Yay!!!! I FINISHED!!! That was honestly my biggest fear that I wouldn’t be able to finish, but I did and at a time I am happy with. I will say that running the marathon was the hardest thing I have ever done in my entire life but it was also such an huge accomplishment. It was so rewarding in the end (I maybe didnt think that on saturday right after but now on monday I can say that!) I really feel like I was given guardian angels along the way that showed up right when I needed someone. I had joined a pace group that was going to finish at 4:30, It was great the first 15 miles went by super fast. I met some awesome girls around my age and we talked and laughed the entire way. It was like nothing I was use to because I trained by myself for this whole thing. It was great. Then I started to hit a wall at 15- I had to drop back and it was really hard and sad because I knew I was leaving my support group but it was something I just had to do.

When I fell back and I was by myself for a bit and the mind games started. I felt like I couldn’t run anymore. I started to walk for a min. I had only been walking like 20 seconds and I heard this guy run up behind my and start clapping and cheering me on like “you got this” “come on you are doing great” this guys name was Tom. Tom instantly became my running buddy and from mile 15-26 helped and cheered me all the way to the end. He had a great personality, joking and laughing even up the hills. It was his 23rd marathon. At mile 20 my next angel came- it was KEV!!!! He jumped in and ran the last 6 with me. He is what got me thru till the end, knowing that he was right next to me to talk to me about random things to keep my mind occupied.

Then at mile 24 I wanted to be done- I was hurting- you really have nothing left at that point, Kev was talking to me about something and suddenly this guy came flying by us, he was sprinting. He didn’t look sweaty or anything, like he just started running. He was wearing a bright red shirt and on the back of his shirt it said LOVE 146!!!! I couldn’t believe it. It was like he came out of no where- just to remind me what this was all about and that I COULD finish this race, I was running for the kids that needed our help. I started crying as soon as I saw his shirt, it totally gave me that extra push to finish it all up.

Kev had to jump out before the end but Tom and me finished together holding hands as they announced our names together over the loud speaker, shorting our last names to Lu and Zu- so they were all cheering “Go Lu and Zu” as we crossed over the finish line. Crossing that finish line is something that I can not express- you are overjoyed, exhausted, excited, in pain, completely uncomfortable and just overcome with emotions. I started bawling as soon as Kev ran up to me to hug me. I couldn’t even contain it- your emotions just take over. My entire body ached- I could hardly walk but I finished my very first marathon and I couldn’t be prouder of myself.

Thanks to everyone for all the support thru this whole thing and thank you to everyone for donating to LOVE 146. It really means more to me than I can express!!! Dear Kev: Thank you for being so supportive and so proud of me thru this whole training- I could not have done this without you!!!