The Amazing Michelle!!!

How many hero's can one girl have in her life! I truly know the blessing of such wonderful people in my life and this past Saturday was no different. Michelle, my younger sister, who by the way, had just done a half Ironman the weekend before, flew into town to coach me through my biggest run yet - 20 miles!! I was pretty nervous because besides truly hating running it is such a mystery to me. You just never know how the day is going to go and even though I had been successful at 18 miles, could it have been just a fluke?

Here we are running: Michelle wouldn't let us stop for the picture - she's hard core!

So here comes Michelle to the rescue! She didn't even blink an eye - "OF COURSE WE ARE DOING 20!! She showed up with all kinds of gear and gadgets and inspiring words. I had to laugh when she tried to get her fuel belt around me - it didn't even go halfway! It turns out this worked out great for me, she became my water sherpa!

We had three milestones: We started at Vassault Park and off we went - Point Defiance and back to Vassault for a water stop, on to the Narrows Bridge and then to Wright Park. Finally, back to Vassault. Yowza!! I had had a really low energy week of running. I just couldn't kick it! Rose even came over one day to run with me and no matter how hard she tried, I just couldn't get into it. She even tried her energy concoction of honey and cinnamon - no luck. Anyway, I was anxious about my low energy week and my ability to complete my 20. So here comes Michelle, the super hero: "Shoulders down!" "Elbows in!" "Everyone hurts at 16 miles so Go!" She called these the training miles, I think they are better known as the "bite me" miles.
It just never occurred to me that EVERYONE would be hurting. I thought just because I am the only one out of shape on my team that I was the only one hurting. She says, No Way! Everyone is pushing themselves to their limit. Well, that makes good sense! Just cause I'm not a bunny doesn't mean I'm not pushing myself to my limit so GO! And off we went and went and went! For 20 successful miles!!!! Wohoo!

No, I didn't break any records (I was still dragging) but I mostly kept to my 2:1 for 20 miles! You gotta love that Michelle who can come half way across the country and get me to go, go, go!

After we were done these words came out of my mouth, "That wasn't so bad", What!! Did I just say that?!! Then 2 more minutes went by and every muscle in my body started screaming. Yes, that was the hardest thing I have ever done...and I will be doing it again...plus some!!!

The only way of finding the limits of the possible is by going beyond them into the impossible.
Arthur C. Clarke

So here we go Taper Week 1 and 16 days to Marathon!!