SIX Seconds..

Austin, was such a trooper, He had to get up at 5:30 am to come out and watch me run!

Six Seconds..

What if I had ran down that hill just a little bit faster?
What if I was closer to the front when I crossed the starting mat? (So I did not have to weave in and out through all those people.)
What is if I had drank more water?
Did I pace myself to closely? Was I afraid that my well would dry up to soon hence holding the horses back?
Am I capable of running SIX Seconds faster?

Getting on the bus

I feel like I gave it my all. I think most of us runners know when we give a run a good race. We analyze it while we are running as well as when we are finished. Each person is like a moving target. We see them pick them off, listen to their breathing, watch how they run, and even pick up a brief conversation once in a while. I enjoy to give that someone struggling a little motivation, shouting, "You are doing great, good pace." or "Come on guys, lets get up this hill." I find that when I motivate someone else it is rewarding to me as well.

We took a bus to shuttle us to the city of Dexter. And we ran from there to Ann Arbor. Today was HOT. about 80 degrees by 9:30 am. The course was beautiful, that is why I enjoy running this race..THE ONLY REASON!
You run next to the Huron River almost the whole way in. There was so much greenery. The course is on a two lane road with park like scenery. Large oak trees blocking out the heat of the sun and shrubs and grasses painted on rolling hills. You did everything to stay out of the blazing sun. As soon as the sun touched your skin you could feel your energy evaporate. It was vampire like. You did almost anything to avoid being in the sun because it sucked the life out of you.

SOOO happy to see my family@ mile 7

And off again..

I saw my boys at mile 7, almost right at the half way mark. I was still feeling pretty good. I got all choked up when I saw Austin jumping up and down shouting " GOOO Mama, Go !!He was easy to pick out because he was wearing MY new DXD2 Race shirt in bright yellow! The three of them were full of smiles and encouragment. This moment was like getting a little "Top Off". Little Alec hugging me and Andy with that proud look is my favorite.

By mile 9 I was starting my math session. This is when I know I want to be done. This moment is when I start calculating how much farther in minutes. What time will I finish in? Will I make my PR? And can my legs not just make it 4 more miles rather 32 minutes at this pace? In this Heat, and with that last finishing hill.

I got a little scared at mile 10. I started to get dizzy. I was looking at alot of runners that were now walking. I was running on an incline with spotted shade. People were struggling.I had already passed so many. I started thinking maybe I should stop and walk a bit. I thought I was gonna puke, and my skin was all tingly. My Garmin kept beeping at me because Andy had set it at a speed alert. When I ran slower than a 7:45 pace it beeped "SPEED UP"! I wanted to shut it off all together but I had no energy to even do that.  I knew this was not good.

Soo I do what most of us do when we are in trouble...Pray Harder.
Dear Lord, please strengthen my legs. Give me power and stamina to finish this race the way you know I can. Please push me from behind or pull me from the front. Remove this illness from my body and hydrate me to the finish. Put power in my strides, Please Lord, Please.

Through my Faith in Christ I asked. 1 Peter 1:8 " Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,"

 I had taken chews and my juice plus but he was providing me ultimately with more than what I could put in my hands or in my mouth.

Up UP Up! .4 miles all uphill. That is the finish. Full throttle blazing heat. The crowd was hooting and hollering. This was the largest crowd as of yet. My name was on my bib so it was even more personal listening to the cheering. "Great Job Anita, almost there" I saw a tunnel of blue balloons and fixed my eyes forward and up I went. HOW horribly deceiving! I made it through the balloons and that was NOT the finish. The mats were still another 400 feet UPHILL! What a cruel thing to do.

Andy..Thanks for getting there and supporting me

I know where I fell apart. My SIX Seconds.....This last incline I was running 8:20s...and I could not get my legs to go any faster. I could not catch my breath and I was just happy to still be moving forward. You gotta be Ok with Your Best. I knew this was my Best. This hill was not going to kill me, stop me, or defeat me. Yes, it may have slowed me down but I was going to Conquer it with all I had in me..Because I knew He had supplied me to do so.

SIX SECONDS
I really worked hard. I gave my all. I have peace. And besides Overall I did BETTER than I did divisionally from last year!

2010 DXA2                                  2011 DXA2

Chip Time;1:40;41                         Chip time- 1:40;47
Overall Place-377/2414               Overall place-316/3133
Gender Place-64/1107                 Gender Place-43/1457
Division Place-15/201                  Division Place-10/243
Pace-7:41                                     Pace-7:42

SIX Seconds. How does this play out? Contentment. We can not beat ourselves up so badly that we lose the joy of the overall victories in life. So what SIX SECONDS. Divisionally I did better. Temperature wise it was about 7 degrees cooler last year. Ultimately.. Lets not get Stuck on Stupid. I FINISHED! Let the little things stay little. Why do we let the little things absorb the overall picture.  By being disappointed I am taking the Glory back from God. I am so thankful to him for all I am able to do. And content with the little heartaches.
Don't Major on the Minors..

Boys waiting for me to finish..

Anita