Des Moines Half Marathon

 13 weeks exactly.

Almost 3 months to the day.  

Never would have guessed I'd be standing (barely) at the finish line to my first half marathon of the year. 

13 short weeks ago I was laying in a hospital bed after being ambulanced to the hospital for extreme hemorrhaging following the miscarriage of our twins two weeks earlier.  I vividly remember that day and the look on Michael's face.  I have never seen him that frightened.  I've never asked, but I think the thought of me never leaving the hospital alive may have crossed his mind.  I prefer to not know.

I knew there was only one thing that would pull me through the funk and depression that was coming.  RUNNING.  Within two days of my lets-spend-all-Sunday-in-the-ER-then-have-surgery-at-8:00 PM ordeal, I was walking.  By two weeks I started running again.

This half was my goal.  It was far enough out I had time to train, yet close enough I had to push and stay on our training schedule.  There was no time to wallow in self-pity.  It was 'get off your ass and get moving' time.  No matter how down I felt/feel, I always feel better after my endorphins kick in.  

I've found clarity when I'm at a cross-roads. 
It's my reason to get up in the morning (at 4:35 AM).  
It's passed the time required to let my body heal.
It's help define me as a person.




I have incredible partners.  We are there for the ups and downs of each others' lives.    


They are as responsible for my addiction to running as my fetish for new shoes (running gives me reasons to buy new shoes guilt-free).

We don't listen to music.  Only conversation.  When running 5 or 6 days a week, we don't have much left unsaid.  Our husbands would blush if they knew what we discussed.

Somedays they are the only other adult I talk to besides Michael.  He's thankful for the extra ears.
I look forward to many more years of running as we pound out the decades of our lives, one mile at a time. 

Last but not least.....

My parents are rock stars for coming to support.  Well, my dad was there to support.  My mom ran the 5K so she didn't have to wait the whole time.  I love they are a part of my running life.  It's great sharing experiences with my mom.  I know how much she loves it.  And, it was awesome bragging how she places at almost every race.