2. Run a 1/2 Marathon

Ooooh ladies and gents.
We are t minus TWO days until summer vacation is official, and this girl couldn’t be happier. The kids are crazy. The teachers are crazy. And the days are just too sunny and beautiful to retire at proper school bedtime.

I’ve already started on my Spring & Summer To Do list. Forgeeeet procrastination this year, baby, cause errthang I do, I do it big.

Speaking of doing it big, let me tell you about the time I ran 13.1 miles.

My journey began on the morning of April 27^th, one year after the tornados that affected so many in my neck of the woods. After getting all weepy-eyed while drying my hair, I posed my thoughts on Facebook:

It was this very hour, a year ago, that Adam and I were both leaving for work. We told each other to be safe and then headed to school. We both spent the day enduring tornado warnings in the halls - consoling crying students and telling them that everything was going to be alright...all the while we had no idea what was going on. Later that day, Adam and I spent the evening crouched in the laundry room as our house endured a terrible beating.

We are so blessed to still have our house, but more importantly, one another after that day. I am so thankful for the outpouring of love and support we received through it all, and I'm so excited to be giving back (albeit in another way) and helping The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society this weekend!

Emotional and nervous about my big weekend, Adam and I set out on our journey to Nashville. After dropping the doggies off at weekend camp, we made a detour to the town of Lynnville, TN (population 327) to visit a leather goods store – Colonel Littleton’s. Adam had a great time looking at the products, and I had a pleasant experience talking with the clerk. Turns out, she was a five-time Team in Training alum in honor of her daughter who had lost her battle with Leukemia years ago. She wished me luck on my run and even gave us Mini Moon Pies.

We pressed onward to Nashville and arrived just in time to join a few fellow TNTers to pick up our race packets and score some freebies at the expo.

Later that night, all of the folks from Team in Training joined together for the Inspiration Dinner. We heard stories from survivors, as well as stories about those who didn’t survive. We were thanked, encouraged, and completely inspired by what we heard that night. 

After dinner (and past my bedtime), our amazing coach, Dana, gave a great pep-talk and shared a few reminders about what we were about to undertake. We posed for pictures, laughed a lot, decorated our jerseys, and gave each other nicknames. Finally, at TEN PEEE EM, I made it back to my room. Before I knew it, it was 11 (a time I’m not familiar with) and I was just crawling into bed.

I tossed and turned for what seemed like hours –about four hours, to be exact! Mascara was applied, hair was fixed, toast was consumed, and coffee was brewed all before heading down to join my mates. At 4:15 in the morning. “/

A bus dropped us off at the start where we stood.
And waited.
And stood.
And waited.
Until we were ushered to our corrals.

The race officially started at 7, but I did not cross the start line until 7:45.
Yeah – there were a LOT of people. 

Past that, the race was really a blur.

At mile two, I was ridiculously happy to see porta-potties and a short line!
At mile four, I lost the gal I started running with.
At mile ten, I met up with teammate from Birmingham, and we finished together.
At the finish, I saw my wonderful husband, his sister, and his parents -all cheering for me. That was the best.
Also at the finish, I received the most amazing medal, tasty milk, fruit, and the coldest washcloth in the history of the world. Maybe not, but I sure didn’t hesitate to put it around my neck.

Hands down, my Team in Training experience was the best thing I could have done with my time. Thank you for your donations, prayers, kind words, thoughts, and help during my journey from oaf to kinda-runner-girl. If you’ve ever toyed with running, wanted to be a runner, are looking for something to do, or want to raise money for an amazing cause, I urge you to look into the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’sTeam in Training program.

Together, we can beat cancer.

View more pictures taken by the wonderful Mary Cox here: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.352530721472863.81947.119505984775339&type=1

Yeah, it's on my car.
I'm one of those people.

She drove all the way from NC to see me finish my first 1/2!

After party at the Wildhorse. The food was good, but I just couldn't eat very much.

BUT later that night, I had a ferocious appetite...
The amazing husb ordered me room service. :)

Sweet card from the wonderful KRay!

Riiiight after finishing.

Proof I ran.
or
Proof I haven't purchased my photos yet.

My congratulatory prize from the sister for finishing!