2 Marathons in 3 Weeks!!

On November 16, 2008 I ran my second Marathon in 3 WEEKS!! My goal since 2007 has been two Marathons a year and I wasn’t going to let a spinal tumor get in my way. In July I started the 4 month training program, back then I was having more pain than I wanted to admit to. The first few weeks of training was very hard, there where times I wondered if I would be able to run 26.2 once let alone twice in 3 weeks. In July I kept telling myself, the pain was so much worse in March, I can do it. I never missed a training running, knowing it would only make me stronger. I am so glad I didn’t give up. I have said this before but…. PAIN IS ONLY TEMPORY…… THE GORLY OF RUNNING TWO MARATHONS IN 3 WEEKS WILL LAST A LIFE TIME!!

This was a sign on I-10 on our way to the Marathon!

That morning I woke up and said a prayer asking God to give me the strength to get through the pain I was about to place upon myself. I felt the pain in the Marine Corps Marathon around mile 16. I had a plan in place, I was going to take Advil at mile 10 and I would put Advil Cream on my back before the race started. I knew the pain would get bad but I was ready for it.

My good friends Jennifer Smith ran this marathon with me it was her first. What an honor it is to run next to someone who is first-time marathon runner. I love seeing the emotions they go through as you run through the miles.

My dad got up, to take us the start line. You should have heard us in the car, I was clapping and all excited and Jenn was in the back telling us she was going to throw up. My dad got some good laughs out of us that morning. The traffic was really bad. It was getting close to 6:45am and we hadn’t moved much. I was starting to get worried we wouldn’t make to the start line by 7:30am. So, we did what any runner would do we jumped out of the car on the highway and walked almost a mile to the start line. We didn’t make it to the start line in time because we where in the line for the bathroom. Once, we got the start line we jump in and realized we were with the half marathon runners. Which made it very hard to pass people, we where running as thick as it can get with people. We spent the whole first half of the race passing people, in the long run it hurt our time but we had fun and that’s all that matters. We ran together until mile 18, you see mile 18 is where the marathon starts for me. I love running 8 miles. I have trained myself to pick up speed in the last 8 miles.



I told Jenn to put her iPod in both ears and run. I would see her at the next water station. I got set in my grove and realized I had past the next water station without stopping. So, I stopped at the next one at mile 22, once I stopped the pain set in, I couldn’t move my arms with out pain, every breath hurt. The pain was starting to get out control. I waited for her for good 5 or so minutes and then knew I had to keep moving or I wouldn’t finish. I slowed my pace knowing she was fast and would catch me. At mile 24 I was fighting tears, so I took more Advil and pushed through to the end!! Once, I got to mile 26 I could see a hill and thought WHERE IS THE FINISH LINE? I did what I trained to do I picked up my pace and ran like the wind up that hill and down the small stretch, to the finish line. I came across jumping up and down!! The pain was there but I didn’t care, I had just completed a goal that even I had wondered if I would be able to do! I RAN TWO MARATHONS IN 3 WEEKS, 8 months after having a tumor removed from my spine!! ALL I COULD SAY IS I DID IT!!

I found our families, and asked if Jenn had come across the finish line yet, they said no. I asked for the camera. I wasn’t going to let her First Marathon go without a picture of her crossing the finish line. I ran back to the finish line area, where I almost passed out because of the pain. A nice woman held my arm, asking me a hundred times if I was OK. I smiled and said YES! She was so kind to put some more pain cream on my scare which helped a ton. By, the time Jenn come across I was ready for her.

Her time WAS 4:44:04

This was my slowest marathon running it in 4:29:59 but I had a blast! I loved running with Jenn it was so much fun, we laughed a ton. She said it will be awhile before she will do another but I know she will and I will be there with her.

After 5 full marathons I am going to run my first half marathon in Dallas on December 14th! After that I am going to take some time off. My body will be so grateful!

Jenn and I after the Race!

Alana and I after the Race!!

Happy Anniversary John!

Today is our 7th wedding anniversary. WOW, seven years seems like a lifetime at the same time it seems like it was just yesterday when he walked into my life and changed it with one single look! I love you more than words could ever express John. You are truly the love of my life. I thank god daily for you and Alana.
John and met on August 11, 2001 and got married on November 2, 2001, I know many people didn’t think we would last year let alone seven! I knew we would, our love has stood the test of times, in the last seven years. Just when I think we can’t take anymore, we are hit with something else. We always take it head on and come out the other side so much stronger. I can’t tell you how many times, he has looked at me with those big blues and made me feel better. He and Alana both have a way with their eyes that make my heart melt. (They have the same eyes) Even with all the heartache we’ve had (especially over the last year) I wouldn’t change a thing. It has made us a stronger.
The next seven years will be just as wonderful as the first seven!! I know no matter what we face you will take me by the hand and face it head on. I couldn’t ask for a better life!

I love you!!

Happy Halloween!!!

I wanted to post a few pictures of Alana on Halloween night! She had a blast Trick or Treating, she loved getting the candy. We went with some friends, poor Alana was a house link behind the older kids, she couldn’t keep up. She tried her best too, at one point she told me she wanted her daddy, I think only because she knew he would carrier her. I made her walk, such a mean mommy I know. By the end of the night she kept telling me her bag was too heavy, but she wanted more. What I didn’t know was how much work Trick or Treating was, this was my first year as an adult to go. I was so tired by the end of the night. As a kid I could go for hours and hours. Man, my age is catching me…. Thanks Mom and Dad for always taking us! I always loved Halloween, it was never work for me back then!!

Princess Alana

Maddie, Lexi, Parker, Cade, Carter and Alana

Batman and his Ornage Princess
Jenn, Me and Amber
Hunter dancing with Alana and Cade!
My Prefect Princess!!

Marine Corps Marathon!! 4:21:49

On Sunday I run a marathon 7 month after having a tumor removed from my spinal canal and my chest wall!?! I did it in honor of Jamison he is little boy who lives in Tennessee, who can’t run. What an honor it was, to run through our nation’s capital for Jamison and myself. There were points at the race, when I was yelling “I AM DOING”! Sitting here I get chock up at the thought of what I have been through over the last year.

This was right before the race!

Right after I crossed the finish line!

It was the hardest marathon I have ever run, not because of the course or the mileage it was because of the pain in my back. I try so hard to pretend that the pain is gone but the truth is it’s not gone, and it showed its ugly face around mile 16 of the race. By mile 22 I was in tears running but I wouldn’t stop. I wasn’t just running for myself, I was running for Jamison and I wasn’t going to let him down for anything. When I came across the finish line, I came to my knees. I know I did not run on Sunday alone. I run saying prayers the whole race. I couldn't have done it without the Lord by my side. He carried across that finish line. Giving up never crossed my mind. I knew I could do it. Pain is only temporary the glory of running a marathon for Jamison will last a life time.

Special Kids Marine Corps Marathon Team

The best part of the Marathon was that my older brother Eric and Cousin Angela ran the marathon with me and my Aunt Veronica ran the 10K. It was truly a family event. We had a blast! It was Eric (my brothers) first marathon, he did Awesome. He beat my first marathon time by 5 minutes!! Way to GO ERIC!! Angela is my cousin who lives in New England we see her every few years, this was her second marathon. I loved sharing the road with both of them, running at different points with both. I remember telling Angela at one point, that 7 months ago I was lying in ICU with a chest tube and now I’m running a marathon! I didn’t get to run next to Veronica but I was so proud of her for coming out to DC and RUNNING a 10K. She has lost a ton of weight over the last 2 years, and never though she could have done this. I knew she could, we are running the Disney Goofy race in January 2010 together! Yes, she is running a marathon!! It’s amazing what a race can do for you. We plan to run it for Special Kids so get your check books ready again!

Eric, Angie and Me before the race started

Everyone before the race!
I have to blog about the rest of our time in DC because it was so much fun!!

The first night we got there, we where all having a good time. When we heard the door, it wasn’t some one knocking it was so someone using a key to get into the room. At first, we thought it was my dad playing around. Then all the sudden my dad said, there is two men from China at our door with a key. They had double booked our room. YES, they had key that worked on our room. We laughed so hard, about our visitors. It all got worked out and gave us all good laugh.

Veronica, me and my mom On Friday, my parents took Alana to the DC ZOO she had a blast more on the metro to and from the ZOO. While, they hang out at the ZOO my Aunt and I went to the expo for the Marathon. Let me just tell you if you haven’t been to an expo you should go just for all free food alone. We ate the whole time we where there. On our way back on the metro we both had a stomach ache. We both got some really cool marathon gear that you can’t find in stores. My favorite is my new hair band that says “MARATHON MOMMY”!

That night, we where all so tired from the day of actives we where in bed by 8pm. Alana was playing around us and then all the sudden she climb in the bed and went to sleep. We all slept through the phone ringing at 10:30 that night but not Veronica she answered it. I was out, I didn’t even know the phone had rang until the morning when my mom asked her who called. She looked at my mom and said the phone rang? She didn’t remember the phone ringing let alone answering it. We all had a good laugh about that.

On Saturday, we woke up to pouring down rain. It was cold, windy and rainy. My brother and his family had come in so we all went down to the mall area to meet them. Alana loved having her cousin there. I wish we could have spent more time with them. I miss seeing them so much, we try and see them a few times a year but with the distance between us it is becoming less and less. Now, that Alana is older I need to go there more, she was so sad when they had to leave.

Brandon, Justin and Alana We spent Monday being tourist around DC. We went and watched the changing of the guards at the Arlington Cemetery. I have been many times but it brings tears to my eyes every time I see it. This time it really got me, I think it because one of my close friends husband is over in Iraq. It hit close to home for me. Did, I say how COLD and WET it was! OMG, it was WINTER. The day before it had been 71 and I think the high on Monday was 40! I felt great that day I walked around and had just a little soreness. I was so glad for that because Alana was a handful for me. Of course she was an angel for my parents, that’s all that really matters.

When we got back to the hotel that afternoon, I got an email from RUNNERS WORLD!! I had sent them my story and few months back. They had actually contacted me on Sunday after the race but I didn’t check my email. I was in shock to say the least! I don’t know if my story will get picked up or not what an honor it was to be considered for it. I should know in a few weeks, I am so excited!!

Me, Angie and Eric after the race!We had a great time! I can’t wait to run The Marine Corps Marathon again! I don’t want to run a race twice but this one I could 100 times and still walk away wanting to do it again. If you want to run a marathon and don’t where to start this is a great race! I am doing it again on November 16, 2008 in San Antonio. So keep my legs in your prayers they will need it!

At the Start of the Race! Baby Kyle
Julie and Eric

Our Weekend in Houston!

This past weekend Alana and I went to see John and his family in Houston. We had a blast!! We got to see John’s Brother Peter and his wife Micah a ton. They have a niece (Grace) that is three weeks older than Alana, Alana feel in love with Grace! By the end of the weekend you would have thought the girls had known each other for years. The weekend went by so fast, before we knew it Alana and I where boarding a plane to come back to El Paso. Here is a recap of our weekend.

On Friday, while everyone worked Alana and I went to the Houston ZOO and had a blast. She is getting so big she walked the whole zoo no stroller for us anymore. We got to see some baby Elephants, that where born the same year as Alana. She thought that was so cool, we spent a good 45 minutes checking out the Elephants. Then we fed the Ducks, again Alana was so excited. She was showing them her back pack. I tried to explain to her that they couldn’t understand her but she is 2 so you know how that turned out. I can’t wait to take her back. It’s really close to the hotel John is staying at. I’m sure we will spend many mornings there in November.

On Saturday, we went to the Children’s Museums with Grace. Alana and Grace had matching outfits on that my mom had made them (thanks Mom) they looked so cute together. They run around as fast as they could play with stuff, it was a busy couple of hours but all in good fun. At lunch, the girls had a blast running around, dancing. They put on show for us. I know Micah and Peter loved seeing the two together. I just wish we could get a picture of them together, but they are both 2, that won’t happen.

On Sunday, we went to Micah and Peter’s church that John and I love. Every time we go, we leaving wishing we could find a church like that here in El Paso. Alana went into Grace’s bible class like she owned the place they said she had a blast even singing the songs. She is so easy going when it comes to new places, just adapts, like she has done it 100 times before. I’m so grateful for that, I think back when she was a baby and nobody but I could hold her. Life has changed so much in her short little life.

Alana did great when John took us to the airport, I was so worried she would cry but she surprised both of us and had a big smile and said see you in two weeks daddy. It was hard to watch him walk away wishing we could stay with him, but we had to come back to catch our next plane for DC. It was a nightmare getting home on Sunday night, we boarded our plane and they shut the doors and everything. Then all of the sudden the pilot came on and said we have to de-board the plane due to mechanical issue with the left wing. In the end we didn’t get home until 1 am. Alana did GREAT!! She is such a trooper she just went with the flow. Thank goodness for my friend Ingrid, she picked us up. By the time I got to her and handed Alana off so I could get my bag, I was barley moving. It had been a long day! She was right there taking Alana with a smile. Good thing for GREAT friends. They make life so much easier. She is the one picking us up next Tuesday night when we come back from DC, we are on the same flight let’s hope we get home on time.