My "I eat hills for breakfast" face.

To truly tell the story of this past race I need to go back a little bit, about 25 years to be exact. Okay, maybe that's a slight exaggeration but not too much. You see about 25 years ago, I met my best friend Annie. That's a good story but not the point of this post. The point is that about 23 years after that she invited me to be a Beachbody coach. Also not the point of this post but I'm getting there. My goal as coach is to help as many people as possible which means that I need to know as many people as possible. So unlike before I was a coach where I would show very little interest in those "suggested groups" along the side of Facebook now I started joining those groups. One such group was this little running group (my first running group) called the Sub-30 Club. I didn't really know its purpose or much about it. I actually didn't really know what an online running group could add to my life. I joined anyway. It was one of the best decisions I have ever made.

I know so many people view social media so negatively and perhaps I should. Instead though I view social media through the rose colored glasses of a Sub-30 member. I know the power of an amazing online community. Let me explain. So I joined this group. I would chat with some folks. Read stories. Learn some things. Find inspiration. On one such tour of the group I saw that they all go together to run at the Runner's World Fest. Interesting I thought...I of course can't run with a group. I'm too slow. Its too hilly. No way. On another post someone asked about yoga suggestions and cross training suggestions. I said, PiYo is pretty awesome. So we started chatting. Then we became "friends". Then she tried PiYo and Shakeology and became a coach like me. Then 18 months later, yesterday, we ran a race together. And now finally I'm at my race recap...no wait. A little more background.

Last year, 5 months pregnant I drug my mom and two kids to cheer on my friends from my phone as they ran a 5k and 10k. Kara, a real life friend was there (yes, I added her to the crazy group) and she ran the half marathon the next day. After seeing this group. Seeing the love. The support. After showing my sons that finishing a race at all is just as important as winning race I signed up to run the half marathon, 1 year later. I figured heck, I'll have a baby but I know I won't be in the Back of the Pack alone. I have people. I have a tribe.

Before every race I insist on being
interviewed by Runner's World, don't you?

So we finally come to yesterday. 7 months after having a baby. More nervous than I thought I would be. In the last week I remembered that my last half wasn't exactly awesome. I lost my phone. I had tummy troubles. I was suddenly so nervous. The only thing I knew. I mean really knew in my heart was that I could finish anything I started. I am tough. I've run marathons. I've had 3 babies without drugs. I'm a boy mom. 13.1 miles has nothing on me. Plus, you know, I trained. A lot. Yet I was sooooo nervous. I started to go to bed early this week. Made sure I healthy carb loaded (harder to do on Whole 30 than I would have thought). Then the morning was here. After waking up 2 minutes before my alarm because of a stressful dream where I actually missed the race, got the boys out and in the car, got my husband up and we headed to Bethlehem. I nursed the baby, helped dress the boys and headed out to find a bathroom. My husband took the boys to feed them and show them our college and I was on my own....sort of. After the bathroom (runners understand how important this is) I found the race and was almost immediately interviewed by Runner's World. (You know, like I start all my races.)

Amber and I finally meet in real life!

And do you know who was waiting for me as soon as the interview was over? That woman who I suggested try out PiYo. Well, her and about 100 of my phone friends. So after months of training we started running. 2 minutes running, 1 minute walking for 13.1 miles. We did just about whatever Mr. Garmin told us to do with only a few revolts when we wanted to run more downhill and walk more uphill. We picked up a few awesome friends and told them about our most amazing running group. We had amazing subbers running us up hills. They fed us candy. They cheered us on. We passed people. We were passed. We got some "free high fives". We were cheered by folks. We cheered our water hander-outers. We thanked police officers. We saw Jesus. Pretty much just another half marathon.

Here we come! Our merry band of runners!

Our little group of 3 became 4, then 5 then we merged with another group to be 8 and somehow added one more and finished as 9. 9 plus the subbers who came down the end of the course to run us home. And you would think, or I would have told you that a 14 min 30 second pace would leave you alone at the end of the race. We were not only not alone we cheered so loudly. So very, very loud. We were not alone. It felt like they were all just waiting for us to come. So of course we gave them all high fives.

When I saw all my people cheering us.

High five for everyone! Amber's first half and she's looking awesome!

Then as quickly as it started the race was over. I waved to my oldest son as I ran by him and he came looking for a hug as I crossed the finish line. That moment. His hug. His smile. While I didn't win the race, he was pretty excited that I got a medal. I found my family or rather they found me and we sat down. (Because pretty much the last thing that I should have done as soon as I finished the half was sit down, but you know, the baby had to be nursed. Priorities, people.) And with that we headed home. The race was over. I had no goal with the race but to finish and have fun. Mission accomplished.

Now just one more note. If you know me, and many of you do. You know I don't ever or rarely post pictures of myself below my shoulders. My body is a work in progress and I suppose it always will be. This is not the most flattering of pictures and yet I would share this photo with anyone. The woman in the picture, had a baby 7 months ago, nursed a baby, ran 13.1 miles, then nursed a baby again. And I pretty sure she did it smiling. I could not be prouder of this body. It's amazing what your body can do when your mind knows it won't take no for an answer.

So that's my race recap that spanned about 25 years. Perhaps a slightly long recap. The post recap is this: I was already looking for my next race with my tribe last night. Where you lead subbers, I will follow. Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall. All you have to do is call. I'm proud, honored and really lucky to live in a world where no subber is left behind.

No subber ever left behind.