The Race
Earlier this spring, I was invited to participate with a team in the Cooper River Run.
The Cooper River Run is a 10K race in Charleston, SC, with over 30,000 participants. It starts in Mount Pleasant, crosses the Ravenel Bridge, and finishes downtown. When I registered, I was told it was a 5K event. It was an exciting course with people cheering, holding positive handmade signs, children offering high fives, disc jockeys spinning jams, and more. The weather was perfect!
Our team tried to stay together, but our different paces separated us. Most of the time, I walked with the woman who invited me.
When I saw the 3-mile marker sign on the bridge, it confirmed this was not a 5K race. Seeing and hearing my frustration (all in fun), my walking partner dismissed me, saying, “Girl, we can do it!” While talking trash, we kept pace and encouraged each other. My walking partner began to explain the different shops and landmarks like a tour guide as I was seeing parts of the city for the first time. She also talked about growing up in South Carolina, as I talked about growing up in Ohio.
Finally, as we crossed the finish line, I could not thank God enough! I walked 6 miles! I was so proud of myself!
Isn’t that just like our goals and dreams? When we think we have reached the finish line, it changes. Those pivotal moments, we can push through or tuck our tails and give up.
During this race, I couldn’t stop just because I wanted it to end; I had to finish! I learned valuable lessons that day:
Preparation is the key. The night before, I prepared nutritionally by eating carbohydrates for energy and drinking plenty of water. On race day, I had more carbohydrates for breakfast and drank only a little fluid. I was nutritionally ready for a longer distance than I had planned for.
I can do hard things. In the 5th mile, I was weary and frustrated; I had to engage in self-talk. I said, “Amy, shut up! Get it done! You ain't hungry, thirsty, or physically tired. You are telling yourself you don’t want to do it, but you can get it done.” That talk was the push I needed to get across the finish line!
We have everything we need. We have what we need to act on and keep reaching our goals. We read all the books and took all the classes. We must agitate the gravel! We have the knowledge and supporters who believe in us. We must act in faith in our abilities and trust that what we need along the way will come.
As I write these words for you, I am saying them to myself. We must believe in our preparation and act on our goals. We can do hard things! When we do, we will be so proud we did!
Our Team!!
