Planning to run a race two weeks after a major marathon is probably not a sa
ne choice for most but I don’t operate within those parameters. As the New York City Marathon was coming up, I was already looking ahead. “What’s next?” I was telling myself to take it one race at a time but I needed something else to look forward to. Mentally I told myself that I would like to run Philly half but I wasn’t sure if it would be a smart and even a possible choice. The plan to race Wineglass Marathon hard in late September, followed by a more subdued NYCM in early November seemed like enough of a feat. So, I decided that I would not sign up for Philly half until I was done with NYCM. If it’s meant to be, well then it will still be available. And if not, then not. Comfortable with that train of thought, I put it out of my head.
Wineglass was a huge success but soon after, in the lead up to NYCM I injured my knee and it was looking like NYCM was not going to happen. However, with fervent prayers, rehab and so much incredible support from my friends, God saw me through.
As I was going through all the mental anguish of an injury and a possibility of a difficult NYCM, I immediately thought that Philly half was a definite no go. Well, what happened next is quite simply short of a miracle. For one, NYCM was not difficult and my injury was not bothering me at all. I did have an upset stomach as my nerves got the best of me, but even so my performance didn’t suffer all that much. I fully expected to run a slower pace than Wineglass, and so I did and I was able to enjoy the race in all its glory. There’s just nothing like NYCM. One gigantic party! After the race, I recovered quickly as the more gentle pace didn’t destroy the body at all. The next day I went to check if Philly was still available. “Dare I dream?” It was, and so, I signed up. Still thinking it was a little insane but having a nagging feeling it was going to be fantastic, I brushed off all negative thoughts. It wasn’t easy, as doubt seemed to be always close enough to pounce on you in the moment of weakness.
I started getting nervous again when I felt the pain in my knee the day before the race. “Why is this happening again?” The next morning dressed in three layers (it was cold early in the morning) my husband and I were on our way to the start. I didn’t think I needed much time since the hotel was walking distance from the start. So imagine my surprise when we saw a huge line. We got on it and it was taking what felt like forever. The organizers failed to tell us that this line was only for people checking in their bags. In horror I realized I had less than 10 minutes to make it to my corral. My husband and I started running around the crowds and I was shedding all my layers and basically throwing them at my poor husband. I think I said “See you later”. I meant to, but I’m not sure if anything intelligible came out of my mouth. I had to squeeze past thousands of people and elbow my way to my corral and when I finally made it there, I was exasperated. Not a good way to start a half marathon. I checked my Garmin and my music, still catching my breath and trying to settle myself.
It was a beautiful sunny day and it started to warm up just enough that it didn’t feel cold anymore. Looking over to the side, I noticed Meb Keflazighi with the race announcers. He was very close to me. Our eyes locked and he smiled. The man had the nicest smile I’ve ever seen. There was something special about him. I couldn’t help but smile back and relaxed completely.Right at that moment …
“Runners, are you ready?”
“Ready!” I thought
“Go!” The horn blew and off we went.
I ended up running the best half marathon to date, beating my previous time by almost a minute. I felt strong and fast and very importantly nothing hurt. The pain in my knee magically went away and never returned. Just to give you a little insight into how painful knee bursitis is. Imagine the affected leg buckling under you when you try to step up or down. Intense and piercing kind of pain that feels like you literally don’t have a leg to stand on. Now, how was I supposed to believe it would be gone when I run? There’s no explanation except that there are things we humans still don’t understand about our incredible design. And so, there I was, feeling relaxed, with no pain and having the best race of my life. How? Why? Because the body will do what our mind will tell it so your state of mind is crucial. I was definitely on the verge of unraveling right before the start but then something wonderful and mind altering happened. I credit much of this to that last second exchange I had with Meb.So who’s Meb?
Many of you know him as the glorious American winner of the Boston Marathon in 2014, a year after the infamous Boston bombing. He is also an Olympic silver medalist but he’s so much more than that. He’s a Christian who gives glory to God for his successes in running. This life is more than the physical world we see. Seconds before the race, we connected on a deeper level. The invisible but yet very palpable spirit world felt very real in those seconds. There are no coincidences. He was there in that moment when I needed it most. I finished the race in disbelief and stifling a huge desire to break down in happy tears. Reuniting with my husband at Starbucks (where else?), I shared the news. He was a little worried about me as he saw my nervous and hurried state of mind before the race, but he was also so used to my miraculous PRs on a regular basis, he seemed to not be surprised when I told him about Meb.
Finding my own purpose in running I realized I don’t just want to run like Meb, I want to be like Meb and give it all up to God. What He gave is His anyway, so let it go and let it be used for His glory. This simple, and yet beautiful drawing made headlines back in 2014 when Meb famously gave a sign of a cross as he was nearing the finish line. As I ponder what a seemingly small gesture can do for someone, I too want to be that special someone for those who may need a little encouragement in those critical moments. No PRs can be this satisfying and this meaningful.