Sunday December 21, 2014, with plastic bags over my toes and sloshing water-logged running shoes on my feet, I completed my 12th and final half marathon of the year.
It was raining and cold. Miserable actually. I knew the last 1/2 marathon of my year would likely be an ‘unorganized’ race. Minnesota does not play host to a 1/2 marathon in December, so I decided to run my last race in my hometown, Burnsville, MN. 13.1 miles weaving around the pond and neighborhood I grew up in. With each passing mile, I consciously chose to replay each race in my mind. Mile #1, I thought deeply about my 1st race: The January 2014 Polar Dash…by mile #9, my mind turned to memories of race #9, The Sioux Falls 1/2 Marathon. The deliberatness of this thinking was both therapeutic & energizing for this last long run.
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I wrote about the first 6 months of this journey in June. I talked about my reasons for this goal and recapped the first 6 races.
Today I look back on a year that held some of the very worst and very best memories of my life. Completing 12 half marathons and 1 full marathon validated my choice word for the year: ENDURANCE.
En•dur•ance (n) : ability to bear prolonged hardship: the ability or power to bear prolonged exertion, pain, or hardship.
That word encompassed nearly every part of the last 365 days.
Late at night, I logged countless miles on the ol ‘mill. I visited my treadmill many times per week, running miles that I couldn’t sneak in during the day. Once Clara was tucked in, emails were answered, photos were edited and my work was wrapped up for the day, I’d wander downstairs at 11 pm where I’d stare at that machine hoping somehow it would magically become more exciting. I would watch episode after episode of Parenthood on my ipad desperatly hoping SOMETHING would make it less monotonous. Rarely anything helped. I would simply have to remind myself: ‘Chelsie, you are already on here & that’s the hardest part…just keep going.’
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As I did in in my post in June, I’d like to share a few quick thoughts on each run. I write because I do not want to forget…
JULY: Red, White & Boom 1/2 Marathon 13.1 Miles – Minneapolis : This was a beautiful & patriotic 4th of July race that took me over one of my favorite landmarks in downtown Minneapolis ~ The Stone Arch Bridge. This was my first race ever sticking with a pace group. Crazy thing is, they actually really do pace you! Who knew?! I was pleased with my time and found myself back home almost before Clara even woke up for the day!
AUGUST: The Mayo Clinic Healthy Human 1/2 Marathon 13.1 Miles – Rochester : I loved staying at my cousin, Stephanie’s house the night before, but I was so, so sick. Numerous times throughout the night I woke up fully intending to bail on the entire thing. A head cold, a sore throat, lack of nutrition, and basically a run down heart & brain. Breakfast in downtown Rochester with my cousin sounded so much better, and I was thisclose to quitting before I started. To this day I am not sure what pushed me to the start line. I don’t even think Steph knew how much I didn’t want to run that day. Somehow I laced my shoes, she dropped me off near the Mayo Clinic and I glanced up at the beautiful medical facility where my dad spent weeks and weeks battling cancer. Within seconds my mind was refocused, I knew my dad would be proud of what I was working to achieve and I realized that inspiration will come at times when you expect it the least but require it the most. Stephanie found me 4 times along the course to cheer me on…people will never really know what this does for my spirit.
SEPTEMBER: Sioux Falls 1/2 Marathon 13.1 Miles – Sioux Falls, SD : I signed up for this race to coinscide with a trip out west to visit my sister. The night before the race we ate frozen pizza, dairy queen blizzards, and I slept on a basement floor with 3 little girls who’s tears and feet in my face guaranteed zero sleep. I was out the door by 4:45 am and off to the start line in Sioux Falls. Fast forward 13.1 miles and it was my fastest race to date. Please pass the frozen pizza and ice cream, thanks.
OCTOBER: Monster Dash 1/2 Marathon 13.1 Miles – St. Paul, MN : Alongside my running bff, Dyana, we ran the beautiful streets of St. Paul to the sound of crunching fall leaves beneath our feet. My clip was fast from the start and I never slowed down. It was at this race that my new goal for 2015 was born. Completeing this race in 2:05 made me realize I can run a sub 2 hour 1/2 marathon in 2015.
NOVEMBER: Illumination’s 1/2 Marathon 13.1 Miles – Phoenix, AZ : Clara and I traveled to Arizona in November to visit our dear friends. I fully intend on recapping this trip in a post of it’s own, but quickly…This was my first night race ever. After mile 1 in the dark, it occured to me the irony of traveling across the country to run in a brand new state but choosing to do it in the dark. Oy! It was a memorable race, a fancy place and the best finish line faces I have ever seen. More to come on this one….
DECEMBER: No Name 1/2 Marathon 13.1 Miles – Burnsville, MN : I shared some thoughts on this ‘race’ above. To add to it, I’ll say, this was one of the hardest races of the year due to the simple fact that it was 100% on my own, on my honor. I could have not done it, I could have done 1/2 of it. No one was watching me, and only a handful of people knew it was even on my agenda that day. There was no gun fire and no race shirt. Just the stubborness in my head that told me completeing this would mean I completed my goal
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I have to thank my mother. My dear, dear, mother. 16 months ago, she opened up her front door and welcomed Clara and me back home when I needed a place of comfort and healing. My marriage was ending and I needed my mom. I found that I also needed to run. She supported my goal and my path to physical fitness. When I would leave the house for a race before the sun came up, I would often see a note of good luck alongside a banana and an orange on the kitchen counter. She cheered me on the the Twin Cities Marathon, and it was HER face, that was the face I needed to see the most. Mid-mornings at the Burnsville YMCA, we would walk more laps than I could count. We talked and we laughed and we solved all the world’s problems…or maybe just a few of my own. I would tell her about the next race on my calendar, or ask her for the 1,000th time if she wouldn’t mind watching Clara for an hour while I got miles in that evening. The only reason there are 12 completed race photos below is because of my mom.
I also want say….my girl, Dyana couldn’t be more dear to me even if she tried. We met years ago in the Brainerd Lakes Area wedding industry. Me as a photographer, her as a florist. Our friendship flourished a year and a 1/2 ago and she’s my #1 supporter in the running world. I hope she knows how much she means to me. We have raced together, laughed together…she’s seen my ugly cry and loves me anyway. We dream big and pinch our pennies in hopes of traveling far for more and more races. We race for our 3 year old daughters and we “get” one another. Life is better with friends and it’s MUCH better with a running friend. I love you, Dyana!
A year ago today, I was prepping myself for the idea of running The Polar Dash 14 Mile Race on New Year’s Day. I thought to myself: ‘how am I ever going to run 14 miles in the freezing cold?’ Today, I have 12 1/2 marathons and a full 26.2 Marathon under my belt all in the course of 1 year. This is not written to seek praise or acknowledgement. It’s simply stated so people can be reminded that ANYTHING can be achieved if you simply believe in yourself. I developed a belief in myself early in the year, and the task at hand was only made easier by the love and support in my life.
I also want to say that running is still hard; it’s still so much work to start. This is not an obession or even a passion. This is work for me. I think that’s why achieving this goal is all the more sweet. There are very few runs I’ve been on where I just couldn’t WAIT to start! C’mon. It’s physical exertion. Eating, or sleeping or relaxing is ALL way more appealing to me, but the logical side of my brain tells me this is lengthening my life, nurturing a much needed growth in self confidence and setting an example to a little girl who needs to know anything is possible.
186.2 Race Miles • HUNDREDS & HUNDREDS of training miles • More MONEY put into race registrations than I’d care to acknowledge • 3 Pairs of Brooks Running Shoes • 12 Medals • Closet FULL of Race Shirts • A quick fleeting thought…turned into a goal…that I once thought impossible is now complete:
