One Year

I am one year out from my first 1/2 marathon.  I started this blog to track my progress during the training for said 1/2 marathon.  It took a few stops and starts but last February, I finally crossed both the start and finish line. I have heard numerous times the person that crosses the finish line is not the person that started the race. I had no idea how true this would be. I finished my first half and immediately set my sights on my first full marathon.  Somewhere on that walk around Disney I decided I might want to try the Goofy.  Once that thought entered my head, I could not get it out of there. 
A little over a month ago I completed the Goofy Challenge.  I am still struggling with the emotion of having completed this goal.  I still tear up when I see a part of Disney I have not seen since my races. When I talk about my Goofy weekend, my voice will still catch in my throat and my eyes will well with tears.  I was afraid this was not a normal feeling, until I met a fellow runner at Disney and as we talked about our races, I noticed we were both in tears.  I think of all the reasons I shouldn't have been able to do this, and know my emotions are fine.  I think the biggest of these was the fact that I ran on the tenth anniversary of setting this goal.  When I had my daughter, ten years ago, I had to have a c-section. For ten years not only have I carried a goal of running a Disney race, but also the feeling that my body failed me on her Birthday.  I am thankful every day that I was in the care of doctors that were able to deliver her safely and healthy, but I feel like my body was not able to do what God had designed it to do. This was the second occurrence of a body part not working and me ending up in an operating room. I think the overwhelming emotion comes from knowing that I overcame something I have struggled with for years.  This time my heart and body both got what they wanted. My ankle was strong, my heart beat normally, my brain wouldn't let me stop. I finished.  I will carry this success with me always.