The Long Road to The Boston Marathon

By Tanya

Well, it's been quite a while since you've heard from me. My last post was almost a year ago when I fulfilled my dream of getting a BQ (Boston Marathon Qualifying time) at the Vernonia Marathon last April.

I felt really good about my race and some "signs" had pointed to me getting in this year such as seeing Shalane Flanagan on my first marathon training run as well as at an author talk for her new book Run Fast. Eat Slow. She autographed my book and wrote "Hope to see you in Boston." (So cool! I'm a total fan!) 

I qualified with a time three minutes and forty-five seconds faster than what I needed for my age group, but it still put me in the last qualifying lottery registration group.  I was left hanging as to whether I would actually get in or not because marathon officials have been reducing the qualifying times each year due to increasing interest in the race and the amount of people qualifying.

Learning To Be Content In All Things

By Tanya

What do you do when your body and mind do not align?  Runners know this all too well.  That point when you push your body to go further or faster but your mind fights every step of the way.  Your mind plays on your doubts and tells you to give up.

It is at this point when we have a choice. We can allow our mind to become our enemy and lead us to defeat.  Or we can replace those doubts with hope and will our bodies to move forward to victory. Each time we push through, we find that we strengthen both our body and our mind.

Jodi's oldest daughter Katie finishing a 5k in a full out sprint. 

This is what I love about running. Running is just as much mental as it is physical. I am reminded of this time and time again when I spectate at running events and runners of all ages and abilities will themselves across the finish line.