marathon #8

last week i ran 3 miles monday and 3 miles tuesday. felt much better compared to last week! i didn't run the rest of the week but was walking a lot or on my feet non stop!

my son had a football tournament wednesday through friday about an hour from this race. i signed up for this race back in august with no knowledge of anything else occuring that weekend. but in the end, it all worked out and we had a lot of fun.

my entire family was not able to come to this race but my oldest and my parents did. it was my second personal worst. and i really don't care because i came away with new knowledge and goals. i started out at my regular race pace to finish with a 4:45 or so. at the half way mark, i switched to a walk 3 run 1 pace. i could feel my weak spots from the race i ran too fast two weeks ago. i wanted to just finish without injury. so it became a game for me to keep track and it really made the second half go by fast. (no music to help pass the time - i bought new $10 ear buds for my ipod and when i went to put them in, the plug part broke! never got to use them!)

chickamauga battlefield was a very pretty race. the leaves were already mostly turned and falling off. but still pretty, nonetheless. it was neat to see cannons all along the race route and really put things in perspective to me. if i think we have it hard now (very dividing political sides), i thought of how it must have been for our countrymen to be at war among each other, blasting each other with cannons!

i saw some deer, a bat spread out on the path, and dead rabbit! lots of nice steady hills. at one point i ran next to a 59 year old who was running his 175th marathon and next to him his buddy was 66 and running his 350th! they passed me at mile 25.5 when i had no choice but to walk the rest of the way to the finish. the backside of my right knee was so stiff and hurt bad.

i finished. i'm done for a couple months. convicted of hitting the gym twice a week to strengthen my weak areas. no long runs over 13-15 for me for a little while. going to focus on what needs to be worked on. i'm just so thankful God gave me the ability and the passion to run  - far.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:21