Pages

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Why?

No matter who you are, when you decide to run a marathon, you have a reason. Whether it be to raise money for a charity or to mark a new chapter in your life or prove something to yourself or to lose a few pounds, everyone has a reason. My reason for training is sentimental. You see, my grandmother passed away this past May.  When I went home for her funeral, I was distraught and sad. I missed her terribly.  I decided that I wanted to do something, anything, to show just how much I loved her and just how much her life meant to me.  I'm not a lyricist so I knew I wouldn't be writing a song and I'm not a poet so no sonnets were going to be written. I wouldn't be expressing myself creatively so what would I do? Well, what do I do?  I run! Not well but I do it. And then I knew what I would do, what I had to do!  Before I left West Virginia to return home to Utah, I said out loud, "I'm going to run a marathon in memory of Maw Maw sometime in the next year." I said it and wasn't even sure if I believed it. Pretty sure that no one I said it to believed it but I said it and that was a BIG first step.

I didn't think much of it for a couple of months until the opportunity to train for the half-marathon presented itself. "Could I?" I thought. "Would this be my first step towards the big one?" While training for the half, I searched and searched for the perfect full marathon.  I wanted to find one that was on a Saturday (I don't run on Sundays) and was close by. I even prayed that I would know the right one when I found it.  Imagine my surprise when I found a little marathon called Running From an Angel Marathon in Boulder City, NV and it was on my grandmother's birthday, of all days!  I knew then that this marathon was the one. And I know that she will be the angel that will be running with me every step of the way.  I look forward to honoring her in my own way that day and all those training days up to the day of the race. I'm running a marathon because my love for my grandmother is too big to express with words. She is my inspiration.

4 comments:

  1. That is great!! You're right, running IS your thing and it's a perfect way to show your G'ma how much you love her! She'll totally be there with you!! You're awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Alicia,
    I didn't realize that this was your inspiration for running the marathon. That is a great tribute to your grandmother and she will definitely be smiling down upon you and cheering you on! Well said, You ARE awesome!!

    Love, Mom

    ReplyDelete
  3. That is great!! You're right, running IS your thing and it's a perfect way to show your G'ma how much you love her! She'll totally be there with you!! You're awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Alicia,
    I didn't realize that this was your inspiration for running the marathon. That is a great tribute to your grandmother and she will definitely be smiling down upon you and cheering you on! Well said, You ARE awesome!!

    Love, Mom

    ReplyDelete