Tupelo Marathon....for Elliott...

Yesterday  I flew out to Memphis for marathon #33 of the year. From there I had an hour and a half drive to Tupelo, Mississippi where the race was being held. Right away I was met with the southern culture, from hospitality to the dietary differences in southern cooking. While driving down the freeway, I listened to the radio, as I normally do. I hate listening to anyone talk on the radio, but for some reason, instead of changing the station I was listened while the commercials came on. One of them was for a carnival food place. They were boasting of fried oreos, twinkles, pickles, etc. They had cheese fries and funnel cakes and of course corn dogs. It was all carnival food, without the carnival and that's literally how they advertised it. To top it off I swear they said they had a buffet! And for you fried chicken lovers, you'd have been in heaven.  Almost every gas station that I passed on my way had a sign for friend chicken!  After hearing and seeing all that, it made complete sense to me why Mississippi currently has the highest obesity rates of any state in the US.

 Need I say more?

On the plus side, the southern drawl and kindness shown through, even just at the airport. People were genuinely nice and had manners. It was definitely a nice change of pace from the way things are in DC!

I got to Tupelo too late to pick up my packet, but I scouted out where the race start would be and figured out where the nearest Anytime Fitness gym was so I had a place to shower. Once again I was going the cheap route and planned to just sleep in my car. I figured if I got there and it was really freaky, creepy or whatever I could always find a room somewhere, but after all the costs that I've had to incur this year I've adapted. The costs this summer from traveling have been so high because I've had to fly so much, and as airlines like to do, they raise rates in the summer because that's when everyone goes on vacation. While this year has been anything but a vacation, it sure has cost a lot more than any vacation I've ever taken!

After my carb loading pasta dinner which I pared with a glass of red wine this time, and getting everythig preped for the morning it was time to figure out where to park my car for the night. As the race started at 5am I figured I better try to get to sleep at a halfway decent hour. I spent a good 20 minutes or more driving around, trying to find a safe place. I suppose you never know if a place is safe, but you have to at least go with your gut feeling. It made me think about the children I'm running for this year. These kids are orphaned in South Africa and have to face concerns about their own safety on a regular basis. I at least have a car, with doors that lock. These kids don't have the shelter of locked doors and in a lot of cases, they don't have any shelter at all. Take Elliott, the little boy I was running Tupelo for. He's 2 and just like any 2 year old, helpless. Now I know none of us who have young children like Elliott would leave them unattended and roaming off on their own, but that's the reality that these kids often exist in. With no parents, and a community too poor to care for their needs there really isn't much anyone can do. Or is there? The moment when I have to close my eyes and wonder if I'm going to be safe for the night, is the moment I know whatever sacrifices I'm making to run these marathons is worth more than I could ever attach to it. I don't want these children to have to live like this. This is one night for me. This is every night for them and I can't shake that thought.

I had wanted to sleep till 3:30 but woke up at 3 and couldn't get back to sleep. All good, I made it through the night without issue, and it was time to set the wheels in motion. As I pried my cramped legs out of the car and got ready, I tried to really wake up. For whatever reason I felt still dazed and when I got to the race venue to pick up my packet and get ready to start, I still couldn't shake that feeling.

The weather was cool and considering being in Mississippi, at this time of year, we were in for a treat. It looked like the temps were going to stay cool most of the race which I hadn't expected.  I ran into several marathon maniacs and friends. Everyone seemed so much more awake than me! Then I ran another runner with a heart for orphans. He shared with me about the things he and his wife were doing to help children and their efforts to adopt 3 more children from Ethiopia. It is wonderful and refreshing to hear how other people are using their lives, their abilities, their opportunities to change the lives of children.

As 5 am approached, we headed out into the blackness and up the street toward the start. I was really glad to have brought my headlamp!  There was no anthem or special words, it was just go, run into the darkness and into the break of dawn. I started out and right away my friend Matt Jenkins found me. Matt just got done with an amazing journey of his own, trekking over 700 miles across the entire state of NC in the month of Aug. He looked visibly thinner and as usual, was running barefoot with just some duct tape to cover the bottoms of his feet. We ran the first 4-5 miles together, chatting about his journey and mine. Matt's journey was to raise funds for youth programs in NC and we talked about the difficulties of fund raising. It was a challenge for him, as it has been for me and it was nice to throw ideas back and forth.

Morning fog

By mile 6 or so the sun was finally coming up and I took off my headlamp. I continued on, chatting with a few runners here and there that saw my shirt and wanted to know more about what I was doing. The course was through residential areas and fields. It wasn't overly entertaining on the eyes, especially after having just come from Idaho last week that was down right breathtaking, but it was interesting to see another part of the country I'd never seen before. We had some flat sections, but most of it was rolling hills, none were major, but they gave character to the road.

 It was an out and back course and that gave me a chance to cheer on the runners ahead and behind me as we passed one another.  It's always amazing to watch the first finishers pass you. They look like their are gliding in motion, everything in perfect rhythm. And for those runners that you pass on your way back that are struggling with the distance, I hope the words of encouragement give them more energy to keep pushing on. Up until that mile 16 or so the time had passed like a breeze, the run was enjoyable and felt almost effortless. I simply had no idea where all the time had gone. Then I heard a roster crow in the distance. I looked down at my watch and realized it was still early in the morning. I thought to myself, you mean I should really just be getting up right now?! It had been hours on the road already and yet all around me most of the world had been asleep. There were no crowds to cheer for us, but the volunteers on the course did their best to keep us upbeat.

The last few miles the sun was now overhead and the temperatures rising. It had remained cool and wonderful all morning. Even now it wasn't bad, but it was a definate change. Amazingly I felt pretty good, not overly tired or hungry. I still had energy to maintain pace so I did. I came to the finish line, knowing I would finish faster than last week, but wasn't sure by what margin. I saw the time clock, 4:14 and I was amazed. Even without a very comfortable nights rest, and less than 5 hours of sleep, I took more than 10 minutes off last weeks time and felt good the entire race. Some days are blessings like that, and I thanked God for the strength and energy. After my injuries earlier in the year I didn't expect to be running times like this again, at least not while having to run these marathons weekly. And while that may not be a fast time, for me it is, being only 12 minutes from my personal best marathon time.

Road art!

The southern love continued at the finish, with cold beer, pulled pork sandwiches, baked beans, mac'n'cheese and all. It's always awesome to hit a finish line that has real food instead of just bagels and bananas!

Getting sweaty with Elvis after the race!

Race director David did an awesome job with this event! Come run it next year!

Each of these races have been unique, and Tupelo is unique with it's skull and cross bones medal and shirt. I loved them and I know a few other runners that will come run this one for the medal alone!

"Trample the weak, hurdle the dead" - marathon attitude!

But the real story of the race, is the one we take away with us. I ran this marathon with a purpose. And that purpose is to change lives. So find your purpose.....and run with it!

Not rocking it quite as good as David did, and apparently I can't take another picture without blinking, but here's my shirt!

Marathon Stats:

4:14:20 finishing time
117 out of 249 overall
25 out of 98 women
12 out of 28 for my age group (0-39)