Mark and Shannon Smith: Marathoners!

First and foremost...Thank you EVERYONE who donated and helped us meet our fundraising goal!

So...I am a marathoner! I still can't believe I hold that title...but I have the medal to prove it ;) I have thought a lot about how I wanted to share about race day. I decided (after writing and deleting, writing and deleting) the most accurate way to share is by using the emotions from the movie Inside Out. There are so many feelings that you experience while training for a marathon, but on race day, those emotions go to a whole new level.

Before I begin, let me say that nothing and no one could have prepared me for how hard training for and running a marathon can be. I am not a runner. I do enjoy running, but God did not build me as a runner. I am not long and lean. I do not move like a gazelle. I can't run and talk at the same time...I have to focus on my breathing. The beginning of our training was fun. I actually looked forward to our short and long runs. We were actually committing to doing something I wanted to do for years. Then the weeks of training dragged on and running wasn't very fun. We were all kind of over running and just wanted race day to get here. We were all battling some sort of injury. Mark was having knee issues, our friend Chev was battling an IT band issue, our friend Angela kept injuring her hamstring, and I was still dealing with my sciatica and these nasty blisters that kept appearing on my little toes (one never realizes how important the little toes are until they are broken or injured). But we continued on. And I'm glad we did. I found this poster on Pinterest. It isn't entirely accurate. It isn't a miracle that we finished or that we even started...the miracle is that we continued.

Race Day...

Before the race...I just love how my fuel belt makes my hips look ginormous 😁 We were scared, excited, cold, and ready to get it over with already!

Joy, excitement, anticipation, great expectations...all things that raced through my gut and head while jumping up and down to keep warm while the pre-race formalities took place...the welcome, the "thanks for running for the great cause of St. Jude" speech, and the Star Spangled Banner...which I think was the slowest version I had ever heard. To start the race off, I was excited. I had bandaged my little toes up in hopes that the nasty blisters would stay away. I was excited because I was running along and I couldn't tell my toes were bandaged. My thought was since I couldn't feel them, they were going to work.  Gosh I was thrilled! And I started my race off great. We ran through the St. Jude campus (I think around mile 5) where a few of the patients who were up to sitting in the cold, cheered us on. There were several families representing patients past and present cheering us on along the way as well even beyond the St. Jude campus. Seeing their appreciation for the cause we were running for not only filled my eyes with tears, but it flooded my heart with joy as well.

Disgust, frustration, doubt...questioning myself why in the world I had ever thought I could actually accomplish this monumental task. At some point around mile 8, I started to get discouraged. I noticed that the leg pain of my sciatica was starting earlier than it had in any of my previous long runs. I also started feeling my little toes. My pace started slowing down some, and I was beyond frustrated. I'm pretty sure at one point I said out loud, "I suck at running." Disgust would continue to creep into my head at various points of the race...thankfully God placed people in my path that would help push Disgust aside and help Joy sneak back in...

Fear and defeat. At mile 10 I felt the blisters on my two toes pop. It hurt. My bandages were pinching the loose and new skin that was exposed. I was so afraid that the blisters would slow me down to the point that I wouldn't reach mile 19 by 1:30...it was at that time that if runners had not reached the 19 mark that they would be picked up by a bus and taken to the finish line, unable to complete their race. I started the race with that thought in my mind. I was NOT going to be one of the ones to get picked up. I had trained too hard and too long for my race to be cut short.

After hobbling for a few minutes I decided it would probably be easier to run without the bandages than with them, so I stopped. There wasn't anywhere to sit, so I was leaning against a building trying to balance and get my shoe and sock off. I had a sweet man, who was also a Hero Runner, stop and ask if I was ok. When I took my shoe off and he saw my sock covered in blood, he offered to stay with me and let me use him to balance as I took care of my toes and got my socks and shoes back on. I am so thankful for him letting me use him for support. I knew if I sat on the ground there is no way I could have gotten back up. He also encouraged me as I was getting situated. He said very confidently, "You only have 3.1 miles to go! Think of how awesome those blisters are going to feel when you cross the finish line!" It was then that I turned my racing bib to him to reveal that I was running the full marathon. He froze and could only say, "Oh!" Bless his heart. He tried to remain positive. As I started running again, he gave me some more encouraging words. Though I was crying, I smiled and told him thanks, and did my best to push the pain (and fear) aside...and try to find Joy to carry me on.

I don't think I ever really experienced the emotion of Anger, but I'm pretty sure a driver and a police officer each had a brush with this emotion around mile 16...about this time, the course went through a busier part of Memphis. There was one especially large intersection we had to go through where police officers were letting one or two cars go if there was enough space between groups of runners. This one particular officer was letting a couple of cars go, but told the third car to stop since the runners were getting really close to their intersection. Well, the third vehicle's driver was done waiting, and didn't listen to the officer. The officer proceeded to yell "STOP" and hold up his hand, but the driver continued to drive through the intersection...if the runners hadn't been paying attention, one could have easily been injured. The police officer eventually kicked (yes, straight up kicked) the car as it passed by. At that moment, the car stopped, rolled their window down and yelled at the police officer. Seriously! The police officer yelled back and continued saying something even as the driver of the vehicle drove off. There were so many volunteers through out the race, I tried my best to remember to thank them as I passed. This police officer though, as I passed him I held up my fist and said, "You get 'em!" and gave him a fist bump as I passed. He laughed and told me, "Hey, I'm here to look after you guys and protect you!" There entered Joy again. That officer made my day (or mile).

I'm not sure if Sadness is the correct emotion to describe how I felt at mile 21...but I was sobbing. When the half marathon runners split from the full marathon runners back at mile 11, the roads that were blocked off for the race course went from two lanes blocked off down to one lane blocked off. The one lane that was blocked off was the right lane, which meant that we couldn't run in the middle of the road where it was flat. The lane we were running in was so slanted, that it was causing my left leg and sciatica to hurt worse than it had at any point in any of my long runs previously. I was in so much pain, I was really done. I couldn't imagine running another 5 miles on that road. I seriously considered quitting.

It was about the time that I was ready to call it quits when I noticed there was a flat sidewalk with no spectators on it that I could run on. Honestly, running on concrete hurts the joints more than asphalt. So I had the inner struggle of run on majorly slanted asphalt, or flat and hard concrete...the concrete won. After sliding over to the concrete, I saw someone up ahead of me jumping up and down, waving their arms at me...it was my sweet friend Angela. I was so relieved to see her! She was the smart one, and decided to run the half instead of the full. She showed up at just the perfect time. I told her I was done, but she wouldn't hear of it. She ran with me for about a quarter of a mile and encouraged me the whole way. We were at about mile 22 at this point, and she said, "You have four miles left! This is just a warm up for you! Just think of running around our neighborhood to the high school and home. You can do this!" And just like that, Sadness started creeping away as Joy (and Determination) crept back in.

As I ran, I had an app tracking the people I had trained with. As they would reach certain mile markers, I would get notifications telling me who had crossed what mile. I remember giving a shout for joy as I got notifications that Chev and Mark had crossed the finish line...and then breaking down into tears. I knew how hard these two men (especially Chev) had trained for this day, and I knew that we had so many people back home in Jacksonville covering us all in prayer, so I shouldn't have been surprised, but I was so relieved that they were able to complete the task they had set out to do. As I mentioned before, we were all battling injuries and ailments. But their injuries and ailments weren't something I was positive they could push through. Sometimes the body just says NO! Thankfully, that wasn't the case on race day.

Here is Chev approaching the finish line. He was the first to finish with a time of 5:15:54. 

Here is Mark approaching the finish line. He finished with a time of 5:23:00.

As I continued on after receiving encouragement from Angela, I was able to get into a nice running rhythm again, staying on sidewalks almost the entire way until the last mile. As my sciatica and blisters became more of a pain (literally), I had to adjust my goals. My dream goal was to finish in 5 hours, although I knew that 5 and a half hours was more realistic. So once my blisters popped and the creeping nerve pain got worse, I decided I would be happy if I finished in under 6 hours...so, as I ran that last mile, and I passed the 26 mile marker, there was a man that said, "You have less than a quarter of a mile, you might as well sprint from here!" I don't know if that man was serious or not, but I glanced down at my Garmin watch and realized that if I did in fact sprint, I just might be able to finish in 6 hours...so I took off. I dug down deep and ignored every screaming nerve in my body. I remember as I was running down an incline into Auto Zone Park, the only thing I could think was, "Lord, don't let me trip and fall!" because I am really good at that with my monstrous feet. Thankfully, I didn't fall, and I crossed that finish line with a finishing time of 5 hours, 59 minutes, and 25 seconds. I met my goal with a whole 35 seconds to spare.

Talk about relief! One thing I didn't accomplish was the finishing photo I was planning in my head. I had planned to smile and give a thumbs up sign as I crossed the finish line, but that didn't happen. And lucky for me, Mark was there cheering me on and taking pictures as I finished. Looking at them even two weeks later, makes me cry.

 I can see pain, determination, disappointment, and relief on my face all at once. I have to tell the competitive side of me that I finished and that's all that matters. I am a marathoner regardless of my finishing time...even though I know with everything in me that if I were healthy, with no sciatica pain and no blisters, I could have done it faster.  So, knowing that, I just might do another one...just not in 2016. Maybe in 2017...

I was so thankful for my mom and her husband, Keith. They came up from Texas and drove our kids up so they could watch us cross the finish line. It meant so much to Mark and myself that our kids got to watch us accomplish something we had trained so long and hard for. It was a great family moment. It was a quick family moment, because we were all ready to shower, collapse, and take a nap when we were done.

Our amazing kids. We didn't think of how training for a marathon would effect them. The training was much more time consuming than we thought it would be. They didn't complain or comment once of how tired we were after our long runs and how we would nap the rest of the days away. 

He still loves me even after I tricked...I mean talked him into running a marathon with me! I hope he will love running again one day...maybe just a nice jog instead of a marathon though...

We finished, and we were all standing! Thankful for sweet friends to train with. I hope we encouraged them as much as they encouraged us! 

I hope you have enjoyed reading about our marathon journey. Although we started this blog specifically for the marathon, I might keep up the blogging...I have learned that a marathon isn't just a foot race. Our life is a marathon that we are running through and time just does not seem to want to slow down. So maybe for 2016 my goal will be to write down more memories and feelings of these passing days as we prepare to send kids off to college in the next couple of years...I can't believe those days are upon us...

14 mile run and a half marathon for Shannon

Mark:

When my two older boys were little, their uncle taught them a funny saying. He would ask them, "What do supermodels do?" Their response was, "Supermodels always walk into the wind...always." It was cute and funny from two toddlers. A couple of Saturday's ago, we ran the longest we had ever run. 14 miles is a long way to run all at once. On top of the long distance, it seemed like we ran into the wind the whole time. My problem is that I'm not a supermodel. I don't have the looks or the hair to be running into the wind.

I will admit that I felt incredible after finishing the 14 mile jog. It is hard to believe that I ran 14 miles without stopping. I am learning about what to eat the day before and what to eat and drink the morning of our long runs. I have also learned that a ten minute ice bath after a long run does wonders for my body. Shannon and I were talking the other day, and I realized we are less than two months from the marathon. I don't feel ready, but it doesn't matter if I feel ready or not. The marathon is December 5, and it is rapidly approaching. We are running 14 miles again this Saturday. I had to take some time off because the bursitis has come back in my knee, and I wanted to try to give it a rest one last time before we make our final push in training.

Shannon:

That 14 mile run was one of my best. I deal quite a bit with sciatica that effects my left leg more than anything. I made up my mind before I set out that Saturday that I would break the run up into three increments...5 miles, 5 miles, and 4 miles. At the end of each increment, I stopped and stretched my left leg to work out the tightness and pain that creeps into it during my long runs. It really paid off, because I was able to run with a pace of 11:24 without hurting too bad after. That 14 mile run was two Saturdays ago...we have had a LOT happen in our busy life of kids and ministry since then.

This last weekend we were scheduled in our training program to run a half marathon. My theory with that is, if you have to run the distance of a half marathon, you might as well get a medal! So, I was excited to be able to run the Middle Half in Murfreesboro, TN. Not only did I get a medal, but I was able to set a new PR (personal record) for myself. I ran at an 11:15 pace and finished the 13.1 miles in 2:26:16. I was ecstatic! I was able to run pretty much the whole way. I did not eat before running (MISTAKE!) and ran out of gas at mile 12. I walked a little, ran a little, then made a final push the last half mile or so. It's hard to imagine running twice that distance, so I try not to think about it so I don't get discouraged. Lucky for us, we still have training ahead of us that will help condition ourselves to run those 26.2 :)

About that ice bath Mark was talking about earlier...I'm a big baby when it comes to those. I don't stay in for 10 minutes. I'm good to stay in at least 7. Well, since we were on the road this last weekend, I did not take an ice bath...boy did I notice a difference in my recovery! I will not be passing up that ice bath again after my long runs from now on.

This next weekend we are running another 14 miles, then we will be adding two miles each week before we start tapering down in preparation of our big race day! Do you know what I just realized? This year for Thanksgiving, I won't have to be as conscience as I normally am about what I eat because I will have a long run to burn all those calories just a couple days later! Woohoo!!

I hope you are enjoying our blogging about our marathon journey. Please remember that we are running as Hero Runners to raise money for St. Jude, their research, and the services they provide to families whose children have been diagnosed with cancer. We are a LONG way from our goal and would appreciate any donations you feel led to give. You can give a tax deductible donation on our fundraising pages by clicking on the links below. Thank you for your help!

http://fundraising.stjude.org/site/TR/Heroes/Heroes?px=3476880&pg=personal&fr_id=40881

http://fundraising.stjude.org/site/TR/Heroes/Heroes?px=3470299&pg=personal&fr_id=40881

12 Miles...Check!

Mark:

After a week of gradually getting back in the swing of things, I got to run a long run on Saturday. 12 miles...Woohoo! Every time I run I have the same two goals...finish and run the entire time. I am proud to say that I accomplished both on Saturday. I ran 12 miles without stopping. On Friday, Shannon and I ran 5 miles for our short run. It is crazy to think that 5 miles is a short run. I ran great, and I was looking forward to Saturday. Now, 12 miles is a long way, but you already knew that I'm sure. I started off great, and I felt great. In fact, I was running about 30 seconds per mile faster than what my goal is for the marathon. Then I hit mile 8. I didn't feel bad, but I had to slow down because I knew I wouldn't be able to maintain my pace. Then came mile 11. Let's just say that it was much hotter at 7:40 than at 6:00 when we started. I started counting down the time to try to figure out how much time I had left to run. The last mile was completely brutal. I kept thinking 4 more songs...3 more...2 more...last song. I finished, but I was completely spent. When we were done, Chev (my friend who is running the marathon with us) looked at me and said the marathon will be everything we did plus running it all over again. CRAZY! Honestly, I can't imagine running 26.2 miles right now. The thought of it scares, overwhelms, intimidates, and discourages me. I struggled running 12. How in the world can I run 26.2? People keep encouraging me by saying that I will get there. Just keep at it. Your training will make sure you are prepared. I appreciate all the positive comments and encouragement, but it seems like an impossible task at this point. Thinking about it just makes me tired. Writing about it makes me tired too.

Please don't forget we are running with a cause. If you haven't given yet, we would really appreciate your support. We both still have a long way to go to reach our goal as we raise money for pediatric cancer. Just click one of the links above if you would like to help out.

On the Road Again

Mark:

After 2 weeks of rest, ice, and Advil, I have been able to run the past few days with very little pain or discomfort. I ran 2 miles last Thursday night just to try it out and see how I felt. Saturday I ran 4 miles. I didn't want to increase my mileage too much too fast because I am afraid of reinjuring my knee. My knee felt great the rest of Saturday and Sunday. Shannon and I ran 5 miles together this morning. I ran pain-free. You have no idea how relieved I am. I was really nervous I wouldn't be able to run the marathon due to the bursitis in my knee. It looks like that shouldn't be an issue anymore. Now I just have to begin building my endurance back up. I missed almost 2 weeks of training. That may not sound like much, but when you are preparing for 26.2 miles, that is too much to miss. Thankfully I missed the 2 weeks early in the training. I still have just over 2 months to get going again.

Please remember we are running to raise money for pediatric cancer. If you have not given, would you please consider donating by clicking on the links in the banner? We appreciate anything you can do.

Shannon:

I am so happy to have my main running partner back! I ran my 11 mile long run by myself this past Saturday...and even though there isn't a whole lot of conversation going on on those long runs, it's still nice to have someone with you and it gets kind of lonely when you're by yourself.

I have noticed over the past few weeks that my knees have been sore to the touch after my runs. This is usually a tell-tale sign that I need new running shoes. So this past Friday, Mark and I went to our favorite running store, Fleet Feet over in West Little Rock. Love that store! I learn something new every time I go in. I knew the exact shoe I wanted...color and everything...because I was hoping to have the exact same shoe I've been running in. Well, they had the model, but not the color. Mark rolled his eyes when he saw the disappointment on my face they didn't have my purple Saucony's. Instead they gave me these bright teal and hot pink shoes. Y'all...they would be cute if they were a size 6 or 7, but I have ginormous feet. The brighter my shoes are, the bigger my feet look. Plus, all my running tops are purple, so I was hoping to stay in that color scheme. Surely some of you can see my dilemma! I considered for a moment to order my exact pair from their website, but decided that comfort on my long run was better than waiting a week and running with sore knees longer than I needed to. Behold, my new, very bright, very big, but very comfortable running shoes...

The good news is the weather is slowly starting to change, so I will be moving from running tanks to t-shirts, which means I will be able to get some shirts that go a little better with my shoes ;-) A girl's gotta feel cute when she's running really far and more than likely looks terrible.

This morning we ran our "short" run of 5 miles. I laugh because when I trained for my half marathon back in April, our first "long" run was 5 miles and we were stoked that we ran that far. Now we're like, "Eh, that's just a warm-up!" I didn't intentionally go out this morning and decide to push myself. In fact, when my alarm went off at 5:00 and Mark's didn't, I was hoping he forgot so we could sleep in a little before getting the kids up for school. His alarm went off 15 minutes later...then again 9 minutes later...and again 9 minutes later (you can tell our friend Chev is out of town this week, because we didn't run yesterday either)...then he got up. Ugh! So I got up too. Reluctantly. I thought today would be a slower run since my heart wasn't really in it. Imagine my surprise when my first mile was 11:03. I ended up running a 10:36 pace...a full minute faster than my normal pace!

I'm looking forward to our 12 mile run on Saturday. I'm hoping my new, faster pace will continue :-)

Like Mark said above, we are running for a purpose. Every dollar we raise goes directly to St. Jude and the families that are effected by pediatric cancer. Below are our links if you would like to support our reason for embarking on this crazy venture :-)

http://fundraising.stjude.org/site/TR/Heroes/Heroes?px=3476880&pg=personal&fr_id=40881

http://fundraising.stjude.org/site/TR/Heroes/Heroes?px=3470299&pg=personal&fr_id=40881

Double Digit Day

Mark...

We ran 10 miles on Saturday. Our first double digit running day. I will start with the good news first. We ran 10 miles. Well, that's about it for the good news. Now for the bad news. It was absolutely horrible. We started running at 6:45 instead of 5:45 like we normally do. All of us wanted to sleep in a little bit since it was a Saturday. Big mistake. By the time we were done, it was so hot and humid. We were drenched, and Shannon had a major headache from where the sun was beating down on her head. Shannon and I also learned that we need to fuel our bodies better before long runs like this. I had very little energy, and my legs felt like lead the whole run. I wrote in my last post that my knee has been hurting. Well, let's just say that Saturday's run was very painful. After a long, painful run, we went to Fleet Feet in Little Rock. On Saturday, they had a physical therapist from Baptist Hospital who would look at sports related injuries. I didn't want to drive over there, but the pain was so bad that I knew I really needed to. She told me I have bursitis. Simply, this means the fluid sacs in my knee have become inflamed. Fortunately, she said I need to ice, rest, and take anti-inflammatories until the pain goes away. So, I am not running this week, and I am hopeful that I will be ready to start running again on Monday.

Shannon...

First double digit run is in the books...and has been for a few days. Let me start off by saying this...WORST LONG RUN EVER! The competitive side of me is glad we will have another ten mile run this Saturday. Maybe it will give me a chance to redeem myself. Y'all, it was bad.

Like Mark told you earlier, we started running about an hour later than we normally do. Why? you ask? Well, because we knew it would take us about two hours to run our ten miles, and after looking at our weather apps, it showed that the temp and humidity at 8:00 and 9:00 would be the same...so why not sleep in an hour? Weeelllll let me tell you, the weather apps LIED! It was hot and beyond humid way earlier than it was supposed to be. This was the run that we look back on and take TONS of notes on what NEVER to do again. I'm going to list them for you so if you are ever crazy like we are and want to run a half or full marathon, you can learn from our mistakes.

1. Don't trust weather apps.

2. If you decide to trust weather apps, don't change up your hydration method...yep. I did that. I drink about a gallon of water every day, so I would say that I am well hydrated most of the time. Then on runs I carry a small bottle of AdvoCare's Rehydrate (an electrolyte drink similar to Gatorade) to sip on every couple of miles. On this particular run I decided to try Gu for the first time and just carry water on me...mistakes. Both of them. I have never used Gu before. I have normally used AdvoCare's Rehydrate Gel...similar product as Gu, just WAY more effective from what I experienced on Saturday. Unfortunately, the Rehydrate Gel is out of stock at the moment. I am currently stalking my microsite so I can order it the moment it is back in stock.  So miles 1-4 were awesome. In my typical  pace range, getting faster after each mile. Then comes mile 5...I hit my wall. I slurped the Gu (gag!), drank my water...and nothing. I didn't feel a boost in my blood sugar or get a second wind like I have with the Rehydrate Gel. So I ran/walked mile 5 to mile 6 where we had a refill of water. I was so spent and out of energy, I had to dig deep to finish stronger than I ran for mile 5. It literally is mind over mile when you are pushing through after hitting a wall. I got into a pretty good pace and came up on mile ten, running through our neighborhood towards home and I saw two people walking their dog that I knew would want to stop and chat with me...so I did the ever so polite thing and picked up my running pace, smiled at them, and waved (as one was stopping and waving me down) and just kept going...breathing really loud to emphasize how hard I was working. LOL!

3. My first mistake of the morning began before I even left the house. I slept in a little late and didn't eat anything before my run. I know. Stupid. Never fear, because I will never do that again. When I finished my run, I had this horrendous headache that lasted all day. I Googled (because that's what I do when I want to know things) "post run headaches" just to see if it was a real thing...and it is. Apparently one can suffer a post run headache from one or all of the following: dehydration, low blood sugar, tightness in shoulders and neck. Check, check, and CHECK! I am pretty sure I suffered from all three that day. And lucky me, that headache lasted from Saturday until Monday afternoon.

4. The last thing I learned as a result of this horrible run, is how to change my running technique a little so I don't have such tightness in my neck and shoulders. Typically come mile 2, I am running and stretching my arms every which way to loosen up my shoulders. I ran across this article on breathing techniques and it addressed posture while running. So Wednesday, during my short run, I implemented what the article suggested. Not only did it help with my issue with tightness, I decreased my time as well. I will call that article a win and add it to my Pinterest board :)

I hope you all are having a great week and enjoy reading about our training. Pray for Mark, that his knee will heal quickly so he can get back to training. He really does miss it ;)

Making Progress :)

Mark:

Well, this week has not been as enjoyable as the previous weeks. Last Friday Shannon and I ran our long run of 8 miles. During that run, we ran about a quarter of a mile on an uneven, sloped sidewalk. As a result, the inside of my right knee has been stiff, sore to the touch, and it hurts to bend or move certain ways. I did okay when I ran Monday, but that is when it began to really hurt. I had to cater to my right knee, which caused my left achilles to start hurting. When we got up on Wednesday morning to run, I was unable to do it. The pain was too much. It probably sounds like I'm complaining, but I just want to run a week without injury. I don't care about being sore; that's part of it. It takes the fun out of running when you are always dealing with some type of injury. The good news is that with a brace I wore this morning; I ran 4 miles. I only had a little discomfort. The plan is to ice my legs today and get ready for my first double digit run tomorrow. We run 10 miles in the morning. Wow, that just sounds crazy.

Shannon:

This week has been a good running week for me :) I'm not as old as Mark, so my ailments aren't as bad ;) I have been dealing with a little shin splint pain, but I think I just need to start phasing in a new pair of running shoes. It is only taking me about two miles to really get warmed up and get my legs loose. This is a great accomplishment for me since it used to take me a good four miles.

This week we started running four miles as our "short" runs. This is amazing to me, because earlier this year when I was training for the Russellville Half Marathon my first "long" run was four miles. Now I'm like, "Four miles, that's nothing!" I love seeing my own progress. That's the great thing about running...you aren't competing against other people (at least not all the time), you are competing against yourself. You push yourself to be better than you were your last time running. Looking back on that first "long" run of four miles in February, I ran it in 53:09...that's an average pace of 13:17 per mile. This past Wednesday I pushed myself. I had a fabulous run. I finished my four  miles in 44:06...that is an 11:01 pace. THAT is what I call progress!!

I'm looking forward to our 10 mile long run tomorrow. It is one of the last long runs I will be able to compare to my last training. Hopefully I can maintain that 11:01 pace I had on Wednesday :)

We want to remind you that we are raising money for pediatric cancer at St. Jude Hospital. Please consider helping us reach our goal. If you are interested in helping either one of us, you can follow these links:

Mark:
http://fundraising.stjude.org/site/TR/Heroes/Heroes?px=3476880&pg=personal&fr_id=40881

Shannon:
http://fundraising.stjude.org/site/TR/Heroes/Heroes?px=3470299&pg=personal&fr_id=40881

Feel free to share these links with friends and family that may want to help those families impacted by pediatric cancer as well.

No Selfies, Please!

Mark:

Woohoo! We ran 8 miles today. We were supposed to run tomorrow, but we have some other commitments and ran the long run today. Honestly, I'm amazed that I ran 8 miles without stopping; except when I dropped my water bottle and had to stop, bend over, and pick it up at mile 6. That hurt a little bit. Next week, we get to run 10 miles for our long run. Double digits. That will definitely be a new hurdle to climb over.

As a pastor, I can't help but see spiritual metaphors with just about anything I do. I say that to mention an article I read yesterday. The article talked about how they were going to make rule changes to the Tour de France because last year people would stand in the road and take selfies. The photo would have the cyclists speeding towards them in the background. Sounds cool. But it wasn't cool when a biker collided with a spectator and both were injured. Then, the article described a marathon race in Hong Kong. Several runners, at different points in the race, decided to stop in the middle of the race to take a selfie with runners in the background. Again, that sounds cool at first glance, but several of the runners finished bruised and bloodied because they ran into the individuals who stopped to take the selfies. You are not thinking in a race that someone will just stop on a dime, whip out a phone, and start a photo session.

So, what's the point? It's true that we want our pics to have an amazing background. Kind of like our family photos at the beach this summer. We wanted the sunset with the ocean behind us. Here is the problem.  Often, we are so wrapped up in what's behind us that it prevents us from living today and moving forward. For some, this might be a mistake or something we wish we could do over. I know I have moments I regret, and wish I could have a second chance to get a "do over." Our past weighs us down and hinders us from moving forward. So, we just stop and don't go anywhere. Stuck in the past.

For others, we allow wonderful moments to keep us from moving forward. For example, how many people do you know, or maybe you are one of these people, that their greatest moments in life were from high school? Don't get me wrong. I have some wonderful memories from high school, but as I draw closer to 40, I realize that I have spent more time out of school than in school. So, we allow those great moments to keep us from creating new ones. Maybe we should turn the camera around and start looking at what's in front and not what is behind us? This reminds me of Philippians 3:13-14, "Brothers, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God's heavenly call in Christ Jesus."

Shannon:

I think the next post, I will be typing first...I've got nothing compared to what my hubby just posted. Thanks Dear.

This week our long run came a day early. I am leaving this evening to take our oldest, Caleb, to a baseball showcase at Ole Miss for the weekend, so I needed to get my 8 miles in today. Mark decided to go with me...you know, him being my mighty protector and all. He wasn't too thrilled about me running 8 miles before daylight by myself...I married a good one for sure ;-) I am so thrilled to share that before we left the house at 5:25 this morning, he said to me, "I am so glad we are doing this. I am really enjoying running!" I'm excited/relieved for that statement for two reasons: First of all, if you remember, one of my goals in this marathon training was for Mark to come to enjoy running like I do. We don't have many activities outside of our kids' sports that we do together, so I'm glad to have an enjoyment of running that we can share. Second, I started feeling a bit guilty this week for having tricked talked him into running a marathon. Why? Well, Sunday we started a small group study by Andy Stanley called "iMarriage." This week one of the topics we talked about was different expectations we place on our spouse...I didn't want him training out of obligation to me. I wanted him to train and run for his own enjoyment. And maybe to hear him say that I was right, running is fun!

Broken Toe

Mark...

I'm sure Shannon will take some time to explain this, but she broke her toe last week...or badly bruised it. It seems like one of us is always struggling or getting hurt with something during our training. I pulled a muscle last Friday. I had one of those days when I felt really good, and I was running faster than what I had been running. I had to jump up over a curb because a car was coming, and I pulled a muscle down the center of my calf. Thankfully, some ice made it feel much better. At least my injuries are running related. She is just clumsy, but I will let her tell you about it...haha.

We were able to run 6.2 miles again this past Saturday. Shannon even ran with a broken toe. She is one tough cookie. I think I would have wimped out and taken a few days off. She is the type of woman who will do something you say she can't just to prove you wrong. I tell people all the time that she is more competitive than I am. Of course, they think I am just being funny because I am ultra competitive. It really is no joke. She is so competitive that when you tell her she can't do something, she will do it just because you said she couldn't.

Shannon...

Yes, I'm pretty sure I broke my toe after our short run on Friday...if it isn't broken, it's severely bruised. This is the problem with being clumsy AND having ginormous feet (I wear a size 10 shoe, but am only 5' 3"). I lost my balance in my bedroom and somehow the edge of the bedrail caught my little toe and didn't think it needed to hit the floor with the rest of my foot. OUCH! It hurt. It swelled up and bruised pretty quick. For those of you who love to see the nasty details, I took pictures for you.

Even with a possible broken toe, I still ran our 6.2 mile long run Saturday morning. (For the record, I am competitive, but not NEARLY competitive as my husband!) Many of you are probably thinking, "WHY? It's early in your training, take a week off, let the toe heal, you will be FINE!" As true as that may be, I wanted to run. My injured toe is on my right foot...I run on the inside of my right foot, so really, my toe didn't really hurt when running. I just had to be careful running up hills since I have a tendency to sprint up on my toes, and I had to be careful transitioning from road to curb. It did slow me down by a full minute per mile compared to last week's 6.2 mile run, but I got it in and am happy I did. No regrets.

For me, getting as many miles and long runs in as possible before our big race day is important, but the main reason I wanted to run is because I have very few runs where I get to run the entire distance with my good friend and training partner, Angela. Angela is running St. Jude with me, but she is only doing the half marathon. We will have to part ways at mile 12 on race day :-( . Angela trained with me for the half marathon I ran back in April. She and I have a similar pace and have grown as distance runners together. We were reminiscing about how far we have come in our ability to run while getting that long run in on Saturday. Back in February, at the beginning of our half marathon training, neither one of us had much stamina or endurance. We averaged a 13.5 minute mile, struggled to run any further than a mile before we had to walk or stop and stretch. We also could not carry on a conversation while running. When we got to the point where we could push through the pain and run a majority of our runs without stopping, we were perfectly content running side-by-side and listening to our music with no talking. This past Saturday, we ran pretty much all 6.2 miles, talked almost the whole way, and it was so enjoyable! I can't even tell you what we talked about, but for this momma who isn't around adults too often; it was just what I needed. I run better with her than without. She is definitely the iron that sharpens me :-) ...and not just when it comes to running. I am excited to know that as my long runs get longer than Angela's, my good friend Julie will get to join my for our long runs. I'm just hoping I can keep up with her. She has run a marathon before, so I know running with her will push me to a new level!

I promised you pics of my lovely toe...you're welcome ;-)

And here is a picture of me and my sweet friend Angela, after we finished the RussVegas Half Marathon in Russellville, AR. We finished at about an 11:30 pace. Definitely an improvement from the 13:30 pace we started our training with!

One more thing...I have to brag on us...it rained for a good part of our long run on Saturday. The thunder that started rumbling helped our last mile to be our fastest. Now we know that we can run in the rain and we won't melt ;-)

Back on Track

Mark:

It is amazing what a few days of rest and recovery can do for the body. I was able to run pain free last Wednesday night for a couple of miles. I cannot believe I am writing that I had fun running. It was like an animal that had been caged, and I was let loose to run. I ran my fastest mile since I started training. I tried to slow down, but I couldn't. Then came our long run for the week on Saturday. I was nervous and excited because we were going to run 6.2 miles (that's a 10K). I am glad to say that I was able to run without any pain in my shins. I followed some advice I had read about running. I am learning all sorts of stuff I never knew about running. When you run, you are supposed to land mid-foot and not land on your heel first. It's like jumping off a high wall. You would not want to land on your heel but on the balls of your feet. You want to run like a ninja. That means you are to run quietly and not by slamming your heel into the ground. It is unbelievable that something as simple as that can make such a huge difference. Hopefully, I am back on track and won't have any further issues.

Shannon:

I am happy to say that I am back on track as well! Not only am I feeling better, but I have had some of the best runs and personal running times since "resting" from my half marathon in April. Running in the humidity is still no joke, but I am excited to know that my running times will be getting even better as the weather cools off and the humidity goes away. Did I mention how genius it was for me to pick a marathon to run in December?

This week started a whole new set of challenges...the beginning of the school year! I know I can run 3 miles, fix lunches, shower, get kids up and moving, and pick up my crew for carpool all before 7:45...the true test to my training will begin when our "short" runs increase to 5-8 miles. The one thing that will probably keep me going is knowing that my a sweet dog, Sooie, will be more than willing to cuddle and nap with me when I get home from taking a van-load of boys to school.

So...I have a few "goals" I am hoping to accomplish through this marathon journey. Not only do I have a goal for Mark and I to raise the funds that we have committed to for St. Jude, but personal goals...big goals...huge goals...as if running a marathon isn't huge enough, right?

1. Run a marathon (DUH!)...I said I wouldn't put a time goal on this, that finishing was accomplishment enough, but I am (don't tell my husband I admitted this) a competitive person. Competitive with others and even more so with myself. I'm not going to tell you what my time goal is. I have it written down, and I MIGHT share it with you when the marathon is over...that is, if that goal is reached. Because I'm definitely not going to admit if I failed to reach it.  lol!

2. To get my husband to love running. He's not there yet, but I think he will arrive there before all is said and done. It may not be the day we have to run 20 miles...he might be calling me names in his head for talking him into training for such a monstrosity...but I know he will grow to love it. I think it's helpful that we are using an app where he can compare his current run to past runs...he's a bit competitive, too.

3. To get into tip-top shape. If any of you look at my Facebook posts, you know that I have been losing weight over this past year and I have used AdvoCare products and programs to help me achieve this. Well, I am pretty sure I have reached my maintenance weight. As exciting as that is for me, I still have fitness goals I am striving for...running faster miles, I would love to be able to do pull-ups (I have zero upper body strength), and I would love to have a six pack! Maybe trying out for American Ninja Warrior will be on my list for accomplishments in 2016...

 I know, lofty goals, aren't they?

My Downfall

Mark:

Well, last week marked the beginning my downfall. I was excited to run. Wow! Did I just say that? I was excited because we went to get some new shoes that are designed for running. I will spare you all the details, but I couldn't wait to wake up and try out my new digs. Have you ever had a moment you were really looking forward to, and then when you got there you were disappointed? I ran about a mile, and my shins starting killing me. I am not a quitter, but when you can't even walk because your shins hurt so bad, that means your body is trying to tell you something. Mine was screaming, "STOP!" So, I took the shoes back, and they gave me another pair. Oh, the person at the store told me if I continued in the original pair it would have caused a stress fracture. That's never good to hear. I was excited again to run, but I was also a little timid because I did not want to experience that pain again. The run went great early in the week, but as the week progressed the pain came back. Last Friday and Saturday I tried to run, but the pain was so intense I could only go for about a mile. Let me remind you that a marathon is 26.2 miles. How am I supposed to run 26.2 when I can't even go one mile right now?

So, I did the intelligent thing and started researching on the internet because everything on the internet is true...haha. I discovered, much to my disappointment, that I was developing shin splints. I learned that I broke the rule of the three too's...too much, too soon, too fast. I think I broke all three of those. I have been icing my shins and calves every night this week. Let me just say that icing your shins is kinda weird. I also read that stretching as much as possible is good to do. Tomorrow marks a new day. I am going to try to run a couple of miles and see how I feel. Keep your fingers crossed, and let's hope that I can get back on track.

Shannon:

I guess you could say I had a bit of a downfall as well. I am the more "experienced" runner between the two of us...however, I started getting sick about the middle of our first week of training. Being the diligent runner I am, determined to check off every box of our coaching app (I might be just a little OCD about stuff like that), I continued to run while sick. I noticed my miles getting slower as opposed to faster. I was also noticing my stamina wasn't what it had been. I know I can run 13.1 miles without stopping...I've done it before, and that wasn't too long ago. So to say I was getting frustrated is just a bit of an understatement. As much as I didn't want to, I took a break starting last Wednesday. Slept in a little, hydrated myself well, and started taking an antihistamine...because running with fluid in your ears apparently causes serious balance issues. I was also in Dallas for the weekend at an AdvoCare conference (because you know, we are totally fueled by AdvoCare and powered by Spark in our house ;-) ) and didn't want to even attempt running in the fabulous Dallas heat. We are talking 85 degrees and 1000% humidity at 5 am! I am back on track now. I can finally take a full breath and push it out to get me through the "burn" I typically feel all through mile 3. I ran 4 miles yesterday and I'm getting ready to run 4 miles this evening, gearing up for our 6.2 long run on Saturday.

Although we have had a bit of a "Downfall" in our training, I am still proud of where we are. We may not be logging every mile on our training app, but we are still making PROGRESS :-)

Week One in the Books

[Mark...]
Week one is done! Shannon and I ran 21 miles this week. That is more in one week than I have run in total my whole life. That means we only have 579 more to go. We may be smiling in the picture after our 7 mile run, but I assure you we weren't that happy. I was happy to be finished and happy to be done running for the week, but my body hurt all over. I keep wondering why people do this running thing for "fun." I just keep reminding myself that I am running for a purpose. Any pain or discomfort I experience cannot compare to the emotional pain parents endure as they watch their children battle against cancer. I just keep thinking to put one leg in front of the other. Week 2 begins tomorrow. Only 18 more weeks to go!

Smile! 7 mile long run is done!!

...how we really felt...

[Shannon...]
Week One: In a word...HOT! In two words...HOT and HUMID! Thankfully, Mark and I are able to get our runs in before the sun is up in all it's hot, blazing glory. Running in the summer here in Arkansas is no joke! I can't even imagine trying to run any later than 7 am right now...it just wouldn't be happening. Getting up at 5 or 5:15 am is a pretty big accomplishment for these two people who love their sleep...getting up at 5 or 5:15 to run, is an even bigger accomplishment (because we all know how much Mark LOVES to run).

With this being our first week of really running this summer, it took me a couple of days to figure out my best strategy. By strategy, I mean what fluids to take with me, which fluids to have waiting for me at the end of the run, how to carry the fluids I run with, etc. I run with this belt around my waist called a "Flip Belt." Best running accessory ever! It's basically this circular pocket made of dry fit material that can carry my phone, keys, Rehydrate Gel, and I can fit a 10 ounce water bottle at the small of my back so I can easily get a drink while I run. It's not bulky, or cumbersome, and it doesn't shift or rub. It's so awesome, my husband wanted one, too :) Learning the hard way that I don't run well in the heat, I am so glad I figured out early how to optimize it's use...because driving around town dropping water bottles and Rehydrate in strategic spots just isn't going to happen before 5 am. Tomorrow begins week two...we will be running a total of 24 miles and I can hardly wait!

Day 1

Somehow I let my wife talk me into running a marathon. What was I thinking? Who wants to run 26.2 miles for the fun of it? I don't. That's when Shannon gave me the idea to run in memory of Carter Dang. Carter is the son of Hao, who was one of my best friends in high school. I cannot imagine the pain of losing one of your children; especially at a young age to cancer. So, when Shannon suggested I run in his memory, I couldn't say no to that. I don't like to run, nor am I looking forward to running 600 miles in the next 4 months. Oh, that's no typo. 600 miles in 4 months. That's when I'm hit with the reality that no parent wants to endure watching their child struggle with cancer. That's a sobering thought. So, the picture is the before and after photo of our first day of training. We got up at 5:15 and ran 6 miles this morning. Obviously, we are smiling more in the first photo...haha. Just think, only 594 more miles to go!

My husband is the best! Not only did he agree to run a marathon with me, but he agreed to run one that required us to start training during the hottest, most humid time of the year. What were we thinking?!?! Neither one of us is a morning person, but when you live in Arkansas, and you don't want to die of dehydration and heat stroke, you suck it up and get moving before the sun comes up...even though at 5:45 am, it still feels like you're breathing under water...and in case you're wondering, that's hard. I am comforted to know that all of this crazy training will be worth it. Why? Because we are running for a greater purpose than just to push ourselves physically and mentally and to mark something off my Bucket List (it was never even on Mark's Bucket List radar). We realize that God has blessed us with four (for the most part) healthy children. I know what a strain unexpected medical bills cause on our family budget. I can't imagine facing medical expenses that require cancer treatments, let alone watching my child struggle through those treatments. My good friend Hope Griffin's daughter, Katie, was a patient at St. Jude. Katie was diagnosed with Retinoblastoma when she was 6 months old. She is now a healthy, happy 8 year old. I know St. Jude was a huge blessing to Katie and her family. Not only did she receive the best care possible, but her parents were able to focus on her and getting her better. St. Jude covered all their traveling expenses and they never received a bill for her treatment. I am so excited to be running this race in Miss Katie's honor. It makes those early morning hot and humid runs totally worth it. Plus, I know that the further into our training we get and the long run mileage increases, the heat and humidity will be much less and will make our training runs more enjoyable...even if those long runs are reaching into the 20+ mile range.

Please consider donating to our cause. We have agreed to raise a specific amount of money that will go directly to St. Jude. These funds will allow St. Jude to continue providing services to families, like the Griffin's, without charging them a dime.