Wow, what an amazing race weekend at the St. Jude Half Marathon in Memphis! I met my $1,000 fundraising goal the day before we left for Memphis! I was so very thankful for that. I'd seriously started rolling change a month ago because I had so much money to raise and didn't think I would make my goal. Then, all of a sudden, people started donating. What a wonderful blessing for the children who are patients at St. Jude Children's Hospital. My goal for this race was to beat my time from the year before which was 2:27:06 and I did it!!
Friday before the race, I got up at 5 AM and read my morning devotions. I jumped on the treadmill for my holiday runstreak mile, then took a shower and started getting the kids ready for school. I kissed my two daughters goodbye and my husband took them to school. My mother came to pick my little boy up for preschool and get all of their clothes for the weekend. She had given me a sweet travelling package the night before filled with candy, music, and tumblers for us. I kissed my baby boy bye too and finished packing up my things. We were on the road by 8 AM!
I wanted to get to the expo earlier this year than last year because the crowd was a little overwhelming late in the evening. We stopped for a biscuit and stopped by a gift shop in Mendenhall called Ballyhoo. My husband bought me a new bracelet and a Fingerprint Pottery coffee mug as a prerace gift. Aaaaaaw. We stopped for lunch in north Mississippi and made it to Memphis Cook Convention Center by 2:30 in the afternoon! I was so excited to be there! We parked and headed upstairs to the expo. I went in the main room and couldn't find my number so I told a volunteer my number and they said I was "VIP" and to pick up my packet in a different room. Oooooh.
I thought I might be a VIP Hero, but I wasn't for sure. We went to the VIP packet pick up room and got my number and $25 discount for clothing. Then we went back to the main room to get my shirt and bag. Once I was all fixed up, my husband and I went shopping! I knew I probably wouldn't get to come back next year so I bought a St. Jude hoodie, hat, two ornaments, and a race shirt for my 8 year old. She had asked for us to bring her running clothes home from Memphis. Swoon. My husband bought himself a hat too! Then we walked over to the next room where there were plenty of other vendors with shoes and shirts, race entries and such. I signed my name on the board and found my name on the Ford Explorer. It was on the praying baby!
We walked around for a little while since our check in time wasn't until 4 at the Peabody. We headed out of the expo at around 345 and asked someone to take our picture.
Christopher took a picture of me holding my bib number then it was off to the Peabody Hotel.
Wow, there were so many people there! It didn't take us long to check in and we headed up to our room on the 9th floor to rest before dinner at Texas de Brazil which was right by our hotel. Super convenient and it was really good food. We had to take our picture by the big Christmas tree in our hotel lobby before heading back to the room. We checked in with the kids and then it was time to sleep! I slept pretty well considering it was the night before a big race.
The next thing I new it was race morning! I could hear music playing and announcer's talking through a microphone as early as 6 AM. I looked out the window and saw runners every where and they looked cold! I had trouble deciding between a long sleeved or short sleeved shirt underneath my singlet, but I went with short sleeved because I warm up quickly while I'm running. I planned on meeting Debi from Girls Run the 901 and Tricia from MissSippipiddlin and the rest of the Run 365 crew in front of the Flying Saucer at 745. I packed my snickers in my flip belt, my headphones and cell phone, kissed my husband bye and headed downstairs at about 725. I walked out of the hotel and it was freezing. Probably in the 30's. I was wearing a jacket which I planned on throwing away with hand warmers in the pockets. I headed down 2nd Street looking for the Flying Saucer. I passed it and didn't see anyone I knew so I waited a few feet from the meeting spot for about 5 minutes and I saw Debi! I headed straight for her and we gave each other a big hug! I saw Cecilia from MommiesRun. and gave her a big hug and I got to meet Tara from RunningnReading! I have been following her for a long time. Tricia and her husband Greg walked up and gave her a hug and Greg a high five! I saw Scott Stader and gave him a high five as well. What a wonderful reunion!
We all chatted a few minutes and then it was time for our group picture just like last year!
We took several pictures as a group and it was time to say good bye. I also got to meet Debi's friend Don. I told her I hoped she had a good race and wished Tricia good luck before heading up to my corral. I chose corral number 8 since the pace said 10:10-10:30 or something like that. We sang the National Anthem and it was time for the first wave to run!
It was so exciting when we started walking forward. It took 45 minutes for me to start in Nashville, but only 15 minutes here at St. Jude. I ditched my jacket at the starting line..COLD.. and it was time to run!!
I can honestly say I felt strong the entire time I ran this race. There were no moments of struggle like last year. I think last year I got in the corral that said 2:20 and tried to keep up with my friends and the pacers. It seemed like they were running a little too fast plus I was not in as good of shape last year and already had a nagging knee injury. This time, I did not start too fast and there seemed like more hills at the beginning of this course than last year's. At mile 3 we were running by the Mississippi River just like last year and we ran by the Convention Center. There was a steep incline around mile 4. Wow! At Meridian two weeks ago I had to start walking the hills, but in Memphis, I ran every single hill. I refused to stop and walk the hills at this race. My mind was so much more focused on the reason why I was there to run in the first place and it was for those children who are patients at St. Jude Children's Hospital.
At mile 5 I could see the hospital and it was time to run through the campus... and then I saw the children were out. I immediately started crying. I could not catch my breath. I passed a little girl in her wheel chair and gave so many high fives. One little girl in particular was probably around 6 or 7 with her little beanie hat on. She was smiling and giving high fives. She looked so happy. I cried harder and made sure to shake her hand. Mercy. I savored this moment, and took my time running through the campus. There were so many people. They were so glad to see us and so filled with joy. I imagine that is what heaven will be like when we arrive. I enjoyed every second running through the hospital. I will never forget all of those smiling faces. Then it was time to run out and before I knew it, the race was almost half way over. When I ran out of the hospital and regained my composure, I remembered that it was at this point of the race last year that I started to struggle. That really motivated me to start running a little harder! I finished mile 6 at 10:29 and mile 7 at 10:15! I kept thinking we would run to Overton Park again like last year, but we didn't. Miles 8-10 I ran at 10:28, 10:34 (I stopped to eat my snickers bar lol), and 10:27. I really thought after 10 miles that if I hustled, I would PR. I ran 10 miles in an hour and 43 minutes and if I would finish the last 3 miles in 30 minutes and really hustled, I might possible get that personal record! So I really tried to pick up the pace and ran up and down more hills. There were so many people and my legs had been hurting from hill climbing again after 6 miles. That's what happened last year, but instead of falling to pieces, I was able to push through it this year. I ran miles 11-13 at 10:12, 10:04, and 10:09. After mile 12, a girl came to a complete stop right in front of me and we collided. It felt like I had been body slammed! She apologized, but this happened a lot at this race for some reason. Runners would stop and walk right in front of me and this happened as early as before the first mile marker. I made it 13 miles in about 2 hours and 14 minutes, but I had not turned to go inside the Autozone Park yet. I kept running and running as hard as I could and then it happened...a major side stitch..the kind that hurts so badly you can't catch your breath. I was hurting so badly, I missed my husband who was right by the finish line before I turned into the park.
Time kept ticking and I stopped my watch at 2:16:59 and the distance said 13.28 miles. I got my medal and took my picture. I was a little disappointed that I had worked so hard at the end of the race to not PR, but I was still so thankful for a wonderful race compared to the year before. I was much more focused and ran with purpose for those sweet children. I enjoyed every moment. You cannot beat the Memphis crowd, calling me by name and cheering. I high fived so many people and children. It was simply amazing. It took me a long time to make my way out of the Autozone Park. I ended up walking around the entire thing to get out to my husband. On the way out, I stopped and sipped some hot potato soup from McAllister's and made a bee line for the Krispy Kreme donuts and ate one glazed donut. Yummy! I walked and walked and heard someone call my name. It was Jennifer from Teacher in Training and her husband!
I was so very excited to meet her. They helped me find out what my official finish time was and it was 2:16:53, a few seconds better than what my watch read. We chatted for a minute and I headed toward the exit to find my husband. I was ready to see him! He was standing by the chocolate milk and he gave me a big hug and kiss and told me good job. He even bought me a finisher shirt..swoon!
I was ready to sit down at this point so we headed back to the Peabody which was right across the street from Autozone Park. I took a long hot bath and Christopher bought me coffee and enjoyed a relaxing day and night together before heading home bright and early at 6 AM the following morning. Our two daughters had piano recital Sunday afternoon and I had my women's church Christmas party.
Wow, I am still overjoyed and thankful I had the opportunity to run the St. Jude Half Marathon 2 years in a row. Last year did not go so well and I suffered severe fatigue and exhaustion when we got home from Memphis. This year, we came home to a busy schedule and a very sick little girl, but I felt just fine and ready to take care of everything. That's what busy mothers do after all! I went to my Surgical Oncologist Monday afternoon and he told me I did not have to come back to see him for a year! I was so excited! It was such an awesome weekend at St. Jude and being able to spend time with my husband. I love being a St. Jude Hero and running for those sweet kids. I love running for a cause and running for my buddy, Sophia. I feel like my running has purpose and glory to God for bringing me through a tough year of running last year. I am ending 2015 on such a happy, positive note and injury free! I think the struggles make us strong. It has taken a long time for everything to come together, but the main thing I did was not give up. Last year was so hard coming home from Memphis, I ended up even going to the doctor because I was dizzy and exhausted. I could have called it quits then, but I didn't. I kept getting out there and running because I love it. Running has opened so many doors for me and I've met so many wonderful people and I am so excited to see what 2016 has in store for me. Thank you for reading! God bless you all and Merry Christmas!
