The Big One

Let me just say straight off that I didn't run the half.

Two weeks before the marathon I was running with a good friend of mine who was training to run the marathon relay. She was telling me that they lost one of their 10k leg runners and wanted to know if I would consider running that leg.

They were running for her little 4 year old cousin who had recently passed from Wilm's Disease. How could I say no?

Race day came and I was honored to run the last leg of the marathon. I never got nervous but I was so anxious to begin my leg. It felt like an eternity waiting to start.

I finally took off around 10. I felt good the entire race. The end was a little grueling with the hills but every time I felt tired I would think about little Sicily and that gave me a boost of energy. About 500 feet before the finish my two oldest children shot out of the crowd and finished the race with me. I still tear up thinking about it. That will always be a cherished memory.

I finished in an hour  and ten minutes. It was such an amazing experience. The Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon is really something to be a part of and I will run in it as long as my legs allow me to!

Next year I will definitely be running the half since my registration was deferred to next year and who knows...maybe in 2012 I will run the full!