Hope Express 2012 - Mail Call/Leg 2

After enjoying a nice chocolate milk, I had from midnight to about 6am before I had to even think about running again. In this time, I stretched and roll out my muscles, and while I wanted to try to sneak in a few minutes of sleep, there was a part of me that just didn't want to miss anything (and I just couldn't fall asleep!). The weather got crummy after my leg, with an intense fog in which we could barely see just in front of the RV. We drove our first mountains, which is always tricky...you feel for the runner who is about to climb said mountain on foot. This would be the time when having telepathic powers would be most useful to me, to tell my teammates how awesome they were and how much I knew they could do it. Lauren killed her first mountain and then Mark destroyed his. I have no words for the respect I have for these two as runners and, more importantly, as people. They have so much heart - it's amazing.

At around 6am, our amazing moralers brought us over an enormous mailbox containing all of our mail! It was perfect timing, as I knew I had

my hardest run coming up. I laughed and cried my way through several packages and dozens of letters. I cannot even begin to say how grateful I felt for all of the love and support, all of the encouraging words and messages of love. Many cards and letters reminded me why I was

running and talked about the kids who fight every single day and never give up. Others had me laughing so hard I was in tears - funny pictures, goofy cards - and those reminded me to not take myself so seriously....and helped me from completely freaking out before starting that second leg.

I knew going into it that that second leg was going to be my greatest challenge. From what I thought I knew, Bobby was climbing a mountain and I was responsible for getting us over the last mile of it, and then alllll the way down. I know very well how mental running is, so I had prepped myself for this.....relying heavily on the fact that my calculations and assumptions were true. I was VERY focused on getting through one brutal mile....which turned out to be 3+ miles. While it started out as a slow incline, it turned vertical fast. It's hard to describe what went

down in those miles, both in actuality and in my mind, but I'll tell you this - it was the hardest run I have ever and most likely will ever run in my life. The hummer had taken a pit stop to use the bathroom, so a car of AMAZING moralers were trailing me and it honestly brings me to tears just thinking about how much they kept me going, getting out of the car to encourage me on. Having them and Ryan's determined dad, Rege, who popped up continuously throughout the entire journey, helped to keep me from dropping to the pavement. I kept telling myself that the only way I could, and would, be able to enjoy the down would be if I fought my way to the top...and that's life. We get through the tough times and they help us to appreciate the blessings we have (or in my case, a few miles of down hill :O).

When I finally saw the signs warning trucks to slow down and prepare for a decline, I was able to take some deep breaths, dry my eyes, and realize I was actually going to make it the rest of the way. I nearly lost my breath again when U2's "Beautiful Day" came on and I had an incredible view of the world below me. I remember the exact moment during last year's run (running at 2am in the calm of the dark night) when I realized how beyond lucky I was for the chance to run like a crazy person for something I care so much about.

Again, there is so much more I could attempt to say, but I will

share it for my HE teammates in my recap to them. When I finally saw the RV and heard everyone cheering, marking the end of my second leg, I lost it again and broke down. A few hours later, I told Ryan about a Henry Ford quote that was hanging up in the RV and he shared this one with me - "Whether you think you can, or think you can't, you're right." Can I get an AMEN!?