the big race

my wonderful friend amy asked me to run the lake monona run with her this spring. i figured "sure!" because when she asked me, i was still pretty excited about big ski race i did this winter. i forgot to worry about the fact that i'd never run farther than 6 miles (the race in question is a 20 k, or 12.4 miles).
as the race grew closer this spring, i started to run faster and farther, chased onward by my fear of failing at this race. well, chased by fear, but also driven by excitement to run on foot around the lake that i usually bike around. it really is a beautiful lake, a beautiful run, and a great way to view and experience madison.
and then last weekend, we did it! we ran together, we ran faster than we thought we would, and we were cheered on by our dear little cheering squad of children, husbands, and amy's mom. they biked the route, we ran it, and then we all celebrated together at the end. it was a perfect spring day, and i am endlessly thankful for my new friend, and my strong body. 

starting line smiles

and an official starting area photo! we are pre-race fresh.

 

here we are, just shy of the halfway point, getting some hugs from the tiny cheering squad

 

 

and posing.

here's the finishing photo. it may not be flattering, but it sure feels good to remember how i felt in that exact moment.

look at this girl, finishing strong.