David: So, how long is this going to take you?
Me: At least 2 hours, probably about 2:10.
David: can you imagine going twice that long/ 4 hours!!???
Me: No, not now. But when I had all of this envisioned, the 25-year-old me thought anything was possible: train and do it, no sweat...
David: (laughing) Hey, if Karla Kay can you can.
Me: She was a running machine, but she did do her 42k when she was 42 I think. I will need to wait at least until then.
___________
My half marathon was a true non-event. I did train for 12 weeks, I did not quit. There was only one time when I contemplated whether this was the best use of my time for this season and realized a full marathon by 40 would never fly for this season of life. But I didn't want to have to re-start, and truly it really only ate up my Saturday mornings because I wasn't following a true half training program, I only ran 3x/week.
David was supportive the whole time. He reads all his KB forum stuff and always gives me good advice about how to train. Maybe next time I will take a year for a full, who knows...lots of Science behind it all.
But I was in the mental game and feeling good, I was also ready for it to be over.
The game plan was for me to run the first hour and then the fam would come find me. My goal was to get out of the door by 6:30 a.m. David knew the route, I told him the hardest parts (first 3km, last 5km) and where I may could use some water.
I woke up at 5:30, got prepared and read the next Psalm in my reading plan. You have got to love this! It was Ps. 121, perfect inspiration for what I was about to do, fully surrounded by mountains:
I lift up my eyes to the Mountains
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The maker of heaven and earth
He will not let your foot slip--
he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep...
And on it goes in perfect serenade of my morning, refreshing sustenance for my soul.
I prayed. For help and for no dogs (seriously, one of my biggest fears in running these days! I know you are not a runner in Asia until you are bit by a dog, I would just as soon not join the club).
I actually left at 6:00 a.m. with Doug Wilson on 'The Christian Home' set to entertain and encourage (convict the heck out of) me. When I first started this training I thought no way would I run 2 hours with a phone, but now I knew there was no way I would run without it.
In order to make the full 21 km I actually had to start by running 2 laps in our neighborhood. I treated it like my warm up.
The stars were spectacular!
I ran in the dark (street lights) most of the way. First half felt great and on the back side of the route the town turned the lights off. It was 7:00 a.m.
By the time I got on the back highway I called David to let him know where to look.
He called back a bit later, struggling to get the crew in the car and confirming my whereabouts. Yes, I was talking on the phone and running.
Because I was on a highway where I never run I had no landmarks to tell him, except I knew I had passed the stadium. This made him go all the way down the road and then come up.
Next a tinted out van pulled up and slowed next to me, not near a light. I became completely aware and started talking myself through what to do (these are the vans we hear horror stories about in some villages around here having to do with child trafficking). I kept going, it slowed more and a window came down with a child in the seat a lady asking directions to the big market. I didn't stop I just yelled to her that I didn't know. I do know where the big market is but I didn't know where I was on this road so I wasn't lying. She moved on and I kept my pace, and my heart actually slowed a bit.
When I turned off of the big highway I called David one last time and told him just to meet me on the new road.
Then the sun came up. My hamstrings were so tight by now, and my right foot hurting a little in the toes. I took this pic without stopping, all the rest David took.
I almost got stuck in traffic of motos, 3 wheeled vehicles, people walking and cars at the last light. The market was busy. David told me later they had to wait through two lights to get through. I wasn't willing to stop so I hopped on the broken sidewalk and dodged people to get back on the road around the corner.
You can barely see me.
Then the kids played outside while David and I had couch time, which means unless you are bleeding, don't interrupt.
My lungs could have ran forever it felt like, but my hamstrings probably could not have made it another 2 miles....
Feet up. Feeling good. We were actually talking a bit through what I had just listened to which was very helpful: Doug Wilson on marital conflict/disagreements before children: 'Model Unity, teach that you have differences, don't teach unity and model all your differences'. There was more to it than that.
Then we continued our previous discussion on both of our failure to remember certain things. Our retention is going...we laugh about this. David has these great flashcard systems for many languages, verses, history, etc. I told him he will need to make one for us in old age with people's pictures and where we know them from, etc.
In the above picture this is the conversation we ended on and I leave you with:
David: I just read: 'submit your brain to this algorithm and you will remember 95% of what you would like' what do you think about that?
Me: hmmm.....yes...but..
David: (laughing sarcasm), This is what I love about you, you are so agreeable. You always say 'yes' and always follow it with a 'but'.
He explained a little further what he was talking about, and I assured him I agreed: tell me the algorithim and lets grow old together!
