TBC-what does that stand for?

So many thoughts, and emotions are raging through my mind because the fact is. I just finished the race that started it all. This is the race that I started to ENJOY running (and food involving it!) 

Wednesday mid-afternoon I left school, and departed to Memphis, where I stayed the night with a lovely couple who was hosting some of my Canadian friends! So I got to celebrate Thanksgiving Canada style, and chatted it up with Jenn. Off to bed I went.

my route!

 Thursday I drove 6 hours to Lexington, where our cars would be left (finishing city), and met up with my lovely team, and the 6 people I would spend the next 3 days with-living in a van. So, that night we drove to Louisville (where it starts) got some dinner, wine, random field trips from the hotel, and ended up going to bed around 9pm.

my van.

 Friday we wake up to go see off van 1, and after some hotel time and coffee, we met up at big transition spot 1, took the bracelet from them, and our van started rolling. Basic description: drop off a runner, exchange, and off to the next transition area, repeat. Throw in random snackage, port-a-potties, lots of jokes, and pump-up music. You got the chase.

free yall.

 The first leg experience: that morning we were at the Jim Bean distillery walking around, and we were walking up an intense hill, and I commented that as long as I don't have to run this, we are good to go. My team probably died at that moment, and informed me that I sure would be! Thus began the next 8 hours of sheer terror. Not because I didn't think I could do it-but because I knew I signed up to run a 9:30 mile, and I run 9:30 in CLINTON, MISSISSIPPI (aka: nothing comparing). So, I had fully prepped my van that it would basically be a miracle if I finished with a dang 10. So, off I go on my leg 1-and 5.1 miles later after an eternity of hills- I finished with a 9:20 pace. *commence the angels singing*.

after leg 1!!!

my elevations... 

 Before we left on Friday, Jesus and I had a talk, and it was decided that if I got close to a 9:30-it would be ALL of His grace, and energy. Y'all-I have never felt the Lord overcome me like I did in those 5 miles, and equally the next 2 preceding ones. I passed 3 people, and finished with a minute to spare. It was cool to contribute to the van counts.

 So, Friday our van finished around 7. Went to the hotel, chowed some food down, and off to bed for an hour or so power nap. Woke up at 11:30, and off we went on our leg 2 excursion: the night run (12-6am).

it was as scary as it looks. trust me lol

 The second leg experience-night run: after running my first real hills, I also had my first experience of night running. 5.3 miles-crazy back roads of Kentucky-not a light in sight for it all; coolest run of my 6 months of living as a runner. It was quite literally me, myself, and I on the roads (minus the guy I passed around mile 2 and of-course the vans driving to the next transition area!)It was 4 am, 40 degrees, and this crazy southern girl practically sprinting these hills to make my time-but I did and was so thankful to see the lights-I knew it was the end!

night run excitement!! 

leg 2.  it. was. intense.

 After that, we went to Dan's house (random runner on our team) to shower and power nap for 2 hours, and when we woke up we were sure that a bus had hit us all, and we were exhausted. So-off we go on leg three, and I knew I could make it, but I was exhausted before I started running. Thankfully my last leg was not AS hilly as round 2, so it was fun running alongside roads, and in a cute little park with beautiful scenery. As I passed the bracelet off for the last time-so many thoughts hit me over the fact that this kid used to not be able to run a stupid mile, and when I did it was at a slow pace, and 40 lbs. heavier at that, and now I am banking 9:30 in Kentucky, and plan to go faster in Mississippi, and am quite smaller. Whoa.

pretty scenery. 

leg 3. take it.

 So as soon as I made it to the transition point, Aneca was the last runner, and we would cross with her, so we FLEW to our cars, threw stuff, cleared the van, and off to Rupp Arena to cross the finish line with our team, take pictures, taste stuff, get stuff, and then I peaced out for the spontaneous 10 hour car ride back to Clinton involving my wonderful friends talking to me, listening to my rants to help me stay awake, and then I CRASHED when I made it back to school. 

what a feeling. the whole team.

My songs of choice that I probably listened to 30 times no lie: No One Like You by David Crowder, and Our Song by Taylor Swift. If you want to know my preferred running pace, those two songs are it. I have lots of other training songs depending how I am feeling, but anytime I hear those songs, I will always be brought back to TBC for sure.

time for a new countdown!

 I have roughly 2 months before my marathon-and I have decided after TBC I can do anything. For. Real. Here's to training to 26.2 miles.