Time:28:58
9:20 Mile
16th out of 91 runners my age
586th overall
Thanks for the prayers on my ankle. By mid-morning on Friday, there was no pain. The tendons were a little stiff but the pain was gone. So again, thank you!
JAC and I drove to Flint Saturday morning. We cut it too close. There were so many people down there that it was hard to find a place to park. By the time we got close to the start line, I had 20 minutes to find the registration and packet pick up. Remind me to never pick up my packet the day of the run! I stopped to ask some dudes where the packet pick up was located. “Inside the hotel.” Well, in order to get to the hotel, I had to cross in front of all the 8kers getting ready for their race. There were so many people.
Joey and I split up with me running ahead to get my packet. Upon entering the hotel lobby, I asked a woman standing in the ballroom door where the registration and packet table was located. “Follow the blue line.” So, I followed this %$@ blue line which zig zagged back and forth through all of these displays. I began to run and finally came to the end. Ahhhhh….packets.
I approached the table and confidently gave my name.
9:20 Mile
16th out of 91 runners my age
586th overall
Thanks for the prayers on my ankle. By mid-morning on Friday, there was no pain. The tendons were a little stiff but the pain was gone. So again, thank you!
JAC and I drove to Flint Saturday morning. We cut it too close. There were so many people down there that it was hard to find a place to park. By the time we got close to the start line, I had 20 minutes to find the registration and packet pick up. Remind me to never pick up my packet the day of the run! I stopped to ask some dudes where the packet pick up was located. “Inside the hotel.” Well, in order to get to the hotel, I had to cross in front of all the 8kers getting ready for their race. There were so many people.
Joey and I split up with me running ahead to get my packet. Upon entering the hotel lobby, I asked a woman standing in the ballroom door where the registration and packet table was located. “Follow the blue line.” So, I followed this %$@ blue line which zig zagged back and forth through all of these displays. I began to run and finally came to the end. Ahhhhh….packets.
I approached the table and confidently gave my name.
“You need to give me your number.”
“My number?”
“Yes, its located on the wall behind me.” Thousands of names were on this list but I found mine.
Now, last weekend when I ran the Shared Pregnancy Center race, I was number 13. My number for this race was like 3,969 or something. Crazy. So, I booked it out to the front of the hotel and my heart was pounding. There was no Joey and I thought the 5kers were lined up ready to start. I began to panic. I asked a woman how to get the chip on my shoe in order to time me. She didn’t know how. Either did I because Joey usually puts it on my shoe. So, I’m freaking out, losing control and the nicest man approaches me and puts the chip on. The race started. Tears were rolling down my face. “I can’t find my boyfriend. I have to run with my sweatshirt, t-shirt and my packet information.” This nice man took my stuff and told me he would check it in at the hotel under my race number.
I wiped my face and headed for the race.I think it was then that two things happened. The first thing I realized was the 8k had just started, not the 5k. So, I went into the hotel and started to stretch. What else could I do? It was then that Joey found me. He gave me my MP3 player and took my ID and bank card. We split up again with him going to find the stuff I had given a total stranger. I headed for the start line…the 5k start line. The second thing that happened was Yi and her dad were waving to me from the bank. I was so relieved to see them. I briefly spoke to her and then joined the runners. A few minutes before the race began, I ran back over to Yi and asked her to pray. Peace and comfort flooded my body. I was okay. Why had I even questioned God?
The race started but because of all the people, I couldn’t get my usual start. It took awhile, with people weaving in and out, running right in front of me (I almost plowed into someone because of it) but I finally broke through the crowd. The adrenaline was pumping. My spirits were lifted. We headed down Kearsly street and I noticed the 8kers coming the other way. I couldn’t help it. I clapped for them and some of them clapped for us. It was kind of like Merrill on Signs: “It just seemed wrong not to swing.” That is how I am when I’m running. I’m smiling, clapping, waving and feel uplifted.
As I rounded a corner, a specific song came on my MP3 player. The lyrics just blew me away.
If tomorrow is Judgment Day
And I'm standing on the front line, mmm...
And the Lord asks me what I did with my life,
I will say,
I spent it with you.
I started to cry. The holy spirit was on me. It was so strong that it just lifted me up, gave me peace, joy and I was spilling over in tears. I passed a church whose members were handing out water. They had a huge quote on a banner which said John 4:14 "but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." I just couldn’t stop smiling and said, “God bless you” as I accepted their glass of water.
It was nearing the end of the race. I had no clue what my time was or how I was doing. Corner after street corner started to grind on my nerves a bit. Where was the finish line already?! I wanted to grab a spectator by the shirt and yell, "my God!!! WHERE IS THE FINISH LINE??" But then, I turned my last corner, and there it was. I saw the clock counting down “29:12, 29:13, 29:14….” I hauled it with everything I had in me. The streets were lined with people. They were yelling and cheering us on. I crossed the finish line.
Yi and Joey found me right away. I was elated. I didn’t care I had finished worse than my race the week before. I finished the Crim! I didn’t realize what I big deal it was until my step-mom posted this message on our family website:
Holly is being modest. The Crim is listed in Runners World as one of the best 10 races to do in your lifetime. AND she came in 16th in her age group in a field of 91 runners. Considering she only started seriously training this summer makes that finish "huge" - esp. at her advanced age. Running is as much mental as physical - maybe more. I for one am totally impressed - as is her father. Run Holly Run!!!!!
As it turned out, my time didn’t start until I crossed the start line, not when the gun went off. So, I really ran it in 28:58. Pretty good. Really good. What meant more to me was running with God.
Now, last weekend when I ran the Shared Pregnancy Center race, I was number 13. My number for this race was like 3,969 or something. Crazy. So, I booked it out to the front of the hotel and my heart was pounding. There was no Joey and I thought the 5kers were lined up ready to start. I began to panic. I asked a woman how to get the chip on my shoe in order to time me. She didn’t know how. Either did I because Joey usually puts it on my shoe. So, I’m freaking out, losing control and the nicest man approaches me and puts the chip on. The race started. Tears were rolling down my face. “I can’t find my boyfriend. I have to run with my sweatshirt, t-shirt and my packet information.” This nice man took my stuff and told me he would check it in at the hotel under my race number.
I wiped my face and headed for the race.I think it was then that two things happened. The first thing I realized was the 8k had just started, not the 5k. So, I went into the hotel and started to stretch. What else could I do? It was then that Joey found me. He gave me my MP3 player and took my ID and bank card. We split up again with him going to find the stuff I had given a total stranger. I headed for the start line…the 5k start line. The second thing that happened was Yi and her dad were waving to me from the bank. I was so relieved to see them. I briefly spoke to her and then joined the runners. A few minutes before the race began, I ran back over to Yi and asked her to pray. Peace and comfort flooded my body. I was okay. Why had I even questioned God?
The race started but because of all the people, I couldn’t get my usual start. It took awhile, with people weaving in and out, running right in front of me (I almost plowed into someone because of it) but I finally broke through the crowd. The adrenaline was pumping. My spirits were lifted. We headed down Kearsly street and I noticed the 8kers coming the other way. I couldn’t help it. I clapped for them and some of them clapped for us. It was kind of like Merrill on Signs: “It just seemed wrong not to swing.” That is how I am when I’m running. I’m smiling, clapping, waving and feel uplifted.
As I rounded a corner, a specific song came on my MP3 player. The lyrics just blew me away.
If tomorrow is Judgment Day
And I'm standing on the front line, mmm...
And the Lord asks me what I did with my life,
I will say,
I spent it with you.
I started to cry. The holy spirit was on me. It was so strong that it just lifted me up, gave me peace, joy and I was spilling over in tears. I passed a church whose members were handing out water. They had a huge quote on a banner which said John 4:14 "but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." I just couldn’t stop smiling and said, “God bless you” as I accepted their glass of water.
It was nearing the end of the race. I had no clue what my time was or how I was doing. Corner after street corner started to grind on my nerves a bit. Where was the finish line already?! I wanted to grab a spectator by the shirt and yell, "my God!!! WHERE IS THE FINISH LINE??" But then, I turned my last corner, and there it was. I saw the clock counting down “29:12, 29:13, 29:14….” I hauled it with everything I had in me. The streets were lined with people. They were yelling and cheering us on. I crossed the finish line.
Yi and Joey found me right away. I was elated. I didn’t care I had finished worse than my race the week before. I finished the Crim! I didn’t realize what I big deal it was until my step-mom posted this message on our family website:
Holly is being modest. The Crim is listed in Runners World as one of the best 10 races to do in your lifetime. AND she came in 16th in her age group in a field of 91 runners. Considering she only started seriously training this summer makes that finish "huge" - esp. at her advanced age. Running is as much mental as physical - maybe more. I for one am totally impressed - as is her father. Run Holly Run!!!!!
As it turned out, my time didn’t start until I crossed the start line, not when the gun went off. So, I really ran it in 28:58. Pretty good. Really good. What meant more to me was running with God.
