Are you kidding me??? I still can’t believe it and I’m not sure I will….it just sounds too crazy. On April 28th I will wake early, power down some type of fuel, have a sip of coffee and venture off to my very first half marathon. As many of you know this is no ordinary half…this event literally saved my life. Had I not gotten the guts to train for it, we never would have found the cancer and I don’t even want to know how that story ends. Instead let’s focus on what did happen.
So I signed up for the training program … best $100 a girl could spend. Part of the training package is a super duper, use any time, 15% coupon for anything at Omega Sports (yup that’s the training sponsor). During my first shop prior to our first training session I met one of our coaches, Mike Vance. He’s twice as tall as me and as nice as nice can be. I remember him asking if I was ready for our Saturday run. (I was thinking, “Hell I had better be, it’s only two miles”). Always up for a chat I engaged in conversation and asked him what his plans were for the weekend. He responded with 50 miler. Over the course of the weekend? No he replied…just one day. Are you kidding me? I had never met anyone that ran that far…well I had, but over the course of a week, month or year. I was amazed. Mike has continued to be a source of inspiration for me whenever I run. A few weeks into our training program he posted this on Facebook”
As an example for anyone who has ever felt discouraged about their running, I ran my first marathon two years ago next Saturday. I would run 5 minutes, and walk 1, which last through 15 miles or so, after which I was too tired to really keep that up. Finished in 5:03:59. Barely beat a guy wearing sandals. You may feel like you’ll never get faster, and never improve, but trust us, you will. Just keep running. – Michael Vance 2/26/2012
Mike and I will be at the St. Jude Country Music Nashville Full and Half Marathon together on April 28th along with many of our teammates. Most of us are running the half (13.1 miles) or the full (26.2 miles), but Mike will run THE FULL MARATHON TWICE IN MY HONOR….I put this in caps so it is easier to read twice. I still read it and have a hard time comprehending it. So while I am plugging away at my 13.1 miles Mike will be kicking ASSphalt in my honor in a tutu!!! The funds he’s raising will go to Get Your Rear in Gear Charlotte. I hope you will help Mike and I reach our goal for this event. Funds raised will stay here in the Charlotte area to help other Colorectal Cancer survivors.
p.s. Mike and I agree that for his safety he will wear the tutu during daylight hours in the company of other marathon runners…alone, in a tutu in downtown Nashville after midnight is just not safe not matter who you are!!!
Here’s the link to make donations. Thanks so very much…Sue and thanks Mike….you are without a doubt a Long Distance Hero!!!!
Long Distance Hero 