stronger. [part 2.] {kelly clarkson.}

read part 1 here.

saturday:

the next morning we had to eat breakfast and get to the start line before 8:10

we of course had to take "before" pictures.

we also had to scope out our competition.

knowing we were definitely not a top competitor we felt we should talk ourselves up and bash other teams outfits. because let’s face it if your outfit isn't top notch you shouldn't even consider running.

they started the run in groups of 20 people every 5 min. 

luckily we were in the first group.

we had our first runner line up. {that being shelly aka my mom.}

her first run was a 7. something run. 

she figured she didn't need us for water until about mile 4ish.

after she was off we continued to wait at least 30 min before our team car made the journey.

we finally decided to get on the road and get to a good stopping place to hand off a water.

we saw shelly in the distance running and right as we pass here these are the words out of her mouth.

"i need help."

considering she was only about at mile 4 of 7 we all started to get nervous.

we quickly pulled over and i ran out with a water bottle and a spray bottle.

i ran beside her spraying her to cool her down as i was giving her words of encouragement.

she just kept saying “something happened with my heart.”

and she would say “i am so sorry i know i am in last.”

what she didn't realize was how many people behind her were walking.

i continued to say "you are doing great." "keep running you have done this before." etc.

i then jumped back into the car and we drove up one mile. 

as we saw her approach again i jumped out to spray her again.

this time all she could say was "it is so hot. make sure everyone knows it is so hot."

she then asked "how far have i gone."

luckily we had past a mile marker on the road which indicated she had 2 miles left.

we told her we would see her at the exchange.

i relayed the message of the heat and we continued on.

at the exchange we got rachel ready for the pass off.

once she was off we stayed by the car for mom to cool down and we figured some things out.

1. it was hot. like so hot while running you think you are going to die.

2. we needed to aide our runner every mile.

3. even though we all like running solo. seeing our team up ahead was the best thing ever.

rachel had 7. something miles to run.

we got into the car and met her at about mile 2.

sue jumped out to spray her down and hand her water.

her only thing she said was "it is so hot."

we then met her at her next mile and continued the same thing.

this went on for her entire run.

we then drove jen up to get her to the exchange.

after the pass off to jen, i became so nervous.

i knew i was next.

i also knew jen only had a 3. something mile run.

we aided her at 1.5 mile and she was doing great.

we told her we would see her at the exchange.

let me give a little preface right now about my running life.

out of our team i have been running the longest.

which meant everyone demoted me the hardest runs.

lets also throw in there that i have had shin splints since about january.

therefore i have only been doing truly long hard runs once a week if even that to train.

lets just say i was nervous for my runs.

i waited nervously at the exchange.

as i saw jen running her last stretch i knew this was it.

my 5.3 mile straight up hill run.

she did the pass off and i started to run.

my first mile plus maybe a little was a steep uphill climb.

i hate running uphill.

i ran the first little bit and then i realized the hill just kept going and going.

it was so hot.

i had to keep climbing up.

once i made it to the top of my first two hard hills i got a little relief going down.

but only for a quarter of a mile.

then i started the climb back uphill.

it was brutal.

it was so hard.

it was so hot.

i am not sure if i was even moving.

my team aided me multiple multiple times.

without them i honestly think i would have just curled up in a ball on the side of the road and waited to die of heat exhaustion.

i continued to "run"

my team aided me at a mile marker and i didn't know what mile i was on.

they let me know it was mile 3 and i had 2 to go.

i wanted to cry right there and then.

how was i suppose to continue for 2 whole miles.

i was roasting.

i was tired.

my feet hurt.

and i wanted to cry.

i kept praying for a breeze. and praying for strength to finish.

as i continued up the mountain i kept thinking of rachels analogy.

and i kept telling myself that i had done this before and to just keep moving.

even if i was doing 12 min. miles.

analogy:

{rachel shared this in relief society the sunday before our race.}

she started out sharing how we were going to do this race. and the race represented our life. she said how before the race we had a team meeting to assign runs. we were assigned our runs with how much training and how experienced we were. but after we were all assigned we all promised that we would be there for each other. and although someone might have a harder hill to climb then another we all promised that we would be there to cheer each other on and to aide our runner in any way possible. she continued with this analogy and turned it to life. she said that she thinks before we were born we were all looking at our lives. we noticed some people had harder "hills". while others had longer legs. {meaning trials.} we also noticed that each of our lives were meant for us. and that they were tailored to fit our strengths and abilities. but in heaven when we saw each others "hills" we promised that we would be there for each other. and that we would be there to help lift them up and to "aide" them in every way possible. but when we came to earth some of us forgot. we forgot our promise we made to each other to help each other in our trials and hard times in life. and we forgot so much that instead of keeping our promise to "aide" each other instead we judge each other. and we make each others legs harder then they were meant to be. and instead of judging we need to be there for each other. we are each others team members and we need to be at every mile. at every hill. offering water and offering any help that we can possibly give. 

back to my run.

as i was thinking of this i kept saying in my head.

you were meant for this run. you can keep going.

don't stop now you only have 2 miles left.

despite my legs and feet being on fire.

despite the sun beating down on my skin.

despite the want to throw up on the side of the road.

despite the want and need to walk.

i finished my leg.

i ran through the exchange and handed off to lindsay knowing i probably would never have to do anything so hard in my whole entire life. but if i did i knew i could count on my team being there to help me. and also i knew that if i had survived that 5.3 miles i can survive anything.

once i had cooled down and i had rehydrated my body we were off to help lindsay.

she had a 2.94 mile gradual up hill run.

lets just say she rocked it.

she then passed off to sue who was suppose to have a 3. something up hill run.

but it ended up being a 2. something uphill.

she ran great.

she claims that she was “shuffling” but it ended up being a great shuffle.

as we were driving up to the next exchange we realized they had cut her run down and the exchange was quicker then expected.

this kind of threw our team into a whirlwind because it ended so much earlier we were caught off guard.

so between rachel and jen driving back down to sue to aide her, her last time and informing her she didn’t have to climb up the hill of death.

and my mom realizing not only will she have to take on the hill of death, she also had to hurry and pee in the bushes and mentally prep herself with only a few short minutes before the official exchange.

it was quite a stressor for our team to have to whip into action in such a short period of time.

but without fail we did it flawlessly.

this point also marked our “half way” which means we had all ran once and now we were going to run our last legs.

before the race in front of the start line.

our team with our awesome neo pulse shirts.