Video from the Half!

DetermiNation Half Marathon from Paige Jones on Vimeo.

Mardi Gras Half Marathon

This may be one of those “you had to be there” stories, but it was awesome in that moment...
Most everyone knows someone who has battled cancer. I have been touched by this terrible disease in more ways than one. Five months ago I committed to run a half marathon and raise money for the American Cancer Society in honor/memory of my loved ones who have battled the disease, particularly my cousin, friend, and classmate, Travis Stringer, who passed away this summer from the terrible disease. I raised my money and ran the race this past weekend along with Amanda Blakeney, Debra Cockrell, Natalie Duckworth and Nicole Kemp. I had trained some, but did not take it as seriously as I should have. I knew I could run some and walk the rest and that was fine with me.

As Amanda and I were about three miles into our run we were talking about how we were going to make it. I was telling her about some things I read from other runners saying that they just broke the race into smaller sections and dedicated each part of the run to a person. We then decided that the last three miles were going to be for Trav since those would be the hardest ones and we were going to have to remember that no matter how bad we felt, it was NOTHING compared to what he went through. We would have to be strong and fight right through it like he would. So miles 10 to 13.1 were for Travis.

When I got to mile ten I had slowed down. Amanda was ahead of me and I was jogging just past Café du Monde (where I really wanted to stop and get a beignet). I was regretting the lack of serious training. I saw the sign and was giving myself a pep talk before I got there because I knew I needed a push. Then the best possible thing happened. I had my iPod on shuffle through a playlist of songs I put together for the race. Born Free by Kid Rock came on. I had never listened to the song and thought of Trav before, but I can't think of anything more fitting…

“You can knock me down and watch me bleed
But you can’t keep no chains on me.

I was born free!
I was born free
I was born free, born free.
And I'm not good at long goodbyes
But look down deep into my eyes
I was born free.

Calm, facing danger
Lost, like an unknown stranger
Grateful for my time with no regrets
Close to my destination
Tired, frail and aching
Waiting patiently for the sun to set
And when it's done, believe that I
will yell it from that mountain high

I was born free
I was born free
I was born free, born free

I will bow to the shining sea
And celebrate God's grace on thee”

I listened, cried a little, smiled a lot, and forged on, ignoring the pain because it was worth it and it was NOTHING compared to the cause. The Lord works in strange ways and I know Him and Trav put that song on to tell me to get my tail in gear and press on. It worked. I finished…

My little cheering group... Mom and Madelyn in the background filming... I think she would have preferred a big fall or something to send in the America's Funniest Home Videos. Next year they're going to be running with me. I'll break that news to them in a couple months!

:P