Being Tested part 2

So 18 miles of not having fun has to have you asking yourself -Why in the world would someone chose to do this if it was so awful?! What I'm about to say may have you thinking I'm CRAZY and I kinda am but Despite everything that went wrong today, this was my best run yet! Let me tell you why! My friend couldn't run today but she was there to cheer us on. I look to her for wisdom and guidence when we run because she's done it before, she's a pro and she always knows exactly what to tell me when I need to hear it. Sensing my struggle today, I had a teammate step in her shoes and she told me something that stuck in my head the entire time I wanted to stop, every moment I would get frustraighted at my body, every time I wanted to say FUCK IT I'M DONE! She said " Our worst runs can be the best runs because they test you and when you finish, you know you are mentally and physically strong enough to make it through even under the worst condtions so on race day - everything can go wrong and you'll think about this run and know you can still do it." She was right. It didn't matter that I finished an hour behind what I thought I was going to or that I felt the pain of running, expereibnced less then perfect hydration and nutrition because I made it through and I finished. Though there were many times I wanted to quit, I KNEW I could finish - even if it meant crawling to the end, I knew I had what it took to finish it out and that is a HUGE deal. I was tested today, tested by the conditions, the elements, my body and my mind but I came out of it knowing that everything can go wrong and I can STILL make it to the finish. I talked before about what a big lesson Team in Training has taught me about relying on myself and on others and today was just guilding the lilly on that lesson. For Ally to come cheer me on even if she couldn't run today, for all the words of encouragment from my teammates even as I struggled, for my pacegroup that stuck by me and to my Amazing coaches who I can never say enough great things about, for being there when I needed them, for taking care of me when I needed help - for reminding me to breath THANK YOU! But a special thanks is owed to Jen. Today I was tested in the longest hardest worst run in my life and yet it was the very best run I've ever done because today I found out I can handle it, even when its the worst I still got this! Thanks Jen for reminded me that the worst can be the best in any situation if you look for it!