This past Sunday morning I took part in my first organized run; I ran the 10 mile in the Twin Cities Marathon. I had done the Tough Mudder back in 2012, but I hadn’t properly prepared for that and when you’re all covered in mud and queueing up for obstacles it just makes the run easier. I would say that Sunday’s run was really my first proper “run,” and somehow I thoroughly enjoyed it. The buzz from the crowd really motivates you to keep going. But what I hadn’t realized was just how many thousands of people would be running this course with me. It got quite congested at a few points actually, but it was also a great way to gain momentum from the collective endeavor. It also doesn’t hurt that the course is just absolutely beautiful. It’s so fun to run through downtown Minneapolis in the middle of the street, and to run across bridges, and alongside the river, and straight down the stunning Summit Ave (where all the crazy fancy houses in St Paul are), and with to the most epic finish line right there at the State Capital in St. Paul. It was spectacular.
Prior to my run I did some meagre preparation. The most I had run was 5 miles at one time, which I did on two different occasions. So I wasn’t exactly “ready” in the full sense of what that could mean. But there’s something about game day that just gets the adrenaline going. I finished in 1 hour and 53 minutes, so my average was 11.3mph (with two brief potty breaks). Frankly, I thought I’d would be a mess at the end of it, but I oddly felt fine. I had been sick all weekend (like literally in bed all day Friday) so I was really concerned that I wouldn’t even be able to do the run. I’m grateful to God that I was able to cross the finish line and didn’t look or feel like a total dumpster fire doing so.
I’m also incredibly thankful to those of you who supported me through your prayers and finances. I was able to raise $305 dollars for Team Venture, which has contributed to our overall team goal to collectively raise $21,600. This is the total cost of providing food, housing, and education for 20 girls in Nepal for a year as an Anti-Trafficking effort. In the end, our team raised over $17,000 and it seems that funds are still trickling in through snail mail. Praise God that we’ve raised quite a bit of money to help make a difference in these young girls’ lives, but please continue to pray that we reach our goal to provide help and support for 20 girls for a year.
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