Race Day

6 DAYS.

6.

Not 6 weeks, 6 DAYS!!!

This is it. This is what Tracey, Christina and I have trained long and hard for. To cross the finish line.

This training has been much more spiritual than I expected it to be. Almost completely, really.

My top strength is Discipline. It defines who I am. And when I say I am going to do something, that strength is what gets me to the end.

When I signed up for this race in August, I knew that there was no turning back. I could see the finish line in the distance. It was the 1 loop around the golf course. I talk to myself all the time, so it wasn't abnormal for me to say things like, "Half, way!", "I CAN do this, "Help me, Lord", "I am fearfully and wonderfully made, he made my legs to do this", "just don't stop, keep running".

That one lap turned into 8- getting longer every Sunday.

On Saturday night before I would go to sleep, I would make up in my mind that I was going to finish, and finish strong. I wasn't going to stop, and I wasn't going to walk. I would slow my pace if I needed to but stopping wasn't an option.

That's where the spiritual part came in. Being in Miami isn't an option. It's a calling. Its exactly where God has put me. Following Christ isn't an option. It's a calling. It's exactly what He wants from me. In fact, it's the reason He created me!

It never surprised me when Chris Tomlin's, "God of the City" would come on my headphone. Every hair on my body would stick straight up, my smile was the size of the moon, and in that very moment, I knew. He was with me. Watching me. Running with me. Delighting in me. And all of heaven was cheering for me.

My pace would get faster as I imagined crossing that finish line with Christina and Tracey. In fact, at the end of all of my long runs, Tim would to the finish line (the balcony) with Gracie because I needed the visual. Not just for race morning. But for every day of life. Heaven in '11. The ultimate finish line. I want to go sprinting, with a smile on my face, and hear from the One that created my legs, "well done".

This training has changed me. I said, "I could never", and He said "you can. I know, I made you".

This is the year of doing hard things, it's been hard, but its been worth it.

Thank you Lord for what you're doing in my heart and soul--I love running with you. I feel ya!

Tim- you are an amazing cheerleader for me. Your heytell messages of "you got this babe!" made me smile when I wanted to cry. Thanks for being at the finish line pumping your fist in the air. Graeser's don't quit.

Tracey and Christina- thanks for being part of this challenge with me. I have LOVED knowing that you are in Orlando working towards the same thing with me.

The rest of my family- thank you for keeping me accountable to finish this thing.

Miss Morris- since talking to you the last couple weeks, I don't take the oxygen that fills my lungs lightly anymore. I pray for you more than you know, and think about you all the time.

Next one, In November!! Who's with me???