On Our Way

Many of you may want to know just how much money we have raised.  Hang tight.  With donations still being mailed in, totals will be tallied shortly after the race in a later post.  We are more than pleased with the generous donations well exceeding what we had set as our goal.

However, if numbers are your thing, you can track either Melyssa Ostler (BIB #40,083) or Adrienne Trigg (BIB #39,215 with an estimated 10 minute pace and goal to be my PR of 4:27) on our route via the following link:
http://www.nycmarathon.org/Join_In.htm
My iphone will update via GPS once per minute on the NY Marathon Spectator App.

Destination, New York City.  

It feels like forever ago that I started training for this race.  I became inspired by a mother I have never met in NY, Liz Keicher, who started running for her daughter with Spina Bifida and helped to partner the Spina Bifida Association as a official charity partner of the New York City Marathon.  I asked her if I could join her in running and advocating the NYC marathon in 2011.  I was ecstatic when I learned that not only would I be part of the team, but that my sister, Melyssa, could join us too.

One of the things I think about while running for hours is, that I have learned that running this marathon is like a metaphor for my life.  I do not get to run a sprint to the finish line where everyone is cheering and everything is OK.  Instead I am learning to push myself to endure a pace through exhaustion and at times adrenaline and then acceptance for the long road ahead.  I have learned a whole new running language and met a new group of people I never would have met.  I have trained in the hottest TX summer on record.  Sweat and threw up from heat exhaustion many times.  But I kept on.  Woke at 5am leaving my family behind every Saturday morning for the past 27 weeks for a total just over 614 miles.  I could have run from Austin to Albuquerque (619 miles) to visit my sweet in-laws or Denver to Billings (555 miles) to visit the Montana family.

I really don't know why I started running.  Running a marathon was not what I had planned.  I know it was good exercise and I wanted to loose the baby weight.   I could clear my thoughts and relieve stress.  I remember thinking I would be a good example for my kids and all that they struggle with and work towards.  Wow, was I wrong.  As it turns out, my family has been my greatest example and is what keept pushing me to run.  The thoughts of my lil brother, Austin, and sisters, Cate and Julia, flocking in the late summer nights, my sister Melyssa tirelessly training, fundraising while working and going to school. Hanna & Hayden flocking in their pjs and welcoming me home after every run.  And mostly, Scott putting up with my early Friday evenings and exhausted sweaty Saturdays while he wielded the kiddos for most of the day.  They are my inspiration and gave me determination to see it through.

While my little Hayden may not have the strongest body, he is my super hero in Spirit.  He makes all those around him want to help him do better.  Everyone he greets with a smile, hug or kiss.  His personality is quiet and magnetic.  He is patient and joyful.  At times he does get frustrated with his body not keeping up with everything he wants to do.  We don't know if Hayden will be able to walk, but that will not define him or his quality of life.  He will have every opportunity to DO whatever he wants.  My purpose as his mother is to help develop all of his abilities and strengths.

All of us have weaknesses, let's develop and discover our talents.

So we are off...and in Hayden's words...."Lets GO PLAY!"