Lucky 7

Well, it official I am a finisher of marathon number 7. Yes, my name is Brandi and I am crazy. We went down to West Palm Beach, Fl to partake in my 7th marathon. West Palm is beautiful, perfect temperature and flat. All keys to a successful race. If you can handle the heat and humidity....and being overweight too.

We rented a house to make sure we had plenty of room to stretch out. The house was so pretty and in a GREAT area. Again, all things which should lead you to have a successful race....if you can handle the heat, humidity, and.......being overweight.

We went and played golf and the crew had caddies, it was the first time for them to have caddies. Now we can see why Tiger does so well. The caddies are so knowledgeable about the course and the layout and what club to use. The PGA National was well kept and beautiful. I want to go back and play the course.

Race day started early at 6:15am. I drove myself to the course to make sure my mind was clear. I have never started a race that early, but now I understand why they do. HOT, HOT, HOT. Temps started off in the 40's, by the time I crossed the finish line (5 long hours later) it was 67 degrees!

I think I am doing good during the race....until mile 17. My legs stopped! would not move. I happened to be over a draw bridge and was hoping that it would magically drop down and help me out a little, but no such luck. I got my swag back and then it happened, what is it.......A blind man passed me. Really, I can't make this stuff up people. He passed me with two guides on his side. At this point I wanted to go and play in traffic, but I was already in the middle of the road. I thought, "Come on B, you got this last 6 miles." Well, just because I thought it didn't mean my legs wanted to do it. Again, they stopped. AAAAHHHHHH, pick it up honey. So I said a small prayer and trotted on.

I ended up pacing myself with an older gentleman of the ripe of age of 80. He shuffled so I shuffled. He tried to pass me but I fought through it until mile 26. I was just so tired and questioning, why me. Why did I sign up for this race, 7 months after giving birth. Then out of the crowd jumps my mama, that woman hasn't missed a full marathon yet. Just the face I needed to see, cause I was DONE!!!! DONE running, DONE thinking, just DONE. I asked her where the finish line was, she was trying to tell me, but I could see it so my legs STOPPED again. Out of the crowd jumped another lady from Trinidad (that's what her shirt said). She told me to keep going, don't stop honey, I am too close to stop. She trotted with me for a bit saying nothing but encouraging words. I listened and then my mama said, "you got it girl" So the jet packs came on and focused on the finish line. THANK YOU MAMA and lady from TRINIDAD. I started to haul (perception is everything). The tired eyes landed on the finish line. WHOA, then on baby Eleanor. There she was squinting and looking around.



I knew then I had to finish to prove to her, you make no excuses in life. You make a commitment and you stick to it no matter how hard it might be to complete it. I crossed the finish line right about 5:00 hours. I was

slightly behind the older, shuffling, gentleman. I had done it, I had finished marathon number 7. Not in a record time but finished all the same.

Lesson from this race, so with the excuses and just make it happen. The blind man, the older, shuffling gentleman, and yes, the man pushing his "challenged" daughter in a jog stroller. All of these people have reason why they can fall back on and say "they can't," instead they find it in them to say:

"YES I CAN!"