10 For Texas

The day started last night for us. Lem was going to be helping at the finish line, so she needed to get her clothes laid out and get to bed early, just like mom. I had all of my attire laid out, my bag packed and my water bottles filled.

Neither of us slept well. I had visions of forgetting something, thoughts of getting hurt, worries of not making it and needing to call for help, would I even wake up on time?

She worried about not being able to wake up on time. Her sister is away on retreat so that meant she was sleeping in her room alone, something she doesn't like to do very often.

At 5 am, the alarm chimed and after a night of restless sleep and numerous trips to the restroom, (I took the "Hydrate" advice very seriously, apparently!), I reluctantly moved from the comfy bed to the cool morning air. Then it hit me. I'm chilly! This is a good thing, I say to myself. A great day for a run!

I spend a few minutes getting myself together and then head into Lem's room to wake her. She looked so sweet and peaceful; I hated to wake her. But if I didn't she would never have forgiven me and I would have missed seeing her beautiful face at the finish line... if I made it that far.

It was a glorious 58 degrees as we headed out the door this morning. We had to travel the race route to get to Market street. All of the mile markers were up and the road barricades were in place. This was really happening.

Being in Market Street at 6 am was quite a surreal experience. 1200 runners and who knows how many volunteers and supporters filled the streets. Still dark, Lem and I managed to find TWRC tent. Coach Bill was already there, smiling and wishing everyone well while organizing and delegating, encouraging, and advising. He assured me that Lem would be in good hands with Tara from Luke's while I was running. She would be at the finish helping to remove the timing chips as the runners crossed over.

At about 7 am, The Woodlands Fit group got together to take a picture. It was so nice to see so many of us out there. Sarah, whom I haven't seen in weeks was there. Great to see her. I also saw Holden who looked ready to go! Missy was also out there (homeschooling moms unite!)

It was about this time that I noticed that Gal Garmin was not functioning. It had a low battery which was hard to believe because I had just charged it on Thursday. Perhaps I put it away and forgot to turn it off? I think this was a good thing because if I could have seen my pace on a constant basis, I might have tried to "race" instead of run. Coming off this injury, I had to commit to not racing today, instead, I needed to treat today as a slow, easy run. My plan for the run was:

1. To have fun
2. To not overdo it
3. To run as far as I could without re-injuring myself.
4. If I felt good, I would keep my pace slower than my last 10 mile run (10:02) from a few weeks ago.
5. If I thought I could finish, to stay just under two hours.

I headed to the start line and got to the back. It took a few moments to cross the start line, but the energy was high and the mood was good. The bodies were chilly, so the movement helped keep us warm.

I felt great as I headed out. Leaving Market Street, heading to Woodlands Parkway, the air was crisp and clean. Fall was in the air!

At mile one, coach Bill was calling out times (12:54) and encouraged us to have fun and be safe. There were so many great volunteers on the course, from the mile markers to the aid stations. The Sheriff's Department had many officers out on the course keeping us safe. There were many cyclists out there as well checking on us runners. And of course the many Community Association folks, the Luke's staff, who put on an awesome race for us all. The best part was seeing the regular folks out on the streets with signs and cheers, and even a few cheerleaders with Pom Poms.

For me, I had the great fortune of seeing Fish and Mark at Echo Bend, right about mile 7. It was such an energizer for me! I knew I was going to make it to the finish.

At each mile, I listened for the time and I believe I was able to stay between 10 and 11 min miles. Mile 8 was tough for me for some reason. But once I saw the mile 9 marker, I felt like I was floating and picked up the pace just a tad.

Crossing the finish line, my sweet Lem was waiting patiently, cutting off chips for the runners. I couldn't wait to give her a big hug! I believe my finish time was 1:48:30. I will double check when the official results are posted.

The after-party was very nice. Great food, great music, and great company.

Thank you to all of the people who made the race possible. It was a wonderful experience that I will always remember. Thank you to the families who came out to cheer us on; you'll never know what it meant to a weary runner at mile 6, 7, and 8.

A very special thank you to my family. For allowing me the time to do this stuff. For feeding me good foods. For letting me rest. For cheering me on. You guys are the best! I love you so much!

To Rick and Bill, you guys have helped me so much by answering so many of my questions, encouraging me to hang in there always, and keeping me positive. I really appreciate everything you do.

And of course, to the Father of us all. Thank you for allowing me the opportunities to do what I try to do. Even though I am unworthy, you continue to bless me, over and over again.