10-10-10

Friends, was your 10-10-10 anything special?

In Chicago, it was a special date, the "date to motivate" they called it... the day of the 2010 Chicago Marathon.

I love the marathon! From standing shivering and freezing on the curb cheering and clapping for the masses, to sweating in the sun cheering madly for family like I did this year, it's something I love to grab at least a taste of each year that I've lived in the city.

The Chicago Marathon is one of the top 5 marathons in the world, and I don't want to be caught sleeping in bed! Not that I could sleep anyway, because the marathon route goes right by Moody, twice. The cheering and yelling and cow bells and absolutely endless sea of runners call out for every person in the city to be a part of the incredible feat that is happening on our streets.

My favorite T-shirts and signs this year said, "I thought they said 2.62 miles," and "This would be a lot of fun if it weren't for all this running!" Love it! Moments of humor in the midst of pain are an absolute essential to making it through. This applies to life, not just an insane run of 26.2 miles, don't you agree?

Other favorite sights included little toddlers with t-shirts that said, "Run, Dad, Run!" and a family who was cheering amidst their strollers and boxes of donuts. :)

So the marathon is all sorts of goodness. Fall, as seen in the golden leaves along the route and as a glorious back splash to all the exuberant pictures. Inspiration, both to attempt something so great someday, or at least, by all means cheer my heart out for people I love, not only in the marathon but in life.

With such inspiration all around me, I have to admit that when I heard one lady cheering with all her might to her loved one, "Keep running!!!!" I almost teared up as I thought about that parallel to my faith, and how every Christian needs people to encourage them to "keep running" all along the way. Especially when you're tired. When you're in pain. When you're attempting great things. I know I do.

This year my brother Tyler ran, and it was a blast cheering him on. My parents came, and Parker came in from Wheaton. We made signs, yelled and screamed, held Gatorade and Ibuprofen, did our fair share of running and timing to catch him at different spots, and made it to Grant Park for the finish. He did fantastic, and we were all so proud of him!

{I love this pic, at mile 11}

{Ty 200 meters from the finish}
He's on the far side, right next to the red flag.

{Finished!}

{Dad ran with Ty for about 6 miles, go Dad!}

Tiff, all I can say is, me and you? Sometime? But don't worry. Right now I'm on the "Couch to 5K" running program. And closer to the "couch" than the "5K" part.

Congrats Ty! I love you!