26.2 miles is a very long way, and the morning arrived for me to run my first 26.2 Waking up at 4:15 am, I showered, put on all of my racing gear, and was out the door by 5:15 am. My awesome wife dropped me off close to the corrals so that I could stop in the church that served the pre race meal of pancakes and peanut butter and so that I could get to my starting gate. I made it to my place just as the announcer came over the loud speaker and said it would be a 15 min delay (which in the end turned into over 2 hour delay) because of rain, hail, and lightning.            During the delay, I found a dry place to nervously wait for the storm to pass. As it happened, James Lankford and his wife came by, sat with me, and encouraged me. It was great to see them! Before I knew it, the time had come to start the race. I felt excited, scared, nervous, and unsure of what was going to happen, but I started this process years ago in my mind. The day had finally come to stop talking about doing it and actually do it!

Early in the race I received lots of encouragement from other runners as I ran. At one point, I even had David from Biggest Loser run by, grab my neck, and say, “I am proud of you man!” On the back of my shirt, I had a runner’s bib dedicate to my father. I always think of Him in anything I do, so I wanted to run that day in his honor. I was actually doing really well in my run early on, staying with my pack of runners. But, as I approached the fork in the race where you either continue on the full marathon course or you turn for the half marathon it got really lonely. I kept going on while the rest of my pack turned to head back to finish the half. This part of the race taught me that it was going to just be me and The Lord. It reminded me of all the times I ran alone out on the country roads heading to Norman for training. I remembered all of the freezing cold days when I just wanted to give up and go home. I even remembered the guy who threw a cigarette at me as he drove by. Let me tell you, even all the training and preparation done before the race does not prepare you for how lonely it is when you are a slower runner.Mostly alone from mile 13, it fueled me to get to that half way mark, but I could feel blisters coming on, forcing me to stop for tape and to get my ankles wrapped at the 13.5 mark. As I got my shoe off, the lady just said, “Sorry! No tape left, but good luck.” It was a huge mental let down at that point because the next medical tent would not come until mile 17! I started experiencing a range of emotions from anger, sadness, and joy, but it lead me to a closer time with The Lord. I truly had to turn to Him during that long stretch of asphalt, turning the hours into some of the sweetest time of the Lord reminding me of how faithful He is. Scripture after scripture ran through my mind, and it gave me so much strength. I remembered all my friends who where praying for me. I remembered those people who said I would never be able to do it.From this point on, things did not go as planned. The temperature and the winds began to rise. At one point there were wind gusts over 30 miles an hour. By the time I reached mile 17, I could barely move. The blisters were so big it took every thing in me to keep moving forward. My body moved from running to jogging to power walking to dragging myself. My body and mind felt great, but my feet where overwhelmed with pain. Around the curve of mile 16, my wife met me, walked with me, and encouraged me to continue. As we finally approached mile 17, the medical tent peeked through the trees, and my blisters finally found some relief with tape and gauze. Reluctantly, I stood up and pressed on. My friend Tony walked with me encouraging me to just finish.

At mile 18 it sunk in that I was not going to meet my goal time. My mind had to switch gears and just concentrate on finishing! Tony walked with me. Clint Hayes and his family walked with me. My wife again walked with me from mile 20 to 23. Many times, I would fall over from the pain, and many times my wife would pull me up. The Lord was with me, and He sent people to encourage me along the last miles. He knew I would need them to finish this race. There was no way possible I could on my own. The Lord allows us to get to the end of who we are so we can be reminded of our utter desperation for Him in our lives. I can honestly say It was Christ working in me that finished that race.

Tony brought me towels soaked in ice water to cool my body, and my wife stayed right with me pushing me and encouraging me to finish this thing. Random strangers yelling out of their cars, “FINISH THIS! You are the ********* man!” It was unreal the amount of people cheering and yelling at me from their cars: police officers, little kids, old people. At one point the race sent out charter busses to pick up people still left out on the course. They asked me if I wanted to give up, get in the bus, and come back. I decided I was finishing this thing. I wanted to quit! Many people in front of and behind me did quit, but I just kept remembering it is WORTH IT! I can’t quit! I have to finish! I HAVE to finish!

The same three people stayed in front of me from once I left the medical tent, one of whom was wearing a pink shirt. All I remember is my wife and Tony saying, “You have to beat the pink lady! Go beat her and finish this race!” From mile 23-25, strength came back and I began to move faster. At some points, I was even able to jog a little. I over took the Pink Lady at mile 24 and never looked back. Nearing mile 25, my buddy Colton found me and jogged next to me, encouraging me to remember my training. Before mile 26, He sent me on my way promising to cheer me on at the finish line.

Finally, I turned a corner and saw the finish line in the distance. What a thrill! I made it! Just ahead,mI could see the Wilson’s, Colton and Courtney, Audrey (all friends from SHBC), Tiffany and Liz (my friends from Weatherford), my whole family, including my mom and my granny, and Tony and his family. All around my personal cheering section, the grandstands were being torn down and put away as the trucks packed up all the supplies. All that remained was the clock and the finish line banner. I had this grand vision in my head of finishing with thousands of people still there cheering me on, but when I approached the finish line, the only people who remained were those who believed in me and wanted to see me finish. It was far better than anything I could ever have imagined.

Jogging the last few feet, I picked up my youngest daughter and held her as I crossed the finish line. My mind and body could not believe that I had actually finished. I did not finish as the fastest or the slowest person, and I sure didn’t finish in the time I thought I would. But I FINISHED! This journey to the finish line started four years ago when my wife and my friend Liz encouraged me to try and run again. I hated it at first, but after that first 5k, I was hooked and knew one day I would run a full marathon. Following ankle surgery, about 20 pairs of shoes, numerous sets of headphones, long nights and early mornings, and lots of baths…I finished!

I want everyone to know that life is like this marathon. Life always presents you with moments when you feel great, when you feel awful, and when you are just so-so. I understand whole heartedly I could not have run that race without Christ. I also understand that in my life, I cannot do anything without him. I learned that I need Christ more and more. He is everything! He is the reason someday I will be able to say, “I have finished!” Many tasks easily begin, but finishing tasks proves more difficult. Struggles are WORTH IT. Finish strong, seeking The Lord in everything and walking with Him daily.

#boom

Run Well my friends,

Jeremy