The Marathon

Running for Kids in Africa. We were an eclectic group of runners.

Some of the team before the race

One of the runners had lung cancer a few years ago. Post-operation, he never dreamed one day he would be running a half-marathon. Another of the runners is the fastest Nebraskan ever at 10,000 meters. He’s not as fast as he was twenty years ago when he won a national title at Wesleyan, but his love for the sport and for people is contagious. One marathoner smoked two packs of cigarettes per day in December. These five months have changed his life and maybe saved his life. One woman has run the Boston Marathon five times. Forty-five runners had never run a race before. One of our runners placed in the top ten in the marathon. The other sixty-two didn’t. 

Sixty-three of our runners started the Lincoln Marathon or Half-Marathon. Sixty-three finished. The hours and hours of training during the cold, icy weather paid off. The miles and miles of sweating on the treadmill are now worth it. I was proud to wear my bright orange shirt yesterday. I knew the people wearing the same shirt in front of me and those behind me had given and were giving their best. 

One of our runners, Bill Draper, was not able to run the marathon because he suffered a severe brain injury about three weeks ago. Thirty-six hours before our race we ran Bill’s race for him. One hundred and seventy five people: runners, children, friends, family, and supportive strangers from the church showed up and ran or walked a lap in Bill’s honor. It was a beautiful thing seeing the church be the church. I drove to Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital after the marathon and gave Bill my finisher’s medal. The medal is his now as he takes the beginning steps to his marathon of recovering. 

I have run in the Drake Relays against Olympians in front of 20,000 fans. I’ve run the Boston Marathon with 25,000 other runners. As I look back, this was my most rewarding experience as a runner. We raised over $26,000 for kids in Africa. If nothing else happened that would have been more than enough. Kids will get fresh water, nutritious food, education, medicine, and hope. 

But something else did happen. Friendships were forged. Strangers become supporters. Husbands and wives trained together. Dads ran with their daughters. God gives us each other and we all now understand that better. 

People embraced a happier lifestyle. Collectively, the runners lost hundreds of pounds. Hearts and lungs various other muscles have become stronger. 

But the thing I loved the most was seeing the fearful be transformed into a finisher. Running a half-marathon or marathon seems like a daunting task. And it is. Six months ago, many didn’t know if they could do something like this and were fearful. Yesterday, the runners did this and were finishers. Through Christ, more is possible in life that what we believe. 

Amanda doing her first half marathon

Four typically skinny distance runners

Allison on her way to breaking two hours!

Jamie and April - Training Partners and Friends

Jessica finishing her first marathon!

Michelle and Emily - Mother and Daughter - Finishers

The Nech's before the race

I think those hands are always attached to the hips

Rick Perez running down the Hauptmans

Ray and his girls. They ran great! After Ray paced them, he went 
out and paced a marathon runner. Over 30 miles for the day!

Jessica and Stacey celebrating post-race

The Vances and the Clements