The Lovelands: April 2010

So, we did it!!! We ran 13.1 miles! Wow, this has been a goal of mine ever since a college roommate asked me if I wanted to do it. I did and started training but hurt my knee in the training process so I wasn't able to continue. Well, in December my co-worker, Jena, out of the blue, asked me if I would like to run a half marathon with her. I didn't hesitate! I said yes. I ran downstairs to where Ry was working and told him we were running a half marathon in April. I could see the look of resignation in his eyes when he said ok and didn't even put up a fight. I think by now, he has learned that when I have a goal to do something, almost nothing can get in the way of it and it takes more energy to try to reason out with me then to actually just accomplish the goal.

This was us pre-race. I was so nervous! But it was so great to have Ry by my side. He helped me and encouraged me so much while we were training. He helped me even more during the race. Ryan, on the other hand, was not so much nervous before the race. He got more and more excited. When we first got married and I tried to get him to run, he would do it to help me, but he never loved it. As soon as we started to get into racing he started to really enjoy races. It is funny cause he does not have the same build as a long distance runner ( he is too muscular and broad) but he is really a natural. I was so proud of him!

This is Jena and Jessica. I work with these girls at work, they are the best! We really helped get each other to the race. It was such an amazing experience having such wonderful friends and doing something so hard.

(It was a really chilly before the race. I kept thinking, "Why are we starting at 0700? it is tooo cold!!" I realized as the sun came up that I was grateful we started soo early!

Jessica and her sister, Rebecca, ran together. Jessica really helped Becca. They were such sweet sisters!

This was Ryan and I at about the 1.5 mile marker. We look happy because this was in the beginning of the race.

This was Ry-guy. He ran with Jena and I for the first 2 miles or so, then he took off. He was sick all last week and had to work all this week. I was so proud of how he did! He was incredible!

The run was absolutely GORGEOUS!! It was hard to come back to West Texas after being out east (this race was in Groveton, Tx.) It reminded me a lot of Ohio and Iowa.

This was Jena and I. Jena and I ran together for most of the race. I really felt like we became a lot closer after this race. It is a hard thing to do to run for so long and to have somebody beside you the whole way really encourages you.

Just another picture of how Beautiful it was!!

This was Ryan finishing the race for the first time...(He ran the whole way. Our photographer didn't get him crossing the finish line, so this is him walking right after he finished.)

He looks pretty beat!

So here is me getting close to finishing the race...Yup, that is Ryan...running again! As soon as he got done running he went back down the trail to find me. He found me when I had about .75 miles left. He started running back with me. I was so beat by this point that all I wanted to do was to stop and walk, but my only goal for the race was tha I didn't stop or walk the whole time. When I saw Ryan on the trail and then we he started running with me, I knew I could do it. It touched me so much that after running his own 13.1 miles he got up enough strength to come and find me and give me the strength I needed to finish. To me that is one of the most amazing examples of Christlike love I have ever seen. Thank you Ryan for being the most incredible husband. You are the biggest blessing in my life!

I was definitely hurting by this point. It was ironic, but the last song that started playing on my i-pod when I had about .5 miles left of the race was "Your Love is my Drug". I thought that was an appropriate way to describe how I felt about Ryan right then.

We finished! The race was called the Davy Crockett Bear Chase, so we got medals at the end of the race and teddy bears that had the number we were in the race on them. Ryan was # 76 and I was #98. Hey I made it as one of the first 100 people to cross the finish line and there were close to 500 people who ran!

While we were running the last stretch of the run, I told Ryan that he better be ready to catch me when we stopped because I didn't feel like I could hold my self up too much longer. As you can see, Ry was ready to catch me!

I was holding on to Ryan so tight so I wouldn't fall! Luckily, I stayed on my feet. I like this picture because it symbolizes how much I we need each other to help support each other.

This is Jessica finishing! Up until she started training, she had never ran more than 1-2 miles. She just ran 13.1 miles! Go Jessica! You are amazing!

As soon as we got some food and drink in us, we felt much better! It felt so good to sit down!! I never was more grateful for my body and health than I was that day!

Jena's whole family came with us to the race. Her husband is the one who took most of the pictures. Matthew, her 2 year old son, and Ryan became very close. Jena says that Matthew doesn't usually open up like that to strangers, he did with Ryan though. It was really cute because Jena was going to get a picture with her children by the finish sign. His dad said, "K, Matthew, go get in the picture." and Matthew ran over to Ryan, who was standing to the side, and wrapped his arms around Ryan's leg and smiled for the picture. We had to get a picture of that!! Ry has a special touch with kids, that's for sure!

This was us girls representing the nurses on the 3rd floor of ARMC!! It was o fun!!

This is Ry and I. I just can't get over how much he supports me in all of my goals and dreams. He tells me he likes to help me do these things because it makes him more happier than anything to see me happy. The crazy thing is, is that he doesn't just support me and sit on the side lines and watch me do it, he rolls up his sleeves and gets right beside me and makes my goals and dreams become his goals and dreams.
I am started to better understand why Heavenly Father has commanded us to make our wills his will. I can see how when we make Heavenly Father's will our will we become one, because when Ryan and I make our goals, wills and dreams one, we become so much closer and unified. I think this race did more for our relationship and marriage than 10 years of marriage counseling could have done. Thank you Ryan for being my best friend and my strength. I couldn't do anything without you!