Lassen & Company: 13.1

Well we did it.

13.1 freaking miles! Seriously SO PROUD OF US!! We are so doing St. Jude again. next year

Friday after I nursed my coughing toddler back to health. I dropped her off at the sitters and headed to Memphis TN. There I was to meet Lauren, Marcia (and her new main squeeze M. I don’t think he knew what he was getting into. A weekend with all girls…Isn’t’ new love sweet and naïve)

We arrived in Memphis around 2pm. We checked into our hotel and headed to the EXPO. I guess I was expecting red carpet and celebrities. I just assumed that it would be a large party with runner’s stretching and chit chatting over Raspberry Shock Bloks. It was none the less. We were there all of 25 minutes. We did however get nice parting gifts.

We had some time to kill until my mom made it to Memphis so we headed over to bar. (cause we’re supposed to carb load right?) I can’t even tell you how ridiculous this bar was.

Example A:

Marcia: what kind of wine you have?

Waitress: “OH we have all kinds...White, Red…there’s so many I don’t know them all”

ME: CRICKETS…MOUTH OPEN …waiting for Ashton Kutcher to yell “You’ve been punked.”

Marcia: don’t worry I’ll go look. seriously girl went to the bar and looked.

So against my better judgment we had a glass of wine before dinner. Dinner ended up being super late and totally not worth the calories. I was really worried about not getting rest but there was something about a glass of wine, a comfy bed and not having H’s foot in my rib that made me sleep like a baby.

My alarm went off at 5:00 am. I stretched, ate, stretched, drank water, drank tons of water and was ready to leave by 6:45am.

Once we got downtown, it hit me. YOU ARE REALLY ABOUT TO DO THIS!!

Marcia and I lined up in our corral (after our photo op) prayed and in no time we were off.

They started each corral 2 minutes apart. Which helped the madness of 18,000 runners all running towards the same place. How I didn’t fall I don’t know. It was totally mayhem. Cia and I ran the first mile together high fived each other and then she disappeared in a sea of people.

Right on key around mile 2 my hip hurt. BAD. I ignored it and kept running. Then I had a sudden urge to use the restroom. UGH. I despise Port-a Potties. I then recall all of the photo’s we made Mark and Lauren take of us before the race and I realize I didn’t use the bathroom. DUM DUM! I tried to ignore the urge but I just couldn’t. So I did the nastiest thing in the world… I used the port-a potty! UGH!

It was quick but I had to use it. I convinced myself that I caught 3 strands of something for just touching the door. So gross, thankfully there was a water station near so I grabbed a cup of water and tried to wash my hands (I guess I forgot I was running a race. Cleanliness is right up there with Godliness) I quickly poured the water over my hands and tossed the cup into a huge trash can full of fresh Gatorade. WHOOPS. NOW WE ALL HAVE COOTIES.

I ran fast to make up the time. The faster I ran the worse my hip felt I knew I had to keep going. So I did.

Can I just say, I cried like a baby during this race. I had no idea how emotional this race would be. Seeing the children out cheering for the runners. I cried. Seeing the parents holding signs that read “THANK YOU”. I cried. Seeing “running in memory of Jacob. I cried. Seriously the first 6 miles cried and prayed. Prayed for people I didn’t know, prayed for my family. Thanked Jesus for blessing me and my family with health. Something I never want to take for granted.

Soon, I got it together and ran and ran. I had no idea how fast this race would go.

Final time 2:13. I’ll take it.