Marathon

What I've learned about running a marathon.... It's a small representation of the journey of LIFE.

1.  Nothing means more to me than seeing my family at the finish line, for they truly are my biggest fans.

2.  You have to run your own race.  No one can run it for you.


3.  You shouldn't try to run someone else's pace.


4.  I am a lot stronger than I thought I was.

5.  It doesn't matter how fast you leave the starting line, if you don't finish, you don't get a medal.


6.  If you dream big, others will help you achieve your dream.


7.  Pain is weakness leaving the body (author unknown).


8.  Running mends the mind and strengthens the soul (I think I made this up :-)


9. If you train and prepare with diligence, you will succeed.


10. You have to give up what you want now for what you want the most (author unknown).

I had so much fun training for this marathon.  As I trained for the big day, I always pictured myself on the course.  I pictured my sweet little family cheering me on.  I pictured myself crossing the finish line.  These thought always drove me to push myself a little harder when I started to feel like I wanted to stop running.  I thought about life on my runs, and the meaning of it.  I learned something that I already knew, I just now know it a little better.  All that matters is keeping my legs going, focusing on the goal, and my family.  I know in life, I won't be the first to cross the finish line, but I will cross it.  I'm not going to worry about what everyone else is doing.  I'm not going to compare myself to others.  I'm not going to expect anything less than all of my family being in the celestial kingdom together and I will not take my eyes off of that goal.  In the end... it's family that is there for you.  There are others that hold out water, cheer you on, and give you encouragement along the way.  I couldn't have finished the race without them, but in the end it's my family at the finish line.  I will make my family my number one priority.  I won't waste my energy trying to make fans of the crowds around me.  In the end, if my husband and my kids are my fans, I get the gold medal.