Mamma did what!?

Daddy, we've finally done it. We've driven Mamma to the edge!

From mid-July to early September, I have been training for my first half-marathon. I know, crazy!

Say what? Yeah, that is crazy!

After the PCS 5K in July, a friend asked me to think about running the Montour Trail half-marathon, known to be a great first half-marathon course.  Aaron encouraged me to do it and I started training on Monday and ran again on Tuesday.  Tuesday was July 17th, the day we saw the unexpected PET CT results that Aaron's cancer was back only 6 weeks after surgery.  Tuesday evening, during a quiet discussion trying to make sense of everything, Aaron asked me if I was going to continue to train.


"Uh, what?  We just found out the cancer is back...in your chest...where they told us they got everything only 6 weeks ago."  How could I even think about training?  Yet, he told me this is exactly why I should keep training.  The stress is only going to increase and I would need something, a break, a goal, every day to focus on something other than the C word.

Mamma is about to run...without being chased!

So, I continued training and ran my first half-marathon on Saturday, September 8, 2012!  I ran 13.1 miles in 2:07:34, which is about 9:44/mile!

Red arrow = me starting my watch as I cross the start line

I was so excited that Aaron was having a good day and able to cheer me on!  Benjamin came to see his crazy Mamma, too.  Our good friends, Paul and Diane joined my guys.

We are going to eat donuts while watching people run? I'm there! Oh the irony!

Keep going! Only 4 more miles left!

All was going well with a slight drizzle until my last 1/2 mile when the skies opened up.  I pretty much swam across the finish line.

The cold rain felt so good!

How did I celebrate accomplishing this goal?  I took a 45 minute shower (I couldn't move any faster) and passed out napped for an hour and a half.  Oh, and let's not forget the Chick-Fil-A cookies and cream shake for dessert!

This is Jenny high on running. This is Benjamin photo-bombing.

Aaron and other family and friends have asked if I would run another and I think it is inevitable! Perhaps Benjamin will be joining me some day.

I might get a medal of my own some day but for now, I'll wear Mamma's.