Warning, extremely long post! Swipe for all pics! With a grateful heart, I am remembering this past Saturday and the accomplishment of running my first ultra, the 50 mile Mountain Masochist Trail Run for Freedom 4/24. My team and I have raised $7139 of our $8000 goal and have 19 days to raise the rest! Thank you to all of those that gave and if you still would like to give, please do, by going to http://www.freedom424.org/masochist17!
This was definitely one of the most challenging experiences of my life, but also one of the most rewarding ones. To have a chance to run for the many men, women, and children that are enslaved all over the world was such an honor. I was able to run and symbolically fight through pain and the desire to quit for them. Any time that I felt like quitting, God brought these people to my mind, and the struggle that they face to be restored. Praying for them gave me the strength to push through.
This day was awesome (yes, I truly am masochistic) and I feel like there are so many things that I am grateful for that I want to share. To have had the opportunity to be a part of this community, to run alongside so many amazing people, and to experience the servitude of the many volunteers and people there to cheer us on was phenomenal. For my Freedom 4/24 team and especially my training partner Tracy Wu, that were a part of this whole training journey with me, teaching me how to do all the necessary things of ultra running, encouraging me and each other all along the way, and getting up early in the dark to run and pray.
For my friend Heather Zealand and her willingness to love and serve me while keeping my younger kids for 24 whole hours and even bring them out to the mountains in the rain and cold to cheer me on. And most importantly for my husband and daughter that got up so early and crewed me all day and gave up many Saturday’s and early morning snuggles leading up to this day. Seeing their smiling faces at each aid station was such an inspiration and fuel to keep me moving forward. I could not have done it without them. This was one incredible and life changing experience and I️ hope to have many more! ️
