Our 13.1!!

Well, we did it! Our big 13.1 half-marathon was this past weekend!! Thank you so much for all of your sweet notes, support and prayers! What a whirlwind the last few weeks have been in training for the run. . .

Chad and I both injured ourselves in some manner or another, so we both only ran 9 miles 3 to 4 weeks before Saturday. We had hoped to accomplish 10 or more and definitely closer to the race, but that didn't happen. Turns out, I spent all of Friday at the doctor getting x-rays on my hip and being twisted into a pretzel only to have the dr. tell me he thought I had a stress fracture and not only wouldn't be running, but would be on crutches for 3 weeks!! I had a mini-meltdown with the x-ray lady and she assured me I'd be running again in a few years. I explained I really wanted to run in THIS race---as it was for baby Sam and I had been training since June AND that I had 2 kiddos, one of whom can't walk yet and that I couldn't be on crutches! The x-rays came back negative, but the dr. was still convinced I had a stress fracture. So, he ordered me and MRI for an hour later. Finally, at 4:30 on Friday afternoon, my MRI results came back negative too! Sooo, I was able to run afterall. The dr. told me to take Advil and stop running when I hurt. I still don't know what's wrong with my hip, but I was able to run and SOOO thankful for it!!

We had a big pasta dinner with some friends on Friday night---all in the name of carbo-loading! Saturday we woke up early and met our dear friends the Stouts, who came back into town from Atlanta to run with us! It was so much fun seeing them again (and their kiddos on Thursday night too) and experiencing my first half-marathon all together.

Race Day was freezing cold (actually below freezing) and I was numb throughout the run and even for 2 hours after the race! The atmosphere was awesome! I loved running down Riverside Dr. and seeing our city's skyline and the mighty Mississippi River. Running on Beale St. was fantastic and running by St. Jude knowing that we were in this for Sam was incredible! My sweet sister made it to 2 different points in the race and shouted out for us----how special---it meant so much to me to have her not only freezing for us, but waking up early on a Saturday morning for us was HUGE!! My parents brought Luke and Charlie to see us too---unfortunately we were a little faster than they anticipated and they missed seeing us, though they spent quite a long time looking! So sorry Mom and Dad!! Chad and I hadn't planned on running together, but since he injured his foot he was a little slower and we ran most of the race together! It was so much fun!

For those of you who have followed baby Sam Grant's story with us, our team raised over $13,000 for him and the children of St. Jude. Thank you, thank you, thank you for helping out and most importantly for keeping him in your prayers. He's still enduring his chemo for eye cancer like a champ and when Chad and I were feeling the pain as we were running---we kept saying "Go Baby Sam" and it helped us keep going! What a hero he is!!

Dana, Kevin, Chad and me---exhausted, but excited after our run!

13.1--we did it. Baby!!