The alarm rang early the morning of the race. So early in fact that the sun had yet to make it out of bed. I had not slept well that night so I was glad that it was time to get ready to go. While I busied myself with getting dressed, making sure I had my race number, timing chip, water and snacks for later, I began to wonder if I would be able to do this. All the "what-if's" flooded my mind and the doubts begged to be heard. But I decided I just had to push them off until later. Right now, I had to get my family ready and out the door in time to meet up with the other ladies from my running group by 6am.
45minutes later we approached the racing venue, being held at Foxfield, a large track area outside the city of Charlottesville. It was amazing to see 3,500 girls and women descend upon the area to run or walk a race that would continue the fight to find a cure for breast cancer. At that moment it didn't really matter what athletic ability we did or didn't have, we were all there for a mutual cause and passionate belief that we, individually and corporately, could make a difference.
We couldn't have asked for a better day. The weather was just perfect, with just enough cool to keep it comfortable. As I took time to warm up and do some stretching before the race, the worries I had earlier pushed away began to rear their nagging heads. Instead I began to pray "Lord, I just want to be able to finish this race well. I would love to run the whole thing but above anything else, help me to just do my best." With that prayer uttered within my heart I rejoined my team as we waited for the race to began.
Soon, they called us line up for the beginning of the race. There was an excitement that permeated the entire crowd and groups of women would burst out in cheer and it would spontaneously make it's way through the rest of the crowd. As the gun sound, and the mass of women surged forward I found myself swept along with everyone else. The race had started! Here we go! Ready or Not!
The seconds and minutes began to tick away as my feet pounded the pavement. I worked hard to remember my training, starting at a slow pace so I wouldn't tire out before I got to the end, talking myself through every footstep and each breath. Before I knew it I had hit the two mile mark and the big hill I had heard about was coming up. "Oh, dear Lord, I've made it this far, help me conquer this hill." Sometimes in my training runs, when I begin to hurt and my legs scream for relief I find that if I begin to pray that somehow I make it through that tough spots. So, as I approached the hill, I began to pray for my other teammates running the race, for those that surrounded me, for my girls and husband as they watched and cheered the race, and anything else that came to mind. Before I knew it I was half way up the hill. Just when I thought I might have to walk the last bit this lady came up beside me. She said "we can make it, come on, we can do it." It's amazing what that moment of encouragement can do for your spirits and tired legs. To this day, I don't know her name, but we continued to encourage each other up and over that hill and it was just enough to get through the toughest points. The last mile, I found my second wind and renewed energy to pick up the pace. I was determined to finish strong! As the finish line came into view I kept thinking, "I'm almost there, I'm going to make it". And you know what.....? I crossed that finish line running!
As I walked through the race chute to the open field beyond the feeling of accomplishment and joy was overwhelming! I had struggled and fought and accomplished something, that a few years ago, was only a dream. But it wasn't just my accomplishment. Thousands of other women meet their goal that day just by showing up. My team of ladies, that I had trained with for months, accomplished their goals that day by just showing up and giving it their very best. We did not let the fact that we were not necessarily accomplished athletes, slow us down. We were simply women who, for different and varied reasons, decided to show up and try.
I can think of so many times in my life where I had to make the decision to just show up and try. Especially when life has gotten difficult and I want to throw in the towel. When it feels like no one cares and even God has moved out of earshot. "What's the use anymore"? Will it really make a difference?"
There were points in the race that I knew it would be easier to just walk. To not really push myself, even though I knew I had trained enough for this. But I had to make up my mind that I was going to stick this out to the end. That I had to push through the hard parts, the pain and the hills to get to the finish line.
Is there somewhere in your life that you've gotten off track? Something that God has been asking you to step up to the line for or to "get running" again? But the fear of the hard parts, the pain and the "hills" is causing you to back off and not "show up"?
Whatever it is, I encourage you to get back on track, to ask God for strength and wisdom to know what the next steps are. To make the choice to "Show up and try" and leave the rest in His hands!
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us." (Hebrews 12:1)
Journeying with a Purpose!
~Victoria
Victoria - #357 along with several ladies from my running group! You go girls!!
After the race
