First Half Marathon

In February of this year when I started my Running Journey, if you would have told me on September 9th of this year I'd be running in a half marathon, I would have DIED laughing.  I could barely do ONE mile let alone 13.1 miles! When I started running I always had my mother in my head, no matter how hard it was for me to do 1,2 or more miles she was home learning how to take 1,2 and more steps with her new leg.  When I finally got the courage to tell my mother exactly the reason for this "running" hobby I had started she cried and told me to do it for ME not for her.  As time went on I believe we were helping each other.  I would come home and my mom would say "Hey Dawn watch this" As she walked with a cane.  And again a few weeks later I'd come home and my mom would say "Hey Dawn watch this" as she walked WITHOUT anything around the living room.  I was just amazed how well she was doing and what an amazing woman she was.  She too wanted to hear about how I was doing. When I would come home after a run and say "Mom guess what I ran 6 miles today" She would tell me how crazy I was then how proud she was of me running so much.  In August while I was running with Team Truth my coach asked "So are you running with us in the Half" I answered "Nope, kinda sad now but I just dont have the money" From about 20 feet in front of us Jen said "OHHH Dawn I have a bib for you for the half.... YOU ARE DOING IT" Thats when the panic set in.  I was going to be running in the Chicago Half Marathon on September 9th! Okay now I thought PANIC TIME!!! I was still getting knee pain while I ran but I didnt let it stop me.  I just kept going! The 2 weeks leading up the the Half I got a bad cold and was not going to run being sick and then possibly not getting better for the Half I just thought "Take a Break, its your bodys way of telling you slow down".  The Saturday before the race we were so busy it kept my mind off running 13.1 miles, but at night thats all I could think about. 

RACE DAY: At 4am Sunday morning I was up and ready for this.  We drove downtown and met the team at 5:30am at the Museum of Science and Industry and I was so scared... will I finish?  We were at the start line at 6:45 am ready and pumped up for this! FINALLY crossing the start line I was excited. I ran with Cathy and her sister all the way.  The cheering and bands along the was were WONDERFUL kept my mind off running that long way! We were doing great started off at a little over an 11 minute mile.  Taking to interesting people along the way it was so much fun.  Finally on the way back I thought it would NEVER end! I remember being at mile 9 then 10 then mile 11-11.5 is where I was losing it.  I had hit my breaking point. I remember telling Cathy, "I can't do this, my legs are numb and I just cant push" She looked at me and said "Dawn YOUR mother just lost her leg shes WALKING with a prosthetic leg, and your going to give up with a little over 2.1 miles to go?!?!? Do this for your MOM!" I was getting tears in my eyes as she said that to me and thought YES my mother has gone threw all this and I'm going to let a couple miles get in my way!!!! HECK NO!!! So we started to run/walk again.  It was about 3/4-1/2 mile to go and as I looked behind me I saw the Chicago Police and maybe a hand full of people, I looked at Cathy and said, "There is NO way I'm getting picked up I'm FINISHING this race!!" She said , "You go girl, RUN!!!!" And I did I ran and pushed my self all the way to the FINISH... 3:01:53, Just over three hours! I cried as I crossed the finish line and received my medal for the Half Marathon!  I did this all for MY MOTHER she is my hero and because of her and a few other people I DID IT I finished a Half Marathon!!!! I have such wonderful friends and family that were so supportive through all our rough times as a family and its just an amazing feeling to accomplish something like this... My mom is walking and I can run!