountain ridge (make that two ridges). And if the road is called Wilson Hill, that means that you have to climb Wilson Hill. I came back out on Rt. 29 and had 2.5 miles more of the dreaded highway. 1.5 miles was up, and then finally 1 mile down to the river. I turned off of 29 and had a nice .7 mile walk with my daughter to the finish. Day 14 was done!
The Toneys, who are graciously hosting us tonight, fed us a wonderful gluten-free pasta dinner and we had a great time of fellowship with Nelson United Methodist Church. Tomorrow is the last day. How do I feel about that? I don't know. It's been an amazing journey - God sent angels all along the way. As each mile ticks down tomorrow, it will bring me closer and closer to the finish line. Then I will be done. The next morning will not be spent studying maps and routes, lubing up or getting ready to run. It instead will be a time to rest and reflect. 26.2 more miles....
Kendra was great. She was the cheerleader. She would clap and say "You're looking great! Keep going." I tried to keep focused on knocking the miles off. At one point, I had to run along Route 29. After 2 miles of that, I realized that I needed to change my route for the last day. There was no way I was doing 20+ miles on that highway.
Slowly but surely, the miles went by. Up, up, up - hot, hot, hot. We turned on Oakridge Road and there was a long two mile stretch where the sun was beating down and there was no wind blowing. I felt like I was running on a high plateau in the middle of the desert. When I came to the next stop, Steve was back to take over crew duties. I stood in the shade for a minute before running on.
When you map routes and the road is called Digges Mountain Rd, assume that you will be climbing over a mountain ridge (make that two ridges). And if the road is called Wilson Hill, that means that you have to climb Wilson Hill. I came back out on Rt. 29 and had 2.5 miles more of the dreaded highway. 1.5 miles was up, and then finally 1 mile down to the river. I turned off of 29 and had a nice .7 mile walk with my daughter to the finish. Day 14 was done!
The Toneys, who are graciously hosting us tonight, fed us a wonderful gluten-free pasta dinner and we had a great time of fellowship with Nelson United Methodist Church. Tomorrow is the last day. How do I feel about that? I don't know. It's been an amazing journey - God sent angels all along the way. As each mile ticks down tomorrow, it will bring me closer and closer to the finish line. Then I will be done. The next morning will not be spent studying maps and routes, lubing up or getting ready to run. It instead will be a time to rest and reflect. 26.2 more miles....
Sunday, August 29, 2010
15 in 15 Run - Day 13 (Aug 29) Charlottesville to Lynchburg (Leg 1)
It was the 13th day of the run, so if things were going to go wrong, then today was the day. Last night when we returned from a great time of fellowship with the members of Hinton Ave. United Methodist Church, the truck began overheating and we weren't able to get it to cool down. This was after Steve had driven to NC and back. He was hoping that if the thermostat was in an easy place to reach, he could fix it himself. But it was in the worst possible place, needing tools that we didn't have with us. So now, we had to figure out how I could get my run done. We decided that I would go ahead and start, and he would go rent a car for a day. Then tomorrow morning when repair shops were open, he could get it fix. That meant that I would be running for several miles without any crew support. I decided to wear my Nathan hydration vest because it could hold a lot more water and I could carry blocks and sports beans as well. Finally, an hour behind schedule I was ready to go.
I took off and left them looking at the steam coming off the engine. The first two miles were in the city, and then there was a nice trail that took me the rest of the way out of town. After that, the road narrowed into a winding, hilly country road. The morning was still cool, and the road was shaded so I was able to keep a good pace. Since I knew it was probably going to take at least two hours for them to get a rental car, I decided to make a game of it. My goal was to make it to 10 miles before they caught up with me. I realized how dependent I had been on having a crew to give me drink or whatever I needed every 2-3 miles. Now it was like a normal long run where I would be unsupported.
Ten miles came and went, with no crew. I had been steadily running except for a couple of walking breaks up the steeper hills. Now I was trying to get to the half-way point before they showed up. The problem was it was getting hot. 11 miles, then 12 miles went by. I came to an intersection and was pretty sure I had to go right but was starting to want to verify it against the map. I ran down the hill and saw the route number (Rt 631) of the road I was running on turn to the left. Something didn't look right, so I tried to call Steve to verify this was the road I was supposed to take. No cell phone signal. I ran up a long hill and as I started to run down the other side, I noticed grass was growing in the middle of the road. This doesn't look like a well traveled route. The road narrows further and soon a sign appears "End State Maintenance." This can't be the way! So I turn around, run back over the hill and back down to the paved road. A one mile detour. Traveling down the road a little farther, I see the road I need to take. Now it is mile 15, mile 16 and still no crew. I really needed to make a pit stop but was worried if I ducked into the woods I would miss them. But nature was calling, so I took my chance. As soon as I returned to the road, there they were! Whew! It turns out they went by me while I was on my little detour. It was nice to take the pack off and just use the smaller water bottle.
I got fueled up and told them to go on ahead a few miles. After all, if I had run 16 without support, I could run a few more. Plus, it was getting hotter and I was getting grumpy. I was getting tired of hills and hills. At about 18.5 miles I ended up at Route 29. By this time I was a little snippy with my crew. But I knew that I was meeting Robin in a mile and a half. That was what was keeping me going.
As we passed the Covesville post office, there she was! Yay! I knew that having someone to run with would chase the grumpies away and it worked. First we had to run on 29 for a little while. The shoulder got narrow and large trucks were popping over the hill at 65 miles an hour. Robin had me run in front because I had the orange vest on (so she says). Finally, we get to Rt. 632 and are able to run and talk, when we weren't huffing and puffing up hills. We were running in about 85 degree temperature but the humidity was 95% and it felt hot. We were both grateful for the crew stops where we could get ice cold water.
Knowing that I was running with Robin kept me motivated to keep moving during mile 15-20 when I was hot and grumpy, and once she was with me, the company made the last 6 miles go
by really fast. She didn't even have to say a word. When I saw her smiling face I knew it was going to be okay. Soon we were done and walking the 1/2 mile together with Lindsey.
Robin treated to a wonderful dinner of chili, let us swim in her pool, and I'm typing this blog on her computer. It again reminds me, that this is not just my journey, but it is the journey of all of you who have met me on the way or been with me in spirit. I can't believe it's almost over.
I took off and left them looking at the steam coming off the engine. The first two miles were in the city, and then there was a nice trail that took me the rest of the way out of town. After that, the road narrowed into a winding, hilly country road. The morning was still cool, and the road was shaded so I was able to keep a good pace. Since I knew it was probably going to take at least two hours for them to get a rental car, I decided to make a game of it. My goal was to make it to 10 miles before they caught up with me. I realized how dependent I had been on having a crew to give me drink or whatever I needed every 2-3 miles. Now it was like a normal long run where I would be unsupported.
Ten miles came and went, with no crew. I had been steadily running except for a couple of walking breaks up the steeper hills. Now I was trying to get to the half-way point before they showed up. The problem was it was getting hot. 11 miles, then 12 miles went by. I came to an intersection and was pretty sure I had to go right but was starting to want to verify it against the map. I ran down the hill and saw the route number (Rt 631) of the road I was running on turn to the left. Something didn't look right, so I tried to call Steve to verify this was the road I was supposed to take. No cell phone signal. I ran up a long hill and as I started to run down the other side, I noticed grass was growing in the middle of the road. This doesn't look like a well traveled route. The road narrows further and soon a sign appears "End State Maintenance." This can't be the way! So I turn around, run back over the hill and back down to the paved road. A one mile detour. Traveling down the road a little farther, I see the road I need to take. Now it is mile 15, mile 16 and still no crew. I really needed to make a pit stop but was worried if I ducked into the woods I would miss them. But nature was calling, so I took my chance. As soon as I returned to the road, there they were! Whew! It turns out they went by me while I was on my little detour. It was nice to take the pack off and just use the smaller water bottle.
I got fueled up and told them to go on ahead a few miles. After all, if I had run 16 without support, I could run a few more. Plus, it was getting hotter and I was getting grumpy. I was getting tired of hills and hills. At about 18.5 miles I ended up at Route 29. By this time I was a little snippy with my crew. But I knew that I was meeting Robin in a mile and a half. That was what was keeping me going.
As we passed the Covesville post office, there she was! Yay! I knew that having someone to run with would chase the grumpies away and it worked. First we had to run on 29 for a little while. The shoulder got narrow and large trucks were popping over the hill at 65 miles an hour. Robin had me run in front because I had the orange vest on (so she says). Finally, we get to Rt. 632 and are able to run and talk, when we weren't huffing and puffing up hills. We were running in about 85 degree temperature but the humidity was 95% and it felt hot. We were both grateful for the crew stops where we could get ice cold water.
Knowing that I was running with Robin kept me motivated to keep moving during mile 15-20 when I was hot and grumpy, and once she was with me, the company made the last 6 miles go
by really fast. She didn't even have to say a word. When I saw her smiling face I knew it was going to be okay. Soon we were done and walking the 1/2 mile together with Lindsey.
Robin treated to a wonderful dinner of chili, let us swim in her pool, and I'm typing this blog on her computer. It again reminds me, that this is not just my journey, but it is the journey of all of you who have met me on the way or been with me in spirit. I can't believe it's almost over.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
15 in 15 - Day 12(Aug 28) - Richmond to Charlottesville (Leg 3)
Here are some scriptures my friends have given me:
Luke 21:19 - By your endurance you will win your lives.
Hebrews 10:36 - for you need endurance so that, having done the will of God, you may receive the promise.
Romans 5:3-4 - suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.
Endurance is an interesting thing. To get endurance you have to push yourself out of your comfort zone, just a little bit more each time you run. I remember when I was so worried about finishing a half-marathon. Now, many of my midweek training runs are that distance. How did I get from zero miles to 400 miles? By pushing myself out of my comfort zone just enough to begin to cross thresholds. I've had many people say I couldn't run around the block much less 15 marathons in 15 days. I say, it's not about what you can do, but about what you can believe. So maybe running around the block is too far, today. But running to the corner isn't. And the next day, you might actually turn the corner. And the next day go to the next corner. Then, before you know it, you're running around the block. You've crossed a threshold and reached a new level of endurance. Ministry is like that too. We need to step out of our comfort zones. Get your youth together and go on a TOP trip. Get them excited about serving God. As their faith grows, God will show them new ways to minister and before long it will be the youth who turn America around, and make a difference in this world.
Last night, after an enjoyable evening spent with my sister-in-law, Susan Dube and a yummy steak dinner, I was bone-tired, so I called it a night and went to bed. I had a restless night. It seems for every good night of sleep I get a bad one. But, the run must go on, sleep or no sleep! Josh was back again to crew since Steve was going to North Carolina to give a short talk, then drive all the way back up to Charlottesville. We drove back to Palmyra and started about 7:45 am. After a pretty steep initial climb, the road turned into a series of rolling up and downs. It was a cool foggy morning, and I felt pretty good once I got going, so I was letting them go about 3 miles ahead. There were some big hills today! But there were also some nice long downhill stretches, so I never felt really wiped out. Good thing I'm not allergic to ragweed. I'm hugging the shoulder of the road because of the traffic, and my left leg is about yellow from rubbing against the ragweed.
As I crossed over Rt. 250 to continue on Rt. 616, I noticed a sign saying "Road Closed Ahead." About 1.5 miles later I caught up with my crew. "Did you guys notice the sign back there saying the road was closed due to bridge construction?" They had missed it. I didn't really want to turn around a take a different route, so Josh drove ahead to check it out. Pretty soon, I see them coming back up the road. Yep it's closed. Well, a little road closure won't stop the Warrior Princess. I keep going while they take the long way around.
I get to the bridge and I see a little dirt road through the woods, so I follow it. It takes me down to a railroad track! Unfortunately, there is no road on the other side, just a steep embankment about 10-20 feet high. I scramble over the tracks and clamber up the bank, grabbing onto branches to pull me up.The woods are really thick and I have to push through pine boughs to make it up to the road. Boy, is there a lot of trash dumped over the side of the road. Finally I climb up another little embankment and am back on the road again. Just about in time for Josh and Lindsey to show up on the other side.
The next section of road was a little rough - no shoulder and lots of traffic. I'm glad it turned out to be only 2.5 miles long. Now, I was on Route 250 and heading into Charlottesville. For some reason, I needed to add a few miles to my run to make it the official marathon length. So we had to stop a few times and work out the route on the map. I ended up running 250 bypass to Rugby Road, and then climbing up a really steep and winding road. By this time, we were trying to coordinate with the media that was going to show up in Lee Park where I was ending. I had a nice long downhill stretch before I made the final push up to the park. Since there was a photographer taking pictures of me as I hit the hill, I made a point to sprint up the hill and into the park. I had an interview with the Daily Progress newspaper, and Channel 29 TV station.One of them asked me what was next after this was done. I told them, God only shows us what we are to do now. And for now, that means running a marathon a day. After Tuesday, well, I'll leave that in God's hands.
Luke 21:19 - By your endurance you will win your lives.
Hebrews 10:36 - for you need endurance so that, having done the will of God, you may receive the promise.
Romans 5:3-4 - suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.
Endurance is an interesting thing. To get endurance you have to push yourself out of your comfort zone, just a little bit more each time you run. I remember when I was so worried about finishing a half-marathon. Now, many of my midweek training runs are that distance. How did I get from zero miles to 400 miles? By pushing myself out of my comfort zone just enough to begin to cross thresholds. I've had many people say I couldn't run around the block much less 15 marathons in 15 days. I say, it's not about what you can do, but about what you can believe. So maybe running around the block is too far, today. But running to the corner isn't. And the next day, you might actually turn the corner. And the next day go to the next corner. Then, before you know it, you're running around the block. You've crossed a threshold and reached a new level of endurance. Ministry is like that too. We need to step out of our comfort zones. Get your youth together and go on a TOP trip. Get them excited about serving God. As their faith grows, God will show them new ways to minister and before long it will be the youth who turn America around, and make a difference in this world.
Last night, after an enjoyable evening spent with my sister-in-law, Susan Dube and a yummy steak dinner, I was bone-tired, so I called it a night and went to bed. I had a restless night. It seems for every good night of sleep I get a bad one. But, the run must go on, sleep or no sleep! Josh was back again to crew since Steve was going to North Carolina to give a short talk, then drive all the way back up to Charlottesville. We drove back to Palmyra and started about 7:45 am. After a pretty steep initial climb, the road turned into a series of rolling up and downs. It was a cool foggy morning, and I felt pretty good once I got going, so I was letting them go about 3 miles ahead. There were some big hills today! But there were also some nice long downhill stretches, so I never felt really wiped out. Good thing I'm not allergic to ragweed. I'm hugging the shoulder of the road because of the traffic, and my left leg is about yellow from rubbing against the ragweed.
As I crossed over Rt. 250 to continue on Rt. 616, I noticed a sign saying "Road Closed Ahead." About 1.5 miles later I caught up with my crew. "Did you guys notice the sign back there saying the road was closed due to bridge construction?" They had missed it. I didn't really want to turn around a take a different route, so Josh drove ahead to check it out. Pretty soon, I see them coming back up the road. Yep it's closed. Well, a little road closure won't stop the Warrior Princess. I keep going while they take the long way around.
I get to the bridge and I see a little dirt road through the woods, so I follow it. It takes me down to a railroad track! Unfortunately, there is no road on the other side, just a steep embankment about 10-20 feet high. I scramble over the tracks and clamber up the bank, grabbing onto branches to pull me up.The woods are really thick and I have to push through pine boughs to make it up to the road. Boy, is there a lot of trash dumped over the side of the road. Finally I climb up another little embankment and am back on the road again. Just about in time for Josh and Lindsey to show up on the other side.
The next section of road was a little rough - no shoulder and lots of traffic. I'm glad it turned out to be only 2.5 miles long. Now, I was on Route 250 and heading into Charlottesville. For some reason, I needed to add a few miles to my run to make it the official marathon length. So we had to stop a few times and work out the route on the map. I ended up running 250 bypass to Rugby Road, and then climbing up a really steep and winding road. By this time, we were trying to coordinate with the media that was going to show up in Lee Park where I was ending. I had a nice long downhill stretch before I made the final push up to the park. Since there was a photographer taking pictures of me as I hit the hill, I made a point to sprint up the hill and into the park. I had an interview with the Daily Progress newspaper, and Channel 29 TV station.One of them asked me what was next after this was done. I told them, God only shows us what we are to do now. And for now, that means running a marathon a day. After Tuesday, well, I'll leave that in God's hands.
15 in 15 Run - Day 11 - Richmond to Charlottesville (Leg 2)
We started the morning in Goochland, VA, approximately where we left off the previous day. I thought when we passed the Maidens intersection, I saw a guy who looked like he might be waiting for me to run with him. But when we turned around to check, he was gone. Oh well, I thought - looks like I'll be running by myself today. I got maybe 1/3 of a mile down the road when all of a sudden a runner comes up beside me - "Are you the lady who's running 15 marathons?" Yes! What a welcome surprise.
Curtis is 63 and an experienced runner. He had run the Richmond marathon several times back in the eighties when it started at noon on Sunday. While he raced a lot now, he hasn't run a marathon in years. I think I might have convinced him to give it another shot. The miles clicked off pretty rapidly, in fact, we were probably did several sub 11min miles, but I felt good and we were talking "shop." It turns out that our race paces are pretty similar. What really inspired me is when he started talking about his 85 year old mother, who recently finished a 10k as a fundraiser. She is the "retired" organist for her church, the town historian, and the matriarch every one calls when they need something done, because she's the one with the energy. Curtis was feeling pretty good too, and ended up running 10.5 miles with me. He kept saying George's Tavern was just over the next hill. Liar! But it did make the miles go by faster. As we were really coming up on George's Tavern, a friend of Curtis drives by. He pulls over, just happens to have his running gear in his car, and gets out to take over.
John was an interesting character. He had met Curtis in boot camp, and had served in Vietnam. He was a wealth of stories. Once, while in Vietnam, he was in the middle of a huge explosion (I think he said something like 68,000 tons). He cried out to God, told him to get down there and do something, but felt like God was nowhere to be found. 40 years later, he discovers a letter written to his family commending him for his service - there were no casualties, no one died, everyone escaped and no one got hurt. He thought for 40 years that God hadn't been there, but found out that indeed he was. John and I had an interesting run going. I would get ahead of him going up the hills, but would stop when we came up to the crew vehicle for a drink. John took that advantage to keep going and get ahead of me.Then I would run to catch up and we would talk for a while - it was great sport. At one spot, Curtis' mom shows up, just to say hi! What a special lady. John gave me a story to read about the day the world record for the mile was broken and how a neighborhood came together through running, which just goes to show the power of running and how it can be a tool for making good things happen. John got me to Columbia, VA which was at about 17 miles. Now I only had 9 miles to go on the day.
The rest of the run was a series of long ups and downs. Before long, I was running on Route 15 and walking the last half mile with my daughter by my side to finish the day with 26.23 more miles behind me. I felt strong today, almost like I had crossed a threshold, and felt empowered by the support of those who ran beside me, or were with me in spirit - sending up good thoughts and prayers throughout the day. I am truly overwhelmed by it all.
Curtis is 63 and an experienced runner. He had run the Richmond marathon several times back in the eighties when it started at noon on Sunday. While he raced a lot now, he hasn't run a marathon in years. I think I might have convinced him to give it another shot. The miles clicked off pretty rapidly, in fact, we were probably did several sub 11min miles, but I felt good and we were talking "shop." It turns out that our race paces are pretty similar. What really inspired me is when he started talking about his 85 year old mother, who recently finished a 10k as a fundraiser. She is the "retired" organist for her church, the town historian, and the matriarch every one calls when they need something done, because she's the one with the energy. Curtis was feeling pretty good too, and ended up running 10.5 miles with me. He kept saying George's Tavern was just over the next hill. Liar! But it did make the miles go by faster. As we were really coming up on George's Tavern, a friend of Curtis drives by. He pulls over, just happens to have his running gear in his car, and gets out to take over.
John was an interesting character. He had met Curtis in boot camp, and had served in Vietnam. He was a wealth of stories. Once, while in Vietnam, he was in the middle of a huge explosion (I think he said something like 68,000 tons). He cried out to God, told him to get down there and do something, but felt like God was nowhere to be found. 40 years later, he discovers a letter written to his family commending him for his service - there were no casualties, no one died, everyone escaped and no one got hurt. He thought for 40 years that God hadn't been there, but found out that indeed he was. John and I had an interesting run going. I would get ahead of him going up the hills, but would stop when we came up to the crew vehicle for a drink. John took that advantage to keep going and get ahead of me.Then I would run to catch up and we would talk for a while - it was great sport. At one spot, Curtis' mom shows up, just to say hi! What a special lady. John gave me a story to read about the day the world record for the mile was broken and how a neighborhood came together through running, which just goes to show the power of running and how it can be a tool for making good things happen. John got me to Columbia, VA which was at about 17 miles. Now I only had 9 miles to go on the day.
The rest of the run was a series of long ups and downs. Before long, I was running on Route 15 and walking the last half mile with my daughter by my side to finish the day with 26.23 more miles behind me. I felt strong today, almost like I had crossed a threshold, and felt empowered by the support of those who ran beside me, or were with me in spirit - sending up good thoughts and prayers throughout the day. I am truly overwhelmed by it all.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
15 in 15 Run - Day 10 (Aug 26) Richmond to Charlottesville - (Leg 1)
First, I have to say that we were blessed again. Lauren Holcomb lent us her apartment for two nights while we have been in Richmond. What a gift! (Lindsey liked it because she had DVDs that Lindsey wanted to watch.)
We arrived at Monroe Park shortly before 8 and realized that you couldn't park on the street until after 8. And the meter maid was there giving tickets. So we drove around looking for a legal place to park. Finally, the meter maid had moved on and it was close enough to 8 that we were sure it was okay, so we got everything ready and headed to the center of the park where I was going to start. Some homeless and unemployed people were hanging out and Steve explained what I was getting ready to do, then asked if they wanted to join in the prayer. 4 or 5 of them joined hands with us as we prayed. Well, this is what it is all about - us encouraging the homeless, and them encouraging and praying for me. I got a little emotional as Steve said the prayer. Then I was off.
I ended up running down Monument Ave. which was a really nice section of town to run in. I felt pretty good, and the morning was cool. But after about 3 miles (and I hadn't seen the crew vehicle go by) I began to wonder where they were. And I had to go to the bathroom really bad! Finally at an intersection, I saw a Kroger grocery store off to the right. Thank goodness! So I went "Krogering." By then my crew had caught up with me. They were delayed because Steve had called WPER radio station and they actually talked with one of the ladies who was in the park.
After that stop, I made my way over to Patterson St/Route 6 but as I was going up a hill, tripped and fell hard on the sidewalk. Ouch! My right hand and left knee were both scraped. I lay there a second, wondering if this was going to affect the rest of the run. Finally, I got my legs back under and started back down the road. After a few gimpy steps, the knee felt okay and I continued running.
The next time Steve and Lindsey caught up to me, I was about at mile 7 and had just passed out of the city limits. So far, I had sidewalks to run on, but from here on out it would be shoulder. The road was 4 lanes and for the most part, cars were good about moving into the left lane as they passed.
It was also very hilly. I had at least one 2 mile climb, and several that were a mile or more. Fortunately, there were also some nice long downhills as well. We were stopping about every two miles - I was trying to keep moving. I remember at one point thinking that when this was all done I was going to take up a different sport, like say, croquet!
Once the highway narrowed to two lanes, the shoulder became more difficult to maneuver and I did have to jump off into tall weeds several times. At one point the road narrowed as I crossed a bridge. We stopped right before the bridge and looked it over. I felt I could successfully negotiate it, by staying close to the guard rail, and waiting until there was no traffic to go through the one section. So I was running, and focusing on any cars that might be coming towards me, when a car behind me decides to pass another car and shoots into my lane, nearly clipping my heels as he zooms by. Steve got it all on video. That was the scariest moment.
Another long climb took us into the town of Crozier, then I went by a correctional facility. Steve decided to stop right at their entrance. I was worried someone was going to come out and ask what we were doing. But, if you're ever have to go to jail, request this one - it's out in beautiful country on a farm! I had to climb another long hill and was thinking of walking it, but there were these policemen out training their dogs, whooping and hollering. Well, I couldn't walk there, so I trudged up the hill until I passed them, then took a walk break.
Now it was just a matter of counting down the miles. With 1/2 mile to go, Lindsey gets out and walks the rest of the way in. Somewhere along the way, Steve lost one of the magnetic signs, so we retrace our steps trying to find it. No luck! We also checked out a parallel highway to see if the shoulder was better, but decided to continue on the original planned route. After we got back to the apartment, I cleaned up and then we were treated to a nice dinner at Josh and Michelle's apartment. Michelle fixed a great meal and we enjoyed the company greatly. Another blessing.
As I was running, I was thinking about my daughter and wondering what her impressions were of all this. I know that she is getting pretty tired herself. But I hope I can instill in her that some things are worth going the distance for, even when it gets hard and you want to quit. If that is the lesson she learns from this, than it will make everything - the ups and downs, the highs and lows all worthwhile.
The knee is a little stiff and I'm hoping as I sleep tonight it won't bother me over the next five days.
We arrived at Monroe Park shortly before 8 and realized that you couldn't park on the street until after 8. And the meter maid was there giving tickets. So we drove around looking for a legal place to park. Finally, the meter maid had moved on and it was close enough to 8 that we were sure it was okay, so we got everything ready and headed to the center of the park where I was going to start. Some homeless and unemployed people were hanging out and Steve explained what I was getting ready to do, then asked if they wanted to join in the prayer. 4 or 5 of them joined hands with us as we prayed. Well, this is what it is all about - us encouraging the homeless, and them encouraging and praying for me. I got a little emotional as Steve said the prayer. Then I was off.
I ended up running down Monument Ave. which was a really nice section of town to run in. I felt pretty good, and the morning was cool. But after about 3 miles (and I hadn't seen the crew vehicle go by) I began to wonder where they were. And I had to go to the bathroom really bad! Finally at an intersection, I saw a Kroger grocery store off to the right. Thank goodness! So I went "Krogering." By then my crew had caught up with me. They were delayed because Steve had called WPER radio station and they actually talked with one of the ladies who was in the park.
After that stop, I made my way over to Patterson St/Route 6 but as I was going up a hill, tripped and fell hard on the sidewalk. Ouch! My right hand and left knee were both scraped. I lay there a second, wondering if this was going to affect the rest of the run. Finally, I got my legs back under and started back down the road. After a few gimpy steps, the knee felt okay and I continued running.
The next time Steve and Lindsey caught up to me, I was about at mile 7 and had just passed out of the city limits. So far, I had sidewalks to run on, but from here on out it would be shoulder. The road was 4 lanes and for the most part, cars were good about moving into the left lane as they passed.
It was also very hilly. I had at least one 2 mile climb, and several that were a mile or more. Fortunately, there were also some nice long downhills as well. We were stopping about every two miles - I was trying to keep moving. I remember at one point thinking that when this was all done I was going to take up a different sport, like say, croquet!
Once the highway narrowed to two lanes, the shoulder became more difficult to maneuver and I did have to jump off into tall weeds several times. At one point the road narrowed as I crossed a bridge. We stopped right before the bridge and looked it over. I felt I could successfully negotiate it, by staying close to the guard rail, and waiting until there was no traffic to go through the one section. So I was running, and focusing on any cars that might be coming towards me, when a car behind me decides to pass another car and shoots into my lane, nearly clipping my heels as he zooms by. Steve got it all on video. That was the scariest moment.
Another long climb took us into the town of Crozier, then I went by a correctional facility. Steve decided to stop right at their entrance. I was worried someone was going to come out and ask what we were doing. But, if you're ever have to go to jail, request this one - it's out in beautiful country on a farm! I had to climb another long hill and was thinking of walking it, but there were these policemen out training their dogs, whooping and hollering. Well, I couldn't walk there, so I trudged up the hill until I passed them, then took a walk break.
Now it was just a matter of counting down the miles. With 1/2 mile to go, Lindsey gets out and walks the rest of the way in. Somewhere along the way, Steve lost one of the magnetic signs, so we retrace our steps trying to find it. No luck! We also checked out a parallel highway to see if the shoulder was better, but decided to continue on the original planned route. After we got back to the apartment, I cleaned up and then we were treated to a nice dinner at Josh and Michelle's apartment. Michelle fixed a great meal and we enjoyed the company greatly. Another blessing.
As I was running, I was thinking about my daughter and wondering what her impressions were of all this. I know that she is getting pretty tired herself. But I hope I can instill in her that some things are worth going the distance for, even when it gets hard and you want to quit. If that is the lesson she learns from this, than it will make everything - the ups and downs, the highs and lows all worthwhile.
The knee is a little stiff and I'm hoping as I sleep tonight it won't bother me over the next five days.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
15 in 15 Run - Day 9 (Aug25) - Richmond
We started the day running around, late as usual. It's just so hard to get up in the morning. By the time we got to our starting point in Montpelier, it was close to 8am. Meeting us was Josh Orndorff to crew while Steve went to pack up the camper and take it home. Also joining me was Jesse MacLelland, the youth leader at Hopewell UMC, who was planning on running 5-10 miles with me. Later, Pastor Karen Adams and Reba LaFollette joined us and were able to take Jesse back to his car. I was feeling a little sore and stiff and was wondering it was going to be a slow day.
But with Jesse there, we took off and headed down the road at a good clip. The morning was cool, the road was gently rolling, and with Jesse there to talk to, the first miles went by pretty quickly. We were going two or more miles before catching up to the crew station. It is really neat to talk to so many different people of all ages and backgrounds, both my running partners and my host families. It's a chance to get to know someone on a much deeper level. Jesse has a great heart and I know that the Lord is going to do wonderful things in his life. He decided at the 6.2 mile marker that his legs were done for the day and hitched the ride back to his car.
From then on I ran alone. I was still feeling pretty good and decided to keep pushing it with longer runs before the breaks for as long as I could. Route 33 actually turned out to be a fairly decent road to run on. It had a wide enough shoulder that I didn't have to jump into the weeds.
At one point, I made a quick pit stop in a store along the road. It was a really nice country store, but I didn't have time to browse, my crew was waiting for me. There was also some construction that made the road a little rough to run on. At one point, the crew stopped right next to a Tyson processing facility. I tried not to think about what was going on in there. Apparently a truck load of dead chickens had passed by right before I came up.
We hit the outskirts of Richmond earlier than anticipated. Then I realized that I had started about 3 miles closer than the original plan. When we stopped at the UMC Conference Center, I met Steve Jones, District Superintendent of the Richmond District. He had hoped to run with me, but was going to be tied up in a meeting. He did show us an alternative route that would add the extra miles we need and take us into the city by way of Broad Street, which we hoped would be better. The side road was nice and shaded and had sidewalks. However, when I got to Broad St., all my sidewalks disappeared. I ended up running through the parking lots and on the grass. This got to be tricky because I had to jump up and down on curbs and run on the uneven grass. My legs were tiring and I felt my right thigh really start to tighten up. But we didn't seem to get any closer! I'd run 1.5-2 miles. Are we close? No, not yet. Then run another 1.5-2miles. It still didn't look like a city! These were the hardest miles of the day.
Finally, I hit a stretch of sidewalk that would carry me into the city. At one point, the stoplights were catching my crew so often, that I was catching up and passing them. I ran until I hit the 26.2 mark with a running time of 5:05. Then Lindsey and Reba walked with me the rest of the way to Monroe Park. The VCU students were returning to college and some of them had a cooler of Freezie Pops that they were handing out. What a nice treat for the end of the run. Another blessing. When I told them what I was doing, one of them said, "I heard you on the radio!" It made me feel like a celebrity. They said they would love to participate in ministry at Monroe Park.
I don't know why today went so well. Perhaps it was the cooler weather, a good road to run on, and the company of friends, but I felt really strong right up to the end. I know that you all have been praying for me and I could really feel it today. As long as you are praying and running with me in spirit, I know I will make it to the end.
But with Jesse there, we took off and headed down the road at a good clip. The morning was cool, the road was gently rolling, and with Jesse there to talk to, the first miles went by pretty quickly. We were going two or more miles before catching up to the crew station. It is really neat to talk to so many different people of all ages and backgrounds, both my running partners and my host families. It's a chance to get to know someone on a much deeper level. Jesse has a great heart and I know that the Lord is going to do wonderful things in his life. He decided at the 6.2 mile marker that his legs were done for the day and hitched the ride back to his car.
From then on I ran alone. I was still feeling pretty good and decided to keep pushing it with longer runs before the breaks for as long as I could. Route 33 actually turned out to be a fairly decent road to run on. It had a wide enough shoulder that I didn't have to jump into the weeds.
At one point, I made a quick pit stop in a store along the road. It was a really nice country store, but I didn't have time to browse, my crew was waiting for me. There was also some construction that made the road a little rough to run on. At one point, the crew stopped right next to a Tyson processing facility. I tried not to think about what was going on in there. Apparently a truck load of dead chickens had passed by right before I came up.
We hit the outskirts of Richmond earlier than anticipated. Then I realized that I had started about 3 miles closer than the original plan. When we stopped at the UMC Conference Center, I met Steve Jones, District Superintendent of the Richmond District. He had hoped to run with me, but was going to be tied up in a meeting. He did show us an alternative route that would add the extra miles we need and take us into the city by way of Broad Street, which we hoped would be better. The side road was nice and shaded and had sidewalks. However, when I got to Broad St., all my sidewalks disappeared. I ended up running through the parking lots and on the grass. This got to be tricky because I had to jump up and down on curbs and run on the uneven grass. My legs were tiring and I felt my right thigh really start to tighten up. But we didn't seem to get any closer! I'd run 1.5-2 miles. Are we close? No, not yet. Then run another 1.5-2miles. It still didn't look like a city! These were the hardest miles of the day.
Finally, I hit a stretch of sidewalk that would carry me into the city. At one point, the stoplights were catching my crew so often, that I was catching up and passing them. I ran until I hit the 26.2 mark with a running time of 5:05. Then Lindsey and Reba walked with me the rest of the way to Monroe Park. The VCU students were returning to college and some of them had a cooler of Freezie Pops that they were handing out. What a nice treat for the end of the run. Another blessing. When I told them what I was doing, one of them said, "I heard you on the radio!" It made me feel like a celebrity. They said they would love to participate in ministry at Monroe Park.
I don't know why today went so well. Perhaps it was the cooler weather, a good road to run on, and the company of friends, but I felt really strong right up to the end. I know that you all have been praying for me and I could really feel it today. As long as you are praying and running with me in spirit, I know I will make it to the end.
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