72 kilometers.

4 1/2 months of training. gallons of water. tons of snicker bars, bananas, whole wheat bagels with peanut butter and honey, glasses of chocolate milk, and glucose chips. 2 pairs of tennis shoes. one 9.0 earthquake. new socks, sportsbras and running tights. hurting hips. sore muscles. many days-o-ponytails.

one day. 45 miles. 2 cheerleaders. 1 cowbell. 3 lakes. one mt. fuji. one finish line. one happy girl.

I'm proud to announce I'm an Ultra Marathoner. my first and quite possibly my last, but I will forever be able to call myself an "Ultra Marathoner"...it just takes one right? 

Training for and completely this race was a goal I set for myself back in November. I had no clue the time and discipline it would actually require. I learned so much about myself, what I can do and am capable of. It was a spiritual experience for me and drew me closer to my Creator and God, enjoying His nature and beauty and relying on Him to push me through. I found out that I am a runner. I found that I can run much farther than I think I can. I found that I can survive for 35 miles running without needing music. I found out that having support encouragement and love from your loved ones is the thing that makes it possible to keep going. I found out that if all you eat for 10:30 hours is snickers and bananas you may never eat them again. I found out what it felt like to be the minority (only 5 other foreigners that I saw, and I came with them) in another country, with a language you don't understand, and feel overwhelmingly encouraged and somehow feel like you belong here. I found out that my new sports bra and new socks are clutch...no blisters! I found out what it felt like to be at the end of myself and have to rely on something bigger than myself. I found out what it feels like to start running and finish running across the same line 10 1/2 hours later.

This race for me was...Epic. Wonderful. Hard. Emotional. Beautiful. Sweaty. and so very Sweet. You have no clue what to expect or how to gauge what this will be like or how to pace yourself or what you'll need for reserve, or if you'll make it back to this start/finish line later that day.

The first 30k and last 10k were the hardest for me. At the beginning it seems overwhelming and all you can think about it is how far you will be running. reality sets in. At the end it seems so close, yet so far away (especially when you're last 5k is straight uphill...who designed that race anyways?!). For me the best part of the race and most enjoyable part was about 40k-60k (25-38 miles). I hit my groove and great pace, looked down at my garmin and was running like 9 minute miles. I couldn't believe it.

My precious mother had come to Japan only 2 days before my race so she could be there to support me and cheer me on. So she and Tdub drove to Mt. Fuji area early that morning and found me at about the half marathon mark. We were just running on the side of the road so they were able to drive and follow me the whole rest of the race. I got to see them about 7-8 times along the course and honestly that was kept me chugging, knowing that they would be around the next bend, with cowbell in hand, smiling faces and cameras clicking to cheer me on.

I quickly realized that mom had not just come to Japan to encourage me, but rather all the Japanese runners as well. She was ringing her bell, waving, yelling in English her words of encouragement. And they LOVED her. Japanese people are very private/quiet people and even if they yell and cheer (except at baseball games) it is no competition to a Schrank/Chapman octave. so at first I personally was a little worried if it would annoy them or make them nervous. Even though they most likely couldn't understand her English words they were so appreciative and would wave back and thank her and Tdub for cheering them on.

T and Mom came up with nicknames for some of the runners because they saw them running in my pack for most of the day. My mom would not quit ringing her bell or leave a spot until there was a break in the runners because she "didn't want anyone to feel left out" if they stopped cheering while runners were coming by. That accurately defines my mom's spirit and character. She is a cheerleader and fan of all people. She loves and supports and encourages well. She was so popular with the Japanese peeps, a man at the finish line told her in his little English that her bell is what kept him going and it made him very happy. He requested to have his picture taken with her.

 Mom and Tdub were well known along that course that day. Maybe for their bell, maybe for their English, maybe because they were the only white people out there cheering. But I think more than that...they were known for the love they gave to perfect strangers in a country that is still hurting from March 11th and needed a friendly smile and a bit of encouragement. I was encouraged that day by the both of them, more than they will probably ever know, and I am confident I was not the only one.

At Marathon Distance...stopping for a little lunch with the fans...
Sea Salt Kettle Chips - lunch for champions!

Back on the road again...19 to go...

some of the costumed friends that T and Mom made friends with. :)

"pray for Japanda" clever, panda man.

have NO clue how this guy ran in this the whole way! I would like to mention, I beat him and his lighted wings across the finish line! ha! 

run your buns off!

i'll meet ya at the finish line.

she's always been my #1 cheerleader and fan.  i love you, momma. thanks for your continued love and support, couldn't have done this without you. promise.

it may seem that i am saying a cuss word here. i was delirious. i may have been. :)

exactly how i felt.

two of my favorites. thanks for ringing loud, yelling big and loving me. you should hire yourself out.

proof there was a mt. fuji involved.

to be honest, the medal made it worth it. bling! bling! 

thanks, T for believing in me. your love and encouragement and kicking me out of bed to go run over the past 5 months has kept me going!

I am thankful for water. I am thankful for tennis shoes. I am thankful for legs and strong bones.  I am thankful for sweatbands. I am thankful for family. I am thankful for cow bells. I am thankful for medals in the shape of Mt. Fuji with little pieces of faux bling on them. I am thankful to the Lord for the ability to run and the strength He gives to finish strong. He gets the points for this one.

Heb 12:1-2 "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith."

As I reflect on the race and what I was feeling and thinking during the race it all seems a blur. But something that I have come to realize is that the same place I started the race was the very place I finished the race 10 1/2 hours later. I ran 45 miles in between touching that line again. I didn't end up in a different place. Now, that is just the way the race was set up, and it was great, I get it. But it causes me to think about how we "run around" through life. I don't want to be running around in circles hitting the same line over and over again. I want to end somewhere different. some place new. somewhere I'm changed. Somewhere I've made a difference. I don't want to just "run through" life, but be intentional with my direction and have purpose in my "running". I think it would be a shame for us to finish where we started, just running around aimlessly. I hope I will learn to "run" with purpose. I want to finish somewhere different.

May we be known for, the love we give away. It can come in many different forms, sometimes even in the form of a small ringing bell, a little wave and a sweet smile. The great thing is...love is bilingual.

 

word.