Fox Valley Marathon...for Beko...

This weekend has to have been one of the best of my year so far. I got up Saturday morning, made a big breakfast for everyone and then it was time to get moving. I had managed to get a late afternoon flight to Chicago and that meant getting some time with my kids. I got to see my youngest daughter cheer at her football game and my son play in his flag football game. I didn't think I was going to have a single chance this season so being there was meaningful in ways I can't begin to describe.

After landing in Chicago I headed straight for the packet pick up, and then it was time to get back on the road again. An old friend that I had met through my mom's group had invited me to come stay with her and I was really excited to have the chance to catch up! We got dinner at her favorite Japanese Steakhouse and didn't leave a moment dull. It had been 5 years since I'd seen Amy and it was great to talk about all the changes in our lives and our children's lives. It made me think about just how drastically I've changed since then. When I joined the group in 2003 I had just recently started on my journey to get in shape. At that time I had a 3 year old and a 4 month old. I was a stay at home mom and it was time to rearrange my life. I got serious, I changed my diet and started lifting weights. I dreaded every single minute of cardio that I spent on my treadmill, but I was determined to stick to my plan. I never had any intentions of ever becoming a runner. Fast forward a couple years, quite a few pounds lost and another baby. With having 3 little kids, the treadmill was my workout outlet. Running had become more enjoyable, but it was still more of a check the box, you did your workout for the day kind of thing than a joy. The transition from it being routine, to something I actively sought out developed slowly. I would say I became a runner in December of 2005 because that is the first time I recall really wanting to run. I asked for a polar heart rate watch for Christmas. I bought my first pair of running shoes. I did my first 5 miles without stopping and I couldn't believe how much I loved it. I can vividly remember those days, with bottles and diapers, tantrums and story time. With dishes and laundry, finger paints and Cheerios.  My mom's group was an awesome support and much needed adult relief from a day long load of endless energized children.

With Amy at dinner

As Amy and I talked about those days, I thought about how fitting it was that I was running this week for Beko, a 2 year old orphaned boy in South Africa. Anyone with children knows just how tiring it is to care for little ones. Their needs are intense and its a 24 hour job. Life is exhausting with demands. Beko and 8 other children are being cared for by their grandparents. They all live in one house and his grandparents not only have to deal with the difficulties of raising so many children, but the hardship of poverty and health concerns as well. Even on my most overwhelming days of motherhood, I don't think I could have possibly have come close to the work these grandparents have to manage on a daily basis.  How do you care for children that you don't have enough food for? How do you tell a hungry child you have nothing to give them? This is why 25:40 exists, to help this family and so many other families in the Ngqeleni district of the Eastern Cape in South Africa.

This is where heart meets needs. This is not about numbers, but lives. What if, through living your life, you could positively change the lives of 1,000's of people? Why wouldn't you? People get caught up in the moment of today, the world around us. We all have priorities, families, jobs, bills. We have plenty of stuff to clutter every moment that the clock allows. But beyond that, we all have something to give, weather it be monetary or not. What is it you have to give?  

We left the resturant and as we headed back Amy asked me if I liked the movie Ferris Bueller. Apparently his high school was only a couple minutes down the road! We drove the same road that Ferris took the Ferrari down and parked in the spot where he stopped in front of the school to pick up Sloane. If you've seen the movie, you know what I'm talking about. Of course it was dark so it's not quite the same, but I had to take a picture of the steps! It also happens to be where Amy went to high school - how funny! And in case you're wondering, the school is Glenbrook North High School.

Ferris Bueller's HS

As the evening continued, so did our conversations. I wanted to just sit and gab all night, but I finally  had to get to bed, it was midnight. With 4 hours sleep, I was up again and it was time to get ready to go. I won't lie, I was exhausted when I woke up and I had the classic bags under my eyes, but it was time to get moving. I had an hour drive to St. Charles for the race.

The Fox Valley Marathon was an inaugural event and I was impressed with how well the race was organized. They even had Dunkin Donuts coffee and donut holes for the runners! I got a half cup and started talking with another runner, Heather, who lives in the area. We got caught up in conversation and before I knew it, the race was starting and we were on the move. I had positioned myself to run between the 4:15 and 4:30 pace groups, but within the first couple miles I passed the 4:15 group. The air was crisp, the road felt good, and I focused on the world around me, not my pace. I've been increasingly running my races by feel, not according to my watch and it seems to be working well. Today was no different. Heather was in my sights and she was a good pace gauge for me.

The course was pretty, taking us through town streets and on bike paths along Fox River. We ran over lots of little bridges, through parks and the path was shaded most of the run. It was scenic, and flat with awesome aid stations almost every mile. I thought the area was quite visually entertaining and the volunteers were awesome. The perfect weather just made the day that much more enjoyable and the miles flew by. I finally looked down at my watch at the half way point and saw that I had been running quite a bit faster than I thought. I hit 13.1 in 1:57. I felt good, but was also wondering if I was going to pay for my faster pace in the second half of the marathon. Was I going to have enough energy to carry myself to the finish or was I going to crash and burn?

I saw these girls cheer us at several different points on the course - they were awesome!

Miles 15-20 had small little ups and downs that felt like so much more work than they should have. It was starting to get warmer and I could feel I was slowing down. The last 6 miles I was flat out tired. I was feeling it in my knees. Every step you take is one closer to the finish line I reminded myself and I pushed on. Even with my slower pace I was passing lots of people. It gave me motivation and determination to get to the finish line.

I crossed in 4:03, which is my second fastest marathon time ever and fastest time this year! This was #35 of my 52 marathons for the year. How in the world did I do that? I don't know! It was a good day. Even on little sleep and with worn out shoes I did it. This week alone is proof that our bodies are capable of so much more than we ever imagined.

I waited for Heather to cross the finish line. I had passed her in the last couple miles and she finished less than a minute behind me. I gave her a big hug and congratulated her as she had just killed her old PR (personal record time) by almost 20 minutes. I stupidly didn't think to get our picture taken, but I was thankful to have met her.

The things in life that mean the most are the moments that shape us. The moments that bring an immediate smile every time we think back. I ran for Beko and I will look back on this day and smile. I hope through this journey, Beko will too, have a reason to smile.

"Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, 

not reluctantly or under compulsion, 

for God loves a cheerful giver" 

2 Corinthians 2:9

Final Race Stats:

4:03:58 - finishing time

208 out of 483 overall

58 out of 193 women

8 out of 29 in my age group (25-29)