A small victory, but a victory none the less!

WARNING: This post is going to seem lame and weak to all of my runner friends. Don't laugh or mock or make fun of me!

Okay, so most of you know that I am training to run the St. George marathon in October. It is something I have wanted to do for a long time now and I am excited to just buckle down and get it done. We are about half way through our training schedule and I felt (note: past tense) like everything was going fine. I was keeping up on my schedule and getting all my runs in.
I have never been a fast runner...and I have never really cared that much. I just run. Put my head phones in and turn up the music, give the kids some snacks and books, and then I just go. I didn't even care how far or where I went. I just ran. And it was fun.
But, like I said, I am pretty slow. I am talking...like really slow.
Anyway, we just did 13.1 miles two weeks ago and I was feeling proud that I even did it. We finished in just under 3 hours...I think it was 2:55 or something like that. That is about 13:30 minutes per mile. (Side note: Scott is much much faster. But he trots around and runs in circles around me to keep me motivated. He tells me jokes and reminds me to push myself as hard as I can. He would run it in half the time...but he stays with me. Isn't he great?)
Anyway, we got an email from the St. George marathon with general information about the course, the schedule, etc., but the thing that stood out to me was the timing...it said that the course closes after SIX HOURS. Six hours. If my half marathon is just barely under three hours...then I am looking at finishing right at six hours. But what if I need extra time? What if something happens?
Do you know how discouraging it is to know that I could train for something for five months and then not even be able to complete it? I knew I was slow, and I knew I would be finishing at the very tail end of all the runners, but I didn't realized I would be LAST!! I didn't realize that they just might close the course before I could even cross the finish line. That is kind of depressing. I'll be honest, when I started realizing all of this, I was so so sad. Scott talked me through it and made me feel like I could do it...but I still doubted myself.
So, this past Saturday we had scheduled a 10 mile run. In the morning, Scott had a terrible migraine and he was going to be able to go, and I considered not going myself. Last minute, I decided that I would go. I geared up and took off. I had set some goals to try and run just a little bit fast this time, but I don't know what came over me. I just kept running faster and faster. And I would get lost in my thoughts and look down and I would be running an eight minute mile. So I would slow down (so I wouldn't burn out) but just kept going and going.
Finally, as I ran into our driveway of our complex the running watch showed exactly 10 miles and exactly 2 hours. I quickly did the math...that means twelve minutes per mile!
Seriously....do you know how hard it is to cut off a minute and a half per mile? FOR TEN MILES?? I was so proud of myself. As soon as I walked in the door, I fell on the floor and started crying because I was so happy. And Scotty, being the terrific husband that he is, made me feel like I had just run the whole marathon.
I know it sounds like I am tooting my own horn here...so for those of you who didn't catch it...I am still running a 12 minute mile (which is usually under the "jogging/speed walking" category) so it isn't much to brag about. But I am still really proud.
It seems like a tiny little step for most runners out there, but it was a giant leap for Rachel McPhie!