North Country Trail 50K Recap: Restoration.

 "The comeback is always stronger than the setback." 

"1 Peter 5:10 "And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen and establish you." 

Life is worth living. I have been in the deepest valleys and never quit believing, never quit hoping, never quit believing that God could use it all. That God wasn't done with me yet. He gave me the strength, He gave me the ability, He gave me the miracle and He gave me the victory on Sunday. 

Even in our darkest valley we have to trust and we have to never give up. 

2 years ago I was fighting for life. I was sick, battling breast cancer. 

I am so thankful for Sundays victory. But lets go back a day. 

I signed up for both North Country 50miler and The Crim 2 years ago. Everything was deferred to this year, the problem, they deferred both the races to the SAME DAY. 

I was able to drop to the 50K on Sunday letting me run the Crim on Saturday. RUN...Not Race. 

The plan was to RUN the Crim, not race it. And that is exactly what I did. I ran it with gratitude. So thankful to be able to run the CRIM with all its glory. With the news crews, with spectators, with aid stations, with the enthusiasm of other runners and volunteers. 

There is something so magical about running down the bricks with layers of people shouting and cheering. It is my favorite local race, hence why I have ran it almost to 20 years in a row. 

My gang!

From Flint I drove back to Holly where Rachel picked me up for our big 50K adventure in Manistee. 

My Thoughts on 31 miles. 

• I knew I wanted to push my body a little more but not to the place I would get broken. 
• I knew it was going to be 87' by noon. 80' by 9am. 
• I knew I could tolerate the heat, it's my super power. 
• I decided to wear my hydration pack due to the heat, insurance policy on water.
• I knew I wanted to try to get 5H 35min. 
• I DIDN'T know if the heat would crush me.
• I DIDN'T know if my body would cramp like it did at Loopty Loops. 

North Country 50K is in the Manistee forest with close to 2500 feet of elevation,  you are running in some beautiful country. "About 95% of the trail is shaded woods with hard packed trails." 

RECAP: "So I let the gloves come off in a hurry. The taste of my own blood is salty. But Ill fight for what I love cause I'm worthy..." Cold War kids 

Rachel and I headed to the race with plenty of time. We had everything planned but THE RAIN! We stood outside in the darkness at the starting line when the  thick air turned very wet. 

It was 72' degrees and the clouds opened up with enough time for us to run back to the car so I could get a hat. 

This emotion startled us enough to actually calm us as we headed out with all the runners. 

**The first 11 miles: I always run conservative in the beginning. Several runners were ahead of me. I knew I had to run strong to beat the heat before the heat beat me. 

The rain stopped as quick as it started. 

Rachel and I took turns leading. We stayed together until almost 11 miles, that's where I cautiously broke away. 

I picked my pace, turned on my music and prayed. "God keep me upright, give me strength....Glory goes to you..." 

My legs felt amazing! I couldn't help smiling as I ran through the woods. A couple times I got rattled. I was so small in the woods. So miniscule. Like a summer breeze I just drifted through. 

"Feeling Good, Like I should....Feeling blessed... Got that Sunshine on my Sunday best..."Surfaces

Rachel introduced me to this song. I couldn't stop smiling as I weaved in and out of  the woods. 

Competing was not in my thoughts. I was competing with only myself. I had startled a few runners as I came up on them and passed them. 

Kris and her husband were camping there to cheer and support us on. I saw her at an aid station before I hit 20 miles. She was backed away as I came barreling through the aid station in my typical obnoxious self "MARCOOOOO"! 

She was reserved, slyly she fixed her eyes on me and quietly she says "Your doing great, there is one woman in front of you..." Her crisp blue eyes locking mine with a twinkle. 

I grabbed my pickle juice and water and headed out. 

"DARN you Kris!" I knew what Kris was saying without saying it. But I was scared. She was challenging me to compete. What if I fell apart? What if it hurt? What if.... a hundred what if's..BUT What if I didn't try? What if I DID try..

I made a deal. I knew I had a 1 mile out and back. I decided if I saw that girl on that stretch then I would be within 20 minutes of her and with 10 miles to compete for 1st place female.  But if I didn't see her, then I wouldn't try because she would be farther ahead then I would be able to catch her. 

10 to GO. 

It was 10:30 in the morning, hotter than Haiti's. My shorts were saturated to the point they were dripping.I had missed the big hole in a port a john and had peed ALL inside my shorts! I had stripped my tank off miles back. My chin was dripping with sweat and I had already fallen 2 times and witness one man fall behind me. 

On the out and back, I saw her about a quarter mile in front of me. "Steady Anita" I coached myself. I passed her at a fork. She barely saw me coming. I didn't question the route, I confidently and cheerfully  took the trail to the left encouraging her to follow.

But she was still contemplating which path to take when I purposely running.

My fists were clenched as I fought for every mile. I drank Gatorade, coke and water at every aid station. 

The runners were beginning to bonk. I was running strong when I met Chad. There was not a runner I passed that I didn't encourage. As I came into a aid station, I was grabbing everything I needed quickly.  He looked at me taken back that I was so close. "Come on! Let's Go!" I barked at him. I pushed him out and told him, "Stay in front of me..." 

I needed the help and I could tell he did too. Every couple miles his walks would get longer and from behind I would say "Let's go, easy up, you got this..." And like the energizer bunny he would pick it up and GO! 

He picked his pace up but I would catch a glimpse of him as we climbed these God forsaken hills the last 6 miles. 

The hills were tattered with gangly roots and toe grabbers. My quads were BURNING on the downhills trying to catch back up to him. 

I never caught him. But I knew the finish was so close. I would glance behind me as I struggled climbing. I turned my music up and smiled as I looked at my watch. I was going to make my goal time if I could drop a gear.

I stood on what would be my last hill, whispered to myself "Stay strong.." I took that 1/2 mile downhill with everything left in me. Every square inch of my body was saturated with sweat but my heart was so overflowing with JOY. 

Meet Laura and Chad!

Sunday was a Victory. 

5:29:46

"For I will restore health to you, and your wounds I will heal," declare the Lord..." 

I was happy to be able to just RUN. 

I was happy to be able to COMPETE.

I was happy to be able to FINISH. 

BUT I was Beyond stoked God had bigger plans for me! 

I came home with massive trophy. Andy came out to the garage to greet me. His eyes welled up, "2 years ago, Nita, just 2 year ago...look at you..." He wrapped his arms around me with such emotion. 

Restoration takes time. And it doesn't always looks like a shiny Chevy. But restoration is worth the work. But it is work. Its faith, its trust, its dreaming and believing. Restoration is even setbacks. BUT it is beautiful. God is restoring me in great and mighty ways. I am so humbled. 

Special thanks to this lil lady for the photos! Thank you Robin! 

Anita!

Look at that SWAG!!!