Proud Race Moments

What's one of your proudest race moments?

I have a few - but one of the greatest ones has to be crossing the finish line of the 2010 Chicago Marathon. (the left-side pic includes my handsome hubbie, darling daughter, and me post-race!)

When I was about 11 weeks pregnant with my daughter, I had some complications that put a halt on my running. I was beyond disappointed, as I had envisioned being one of "those" pregnant mamas running on her delivery day.

Seven months later, in early September 2009, I was able to run again - and it was completely liberating! (I'm sorry, but the power walking, stationary biking, swimming, and elliptical just didn't cut it while pregnant. Something was missing!). I knew during the short jaunt (that hurt like crazy and was slower than slow) that I absolutely wanted to run another marathon, this time post-baby.

My husband and I ran our first full marathon in Wichita 2007. It wasn't the greatest race...he said never again, I said maybe again. The maybe's one out after those seven months off from running. I craved the sport even more and knew just how fortunate I was to be able to do it on a regular basis. So many people desire to run but cannot due to various circumstances.

But back to Chicago....

I stayed up until midnight on Feb. 1st just so I could make sure to register when it opened up online. Several months (and miles) later, I crossed the finish line...beating my previous marathon time by 2 minutes in 90-degree heat. (Several of us runners wanted to go faster, but when the temps reached 90 degrees by the 18-mile marker, we threw our PR's out the window and went into survival mode).

Crossing that finish line meant more than finishing a race. It meant that I had accomplished a goal I had set out to do - to finish a marathon post-baby. To plug away at endless miles (mostly on my own) during Kansas's hot and humid summer months. To soak in the fun city of Chicago by foot.

I'm pregnant again - this time, due in October. And while I won't be running any marathons or half-marathons during those "magical marathon months" (September, October, and November), I'll definitely be craving to do one next year. Until then...I just trek along, joyous at the fact that I can still run at 15 weeks pregnant and looking forward to several more weeks of (slow!) run-walk combos.

What are some of your proud running moments? Feel free to comment or share in your own blog - and then let us know so we can read them!

- Amy