SECRET CITY SUCCESS!!!!

I DID IT!!!!  I **FINISHED** Secret City!!!  In 2 hours and 20 minutes-ish.  I can hardly believe I finished.  Much less that I finished well under the 3-hour limit.  From Mile 1 my knees hurt like Crazy.  Oh heavens, they hurt.  I couldn't bend them.  Not even enough to pick them up to take my next stride.  It was incredibly painful, but I was bound to keep on.  I would want to stop and walk, but I kept telling myself that the only way to make the pain go away was to Finish!  I had to constantly fight myself to keep running. 

Even though my right foot didn't feel good last night or this morning, it didn't bother me at all until Mile 8.  Then at Mile 8 it was like all at once my foot went to pot.  The good thing about my foot hurting is that it took my mind off my knee pain. 

I struggled for most of the run, little by little.  There was a soldier running with his pack that I tried to keep up with from the start.  I did for the most part give or take.  The last mile of the race, I stop to walk for a few seconds.  A girl behind me came running up beside of me, grabbed my elbow and said, "you're not walking now.  I've been following you and every time I want to stop and walk I look up and see you still running and it keeps me going.  Now let's go."  Ahhhh.  God sent me a little angel.  Her name was Jesse.  We chatted for the remainder of the run and she was such a sweet girl.  Her birthday is tomorrow, the day before mine.  She also does Ultra Runs (like, 40+ mile runs).  She said she can run long distances but she's just not fast.  She ran a race yesterday in fact.  Incredibly sweet girl that came along just at the right time. 

Here's some photos!

The girls.  Love them.  We're missing Sharon in this picture. :(

Getting ready to start!

More of the starting line.

This is me at about 7 miles in.  I may look like I was having fun.... but don't read too much into that :)  I was in Pain!

And off I go again

This is Jesse and I coming into the Finish!  Woohoo!

Jesse and I almost done!

And Jesse and I finishing!  

My running sisters Sienna and Dana!  And Evie!

Annnnd my Birthday Cake made by my Fabulous Aunt!  I cannot explain how delicious this cake was.  It was a S'more cake and was absolutely heavenly.  Thanks Auntie!

I had a blast seeing my old running girls.  They're all such wonderful people!  I'm so glad I did all of this, and so glad it's all over.  I did it!!!!  Thank you all for your love and support and prayers!  Never forget that anything is possible and when the goin' get's tough, the tough get goin'.  Huuuggs!