In less than 24 hours, I'll be finishing the Austin Marathon. This has been somewhat of a roller coaster ride; good training days, bad training days, and days where training may have defined the tenth circle of hell. I've gotten more familiar with so many more aspects of being athlete than I ever thought possible, and I've been in touch with people from all over the world and from all walks of life. I've heard many inspiring stories about people who have survived amazing things and come out stronger than imaginable. And I've been fortunate to meet some of them. I've pushed myself further than I thought possible. So, tomorrow, when I'm running, I know that my journey will not be the hardest.
It's amazing how many people have come together to make this happen. There are so many people to thank
(in no particular order):
My husband, Gabe. He inspires me and encourages me to realize that I haven't met my limits yet. He supports me.
Erica, my friend and training buddy. She's great company on the long training miles and helped raise a lot of the money. She also helps me not take things so seriously.
Jessica and Nathan. These two are the coolest young adults I've met. They've watched my kids when I couldn't and encouraged me to get more involved with the generation between mine and my kids. You guys do your generation proud, guys.
Chastidy. She's handled much of the social networking for me, and encouraged me to get the information out there. She also handled most of the interaction between me and Support Behind The Badge.
Bonnie. She started the ball rolling on the support during the marathon itself and got Inspire and the Gems involved. This is such an important part for safety. She also taught me a lot about social networking.
Laurie and Infinit Nutrition. These guys took the time to help me get my nutrition right, then took a chance on a crazy idea. The one thing that I haven't had to worry about at all is whether or not my stomach was going to rebel on me. It's probably one of the largest concerns in any race - and not something that I even have to stress about.
Jeff Hayes. He designed a logo for us on very short notice, that we really haven't been able to take advantage of as much as I would like to have. And he didn't get much credit for it.
Dave and Angie. Dave is running with me for safety, and Angie is his wonderful wife that's making time so Dave can run the Marathon. Dave and I have been in a few races at the same time (Longhorn 70.3, Bandera 50k) but I don't think I've ever actually met him!
Johnny, Megan and Sara with the media. Thanks for the really tasteful articles, and for making sure they kept the focus on the charity.
There are many, many people that have supported me throughout this journey in countless ways that I haven't mentioned in my post. I haven't forgotten you. You meant something to me on a personal level that I don't think needs to be shared with the world. But you were there for me, and it was important. Tomorrow, when the going gets tough, your voices will be there with me, keeping me going.
But most important, to my kids. Your endless imagination and spirit keeps me on endlessly on my toes and ready for anything. I love you both, and remember, you are only limited by your ability to dream. Dream big, kiddos.
It's amazing how many people have come together to make this happen. There are so many people to thank
(in no particular order):
My husband, Gabe. He inspires me and encourages me to realize that I haven't met my limits yet. He supports me.
Erica, my friend and training buddy. She's great company on the long training miles and helped raise a lot of the money. She also helps me not take things so seriously.
Jessica and Nathan. These two are the coolest young adults I've met. They've watched my kids when I couldn't and encouraged me to get more involved with the generation between mine and my kids. You guys do your generation proud, guys.
Chastidy. She's handled much of the social networking for me, and encouraged me to get the information out there. She also handled most of the interaction between me and Support Behind The Badge.
Bonnie. She started the ball rolling on the support during the marathon itself and got Inspire and the Gems involved. This is such an important part for safety. She also taught me a lot about social networking.
Laurie and Infinit Nutrition. These guys took the time to help me get my nutrition right, then took a chance on a crazy idea. The one thing that I haven't had to worry about at all is whether or not my stomach was going to rebel on me. It's probably one of the largest concerns in any race - and not something that I even have to stress about.
Jeff Hayes. He designed a logo for us on very short notice, that we really haven't been able to take advantage of as much as I would like to have. And he didn't get much credit for it.
Dave and Angie. Dave is running with me for safety, and Angie is his wonderful wife that's making time so Dave can run the Marathon. Dave and I have been in a few races at the same time (Longhorn 70.3, Bandera 50k) but I don't think I've ever actually met him!
Johnny, Megan and Sara with the media. Thanks for the really tasteful articles, and for making sure they kept the focus on the charity.
There are many, many people that have supported me throughout this journey in countless ways that I haven't mentioned in my post. I haven't forgotten you. You meant something to me on a personal level that I don't think needs to be shared with the world. But you were there for me, and it was important. Tomorrow, when the going gets tough, your voices will be there with me, keeping me going.
But most important, to my kids. Your endless imagination and spirit keeps me on endlessly on my toes and ready for anything. I love you both, and remember, you are only limited by your ability to dream. Dream big, kiddos.
Thank you for dedicating yourself to such an amazing cause and sharing your journey with us! Good luck tomorrow, you're going to do great!
ReplyDeleteYou are awesome. You give me so much inspiration to keep going. I look forward to or next big challenge, and of course the fun training swims, rides and runs.
ReplyDelete