Museum of Aviation Marathon....for Lindokuhle

I have known for the past 2 weeks that I've needed to write this. I have struggled, time and again to get to get the words out. Maybe it's knowing that this is the conclusion of my year of marathons, but whatever it is, it's been hard for me to find the motivation. I'm sure that sounds absurd. This should be a time of celebration. But quite honestly, it's been a time of hardship, and the run itself was just the beginning of that.

I had just spent a very fun, but exhausting week at Disney World with my family. After so much time gone for my races during the past year, it was really wonderful to have time with them. But it wasn't an easy week. I came down with some of the worst crud that I'd had in at least 5 years and physically I was hurting bad from the marathon. I'd managed through a painful race, but that was really just the beginning of the pain. We went to the parks at Disney Mon, Tue, Wed and Thur. I walked and walked and walked, but with every step I was in pain. Going into the race at Disney, I was concerned about my IT band. I'd been resting it over the previous couple weeks and was hoping for a good day. But as the Disney race progressed, I found that my lower left leg was hurting as much if not more than my IT band. It was that pain in my calf that plagued me the entire week.

On Friday morning we packed up for our drive to Warner Robins, Georgia. This was it! My entire year of running was coming down to this very last race, and I found myself increasingly nervous as the day dragged on.

We arrive in Georgia around dinner time and I had a traditional pasta carb loading dinner. But it was hard to enjoy the meal. I was honestly terrified with the idea of having to run in the morning. I was struggling with walking and I felt like my cold had gone to my lungs. I honestly didn't know how I'd be able to run. And now more than ever, I wished I didn't have to.

I have run so many marathons this year with pain, but I was having the most difficult time of all finding the strength to believe I could run this last 26.2.  As we drove to our little hotel room to get ready for bed, I started to feel panicky. I just didn't know how I could run, being this sick, and hurting this much. I felt like I was falling to pieces. My 10 year old daughter, Amira, tried to console me. "Remember with God you can do anything mommy; you can do this." And in that moment, I realized just how vital my parenting had become. You teach your children, giving them the foundation of strength and truth to grow upon. You hope that in moments of distress they will remember those truths, and cling to them. And here I was, feeling lost for the road ahead, and it was my daughter giving me back the truth I had been long instilling in her. I guess there comes a time in every parents life, when your child returns the advice you have long given them. I just never expected it to come so soon. It was the words I needed to hear, and more so because they had come from her. I was still stressed for tomorrow, but I found my spirit in a much better place as I fell asleep that night.

 Packet pick up

The next morning, Jeremy dropped me off at the pre-race packet pick up, which was held inside the museum. I thought it was awesome that in conjunction with our marathon, a shadow marathon was being held in Kandahar, Afghanistan the following day and soldiers would be running their 26.2 as well.

The Museum of Aviation Marathon started outside the museum, but was run almost entirely on the Robins Air Force Base. Because of that there was very little traffic to deal with, and even less spectators. It was a cold morning, with temps in the 20's, but windless and clear. Like a lot of my marathons this year, I made it my focus to just keep on foot in front of the other, and remember why I was running. It wasn't for the spectators, or scenery. It wasn't about the condition of my legs, but rather the call in my heart.

 Getting ready to start

This final marathon was for Lindokuhle, who is 12 and going into 5th grade. She is pictured here at an after-care program called Siyakhula. Volunteers in the community operate this program – they have two rondavels (a traditional African-style house) up on a big grassy hill. Orphans and vulnerable children go there after school to get a hot meal, help with homework, mentoring, etc. Lindokuhle is vulnerable to becoming orphaned because of her current living conditions, and is very poor. Her parents are unemployed and they do not have grants. There are many other children living in the same house. When 25:40 conducted the survey in 2009 to identify orphaned/vulnerable children, Lindokuhle said she did not have any shoes. Later in the year when this picture was taken, she had ill-fitting shoes that look like they are boys shoes. It's very typical for children to wear whatever they can get a hold of, regardless of weather it fits properly or not. You can see from the picture that she is singing at Siyakuhla with the other children, something they love to do this when visitors come.

 Lindokuhle's shoes

I had the picture of Lindokuhle, with her ill fitted shoes in my head. Running, I felt like I had ill fitted legs for this mission. Besides painful, I found that mechanically I was struggling to use the proper mechanics in my running form. I understood just how Lindokuhle must feel in her shoes and I prayed that my marathon would help raise funds to give shoes to not only Lindokuhle, but also the rest of the 2,000+ orphans that I've been running for. These children face such difficulty and hardship. What I have endured this year mellows in comparison, and any pain due me, has been a constant reminder of the real pain that brought me to run these marathons. We are talking about such precious children, the same as mine and yours, but struggling to survive. They face the darkness of AIDS and poverty, and the loss of their parents/family. And for all the times I've had to go to the doctor, or get physical therapy, at least I have the ability to do so! Often times these children are unable to get the medical care they need, for issues far greater than my running injuries. Giving a girl a pair of shoes, can bring far my hope to her heart than one can imagine. In a place where people have so little, the smallest gestures mean a lot.

As much as I physically struggled, I found myself strong mentally. I kept myself focused and with each and every mile, I found myself feeling more and more like celebrating. The fear I had felt the night before was gone and I knew that I would carry through to the end.

With a very small field of runners, and more of them running the half than the full, I spent most of my run alone. I actually enjoyed the solitude and it gave me time to really mentally process through everything that today meant. The course consisted of 2 loops, and while it wasn't overly visually entertaining, it was very flat and we got to see several F-15s take off and land as we ran the perimeter of the runway.

At mile 20 I got to see my family. Knowing that they would be meeting me, was sheer motivation during the miles leading up to it. It was a great pick-me-up and after taking a dose of pain killers at mile 16, I was feeling much more physically able to handle the last few miles left.

 Heading to mile 20

Those last 6 turned into a blur. I felt like I had complete tunnel vision for the finish line. Every mile brought me one step closer and that's all I could think about. Even the pain was pushed aside.

Just before I hit mile 26 I turned off my Ipod. I had been listening to music all day to keep me going, but now, the only song I wanted to hear was the cheering of my children. I saw my family, just feet away from the finish line and I broke down. Try as hard as I might, I couldn't help the tears. I stopped, once again to hug them and Jeremy before pushing for the last little stretch, finishing in 4:58.

 Mile 26

Trying not to cry when I saw my children

Hugs all around!

The final finish line

The race committee had been very kind to me, and after finishing I was presented a plaque, commemorating my accomplishment. I can't begin to tell you how good it felt to be done and to know I had finished my year! This had been a very special day for many reasons, partly because it was also my 30th birthday. I had arranged my races to end on this day because I couldn't think of a better way to finish my year and to celebrate turning 30!

 With my family after the race

 My time in Georgia was very short. After the race I got a shower, some hot food and then we made our way to the airport for our flight home. And once again following the marathon I struggled with incredible pain in my lower left leg.

I expected to take a few days off. I hoped that some rest and time would help with the pain, but once again I was proven wrong. And as a result, I have not run a single step following my last marathon on Jan 15th. Having to take 2 weeks off from running has been almost as painful as running itself has been! I've also tried different forms of cross training, but sadly, the pain is not gone. I finally went to the doctor to see what was really going on. After x-rays didn't given much insight, I got a bone scan. And now I'm just waiting on the results, which I expect to get this next week. I'll keep you all posted on the results from the doctor and what's to come.

I feel like I have so much more to give through running, but right now that all has had to be put on hold. It's hard to finish up an amazing year, with the possibility of the letdown of injury. But I know that I gave everything I could this year, and because of your support and generosity, over $14,000 has been raised for the children of South Africa! I can't thank you enough for that!  As I haven't hit the fundraising goal of $26,000, part of this journey continues on.  I will keep writing, you can keep donating, until I hit that goal; and I promise not to take so long before I post again!
 

Marilyn Monroe once said: "Give a girl the right shoes, and she can conquer the world." I didn't set out to conquer the world, but to change it.  Thinking about how much a pair of shoes mean for Lindokuhle, and what lacing up mine has done over the past 52 weeks, I do believe so much can be achieved when we make that choice to move. My journey may be over, but what about yours? Have you laced up your shoes? 

 

"Because the beauty of life, is not in what we get, but in what we give."

 

Final Race Stats:

4:58:22 - finishing time

164 out of 202 overall

33 out of 50 women

5 out of 8 in my age group (30-34)