This morning I completed my SECOND Half-Marathon in Aggieland and proved to myself once again that I was stronger than 13.1 miles. This time around was much different than my first race. I signed up for the Armadillo Dash through the influence of my Tri-Delta officer partner, Lauren Paine. It was only a couple days after I completed my first race in Sugar Land, and I’d like to think I was still having a “runner’s high.” This semester has been unbelievably busy for me and training for another race was icing on top of the cake. I am committed 110% to whatever I sign up for… and the Armadillo Dash was no exception. I created a training schedule and plastered it on my desk. I missed a few runs, but crossing off each day was my greatest source of daily accountability for staying in shape. I established a few new goals for a new race…
- First and foremost, place the Lord and your schoolwork above all else.
- Stick to your training and work hard EVERY SINGLE RUN!
- Eat healthy and stay hydrated.
- If you miss a run, move on.
- RUN for the LORD—to reveal his glory, strength, and power.
- Cross the finish line strong and IMPROVE your time
I am proud to say that I accomplished all of those goals that I set out for myself (including improving my time). I finished in 2 hours and 10 minutes, which was six minutes faster than my Half in Sugar Land. Maybe one day I’ll be able to do it under 2 hours! I couldn’t have done any of this without the support of my friends and family. Although my family wasn’t able to come to College Station for my race, I had familiar faces surrounding me. I was excited to know that four other people in my life were running the half-marathon as well; Lauren Paine, Jake Boudreau, and the Mullers. My favorite part of the race was running approximately 4 miles with Diane Muller and her Dad. Their fast pace and positive attitudes influenced me to keep up with them. At mile 10, I was tired and tempted to take a break. However, I looked to my left and saw Grace, Jessica, and Kevin cheering me on from the sidelines. It was the exact push I needed to finish this race strong and I couldn’t have been more thankful for their support. At the finish line, Katy Lowery, Ira Barnes, Erin Briers, and several other friends were eagerly awaiting for me as well. At the exact moment I crossed the finished line, a lovely runner to my right started vomiting everywhere. It was absolutely and completely disgusting, but it was memorable and I couldn’t help but laugh hysterically. That’s one way to finish off your second race. We took pictures and celebrated with a big breakfast at Cracker Barrel. Thirteen point one miles felt like nothing this morning, so now I have two races under my belt and I am determined to take on the Full.
This weekend was filled with so many pictures and memories that I had to extend this blog post. On Friday night, I went to my first fightin' Texas Aggie Baseball game at Olsen Field-Blue Bell Park. It was an incredible night at the ballpark with all of my best friends. I learned some new cheers, our Aggies won, and needless to say I will be going back very soon. On Saturday, a group of people in MSC FISH participated in FLO-CUP. It was a coed soccer tornament amongst all of the other FLOS. We finished in 2nd and had a team full of outstanding talent. I enjoyed every second of supporting them all Saturday afternoon!!!
