So I started running in the fall, eventually overcoming this awful two-mile barrier that I had. I continued to run through that winter, and then into the spring, when my friends, Amy and Jamey Sotis, came to me and asked if I'd like to participate in a marathon relay to raise awareness and funds for an organization called As Our Own. I was immediately drawn to the organization. As Our Own rescues Indian girls from slavery and adopts them for life, as their own. What a wonderful concept -- to take a hurting child and give them a wonderful home...for life! I was nervous about being able to run the distance required (the shortest leg of the marathon relay was 5.5 miles), but agreed to give it a shot. It was a fantastic experience! (Again, another story...)
When the opportunity came around again this year, I was all-in without hesitation. In 2013, our local As Our Own team was comprised of twelve people -- all of different abilities. This year, we expanded to about 20 runners (sorry, I've lost count!). Again, we had runners of all abilities. As we met for group training runs throughout the spring, it was inspiring to see people, who never thought they would run, preparing for distances of five or six miles. Others were gearing up for half-marathons. We all had our goals, and As Our Own and their daughter, Prasana, were never far from our hearts. New friendships were forged and old friendships were solidified as we encouraged one another, shared tips, and pushed each other to become stronger.
The day of the race came -- June 1st. We were supposed to meet with the As Our Own representatives at 5:30am for photos and prayer. We were all so excited to run for Prasana and an organization that is truly making a difference. But God had other plans. The one-hour drive to Minneapolis was complicated by heavy rains and lightning. As soon as we arrived to the race site, we learned the start time had been postponed to 7:30, with another announcement scheduled for 7:00. Bad weather was all around us, but we held out hope. Finally, around 8:00, we received the announcement that the race was canceled. Disappointment.
But, that's not the end of the story...
A couple of days later, I wrote this email to my many friends who supported As Our Own through my fund raising page:
Dear friends,
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SUPPORTING AS OUR OWN AND ME! I am thrilled by your generosity! My heart is full!
As many of you probably know by now, the Minneapolis Marathon, Half Marathon, and Relay scheduled for last Sunday was canceled due to the stormy weather. At first the race was postponed, but then another storm cell started growing and race organizers and police felt that the event had to be canceled.
To hear that the race wouldn't happen was a huge blow. I won't lie to you. I was so excited to run. And being around all those other people who were waiting to run only fueled my energy. We gathered on the first floor of a parking garage around 5:30am. Most of us had low-but-building levels of adrenaline coursing through our bodies. Pacing...stretching...damp...
But, our grief didn't last long. I think a lot of us immediately thought about our financial supporters and whether we were letting them down. We were able to rationalize that no one really gave because we were running. They gave...YOU GAVE...because something about As Our Own, and the work they do, spoke to you. You gave out of compassion, not because I was lacing up a pair of tennis shoes.
And while it's fair to say that most of the thousands of people waiting to participate in the race understandably felt disappointment in not getting the chance to meet their goal, we realized that we had already accomplished our main purpose -- to raise awareness for an important issue and to raise funds for Prasana and As Our Own. Sure, in the meantime, we trained and prepared and even sacrificed a little to get those miles in. And in doing so, we made new friends, deepened current relationships, learned a lot about what we're made of, and were inspired by those on our team (some racing for the first time!). We were also able to tell other runners at the race about As Our Own (a crowd of people all wearing the same shirt draws a little attention). This wasn't about a race at all...at least not a running race. I feel blessed by the entire experience!
The greatest part of the morning came several minutes after the announcement that the race was canceled when someone mentioned, "We could still run." We looked at the radar and saw that there was a clear pocket around Minneapolis. The storm seemed to be a little ways out. It wasn't raining. So we decided to go running anyway! There was no gun start. No relay hand-offs. But many of our crew was able to put in between 6.5 and 7.5 miles, out-and-back along Theodore Wirth Parkway. It was wonderful to run in a new area, to see other race participants who decided to do the same thing, to splash through puddles, to expand our lungs as we worked hard.... The run gave us all time to reflect on our brief disappointment, our purpose, and, for me, to give thanks to a God who can fill us more than any race, personal record, or adrenaline rush. He is good!
Thank you for supporting me and As Our Own. I am blessed to call you my friends!
Rebecca
P.S. Let me know if you ever want to go on a run! ;-)
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