This past Sunday, I had the distinct privilege of watching my daughter, Tara run her very first Half-Marathon.
She had set this goal for herself and to be completely honest, when she said that she was going to do this, I thought...... Why?
Why would you want to train like that?
Run every single day...mile by mile....training your body to go farther than you ever thought that it could.......Pushing yourself to push your limits.....trusting that you could go the distance.
Yep....I just figured she was nuts!!
SO....Tara pushed through... she began training in February and each day, she pursued her goal.
There were days that were tough and days that were easier, days when she had to push herself to even run at all ....and days when she could hardly wait to "hit the pavement".
Race day came......
Like a good Mom.... I went to cheer her on.
Her husband, Jerod and son Joshua were there when the gun went off....
They had cheered her on at mile 3......mile 6
I was at mile 9 with her Dad, her brother, her sister and Grandma.....
We had signs......
we cheered, yelled, encouraged.
Pushing her to her goal...
Believing she could do it.....WOULD do it.
When I saw her running at mile 9.....
I got that huge lump in my throat....
My nose turned red
(my kids know what that means)
and the tears came.
Tears of pride....
SO proud of her discipline...her dedication....
She kept going...She kept her "eye on the prize"
Her goal was to finish those 13.1 miles in under 2:30
She did it!!!!!
2:13:27
That was her official time!!
Tara crossed that finish line....
( I cried)
and when she made it....when she realized her goal....
she exchanged all of those months of sweat. pain, determination and discipline...
she traded all that in....
and they placed that medal around her neck.
She had run a good race and she had received her reward!
I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith!.. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing......2Timothy 4:7-8
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