It was a beautiful Midwest September day. The sun was shining and there was a cool breeze in the air. I had just ran through Arsenal Island in the middle of the Mississippi River. I was feeling really good and completed 20 miles right on pace. I came off the island and back onto the Illinois streets around mile 21. I saw my students first and was motivated by their cheers. Then I passed my dear colleagues and friends and yelled, “This is hard!” to them as I ran by. I was starting to not feel so great. For some reason, I thought if I yelled, “This is hard!” to my cheering crew it would empower me. Instead all I felt was sore muscles and tiredness. My face was on fire from the bright sunshine and my lips were quite chapped. I was slowing down, and I couldn’t get my legs to run any faster.
Right before mile 22 I ran by my parents. The look on their faces told me that I must not look good. They had such sad eyes for me, but immediately started clapping and cheering for me. They had orange slices for me, which I gladly took. I was so hungry. Orange slices at mile 21 tasted like heaven! Seriously, they are the best thing on marathon runs. At the end of mile 21 my run had become more of a fast walk with a limp. However, in my mind I was still running. In my mind the battle started. Should I walk or should I run? Should I stop and stretch or try to run faster? What if I can’t keep running?
Then all of a sudden I felt a rock in my shoe. How in the world does a rock get in your shoe when you are barely running? I kept thinking about this stupid little rock and my legs. My legs were cramping up bad. And my ipod was dead. And I realized that I was way off pace. And I was tired. And my face felt really hot. And I wanted to cry. I was not going to make my 4-hour marathon goal. I was out of the cheering section of the crowds. The sides of the streets were bare and all the racers were really spread out. I was on my own. I kept telling myself I could do it; just run a little bit further. I was trying to pray but felt too tired to pray.
Then God sent Lil. My dear friend Lil had started the race with me, but was running the half not the full marathon. She came to mile 22 to cheer on her brother and then decided to wait to cheer me on. She cheered for me but then jumped in right beside me. She helped get the rock out of my shoe. She carried my dead ipod. She kept encouraging me to run a little further and then I could walk. She would say, “See the stoplight? Run to the stoplight and then you can walk.” I ran (think of someone walking fast and trying to stretch their legs at the same time while in pain-that was what my “run” looked like) and walked most of mile 22. I was so tired at this point in the race, I could barely think for myself. I needed Lil’s voice to follow. If it was not for Lil I would have walked the rest of the marathon with my head down. I would have felt like a failure for not being able to run the last few miles.
My parents were at mile 23 and before I knew it, my mother was joining me too. Lil was running next to me on my left and my mom was on my right. My mom was in her jeans and t-shirt. She did not come to run, but saw my need. She supported me without thinking twice about it. She ran with me until my dad started yelling. “Martha, Martha! You have the keys to the car!” Had mom ran with me to the end of the race, dad would have been stuck at mile 23 with the car, so she wished me well and ran back to dad.
After mom left, Lil and I passed my sister, brother-in-law, nephews, and sweet college friends. Lil left me once the end was in sight. She wanted me to finish on my own and enjoy the end of the race. I had this renewed strength. My legs finally felt like they were running again. I ran by my students and friends and really felt proud. I was going to finish the marathon with my head up. The last two miles flew by and before I knew it I was crossing the finish line with a smile.
Month 8th of the World Race is mile 22. I am tired. It is easy to think of all the “rocks in my shoe.” It is easy to make a list of grievances. I am tired of moving all the time. My back hurts from sleeping on the floor. I have a cold. I wish I had a “normal” outfit to wear. I wish my stomach looked like how it did during my marathon. The list goes on and on.
Then I think of Lil and mom and all the people that came out to cheer me on at the marathon. My team and squad are Lil and mom. All my blog readers, friends and family at home are my cheering crew. When I feel too tired to pray, God puts a teammate in my life to pray. When I am feeling unmotivated, God puts a precious street kid in my way yelling “hello” to remind me why I am here. When I pray for encouragement, I get e-mails from friends back home. When my face is hot from the Cambodian sun, God gives me a cold shower. When I need a voice to follow, I hear His. God is so good. He sees our needs and He supports us.
F-Squad, if you are reading this, Cambodia is our mile 22! We can do it! It is okay if we walk a little bit because we have teammates by our side. It is okay if every minute we need to pray. It is okay if you need someone telling you to “just make it to the next stoplight” (your next stoplight might be your next off day or your next country). It is okay if you have to yell to your friends and family, “This is hard!” You have a team for a reason. You have a squad for a reason.
I think of Ecclesiastes 4:9-12. “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”
I think of Isaiah 40:29-31. “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall, but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
The next few months are going to fly. Mile 22-23 were like slow motion. Miles 24-26 flew by me. Month 8, at times, feels like it is moving in slow motion, but the last three are going to fly by. I learned a lot about myself in mile 22. I learned a lot about friendship, a lot about God’s goodness, a lot about family, a lot about support, and a lot about expectations. Enjoy the slow motion! What are you learning about yourself, your teammates and God? How do you want to cross the finish line? What do you want to remember about the end of your race? Who do you want to be at the end of the race?
Enjoy mile 22, even though it is hard and uncomfortable at times. You will be stepping off a plane onto American soil with a smile on your face before you know it.
Love you F-Squad and lots of love to my dear Boxcar children for being my mile 22 team.
(A. End of my marathon B. Friend cheering crew C. Student cheering crew D. Boxcar team)
