"I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" - Areosmith

Here it is guys.

and
it's
long.

with an obsessive amount of photos.

* Now [just a warning] I don't know if you'll need Kleenex but I officially need to wait at least an hour before I do that post office run & grocery shopping I'm supposed to be doing. *

5:01am - my brother has to leave.  He tries waving from afar.  Ya, that's not going to cover it.  I call him over. 

I hug him.  I cry.  He's awesome. and that "redline" in his hand - - - he's going to need that to stay awake for the day he has ahead of him.

Have I mentioned I loved having him there through the night?

[ya, that's my mom crying along with me in the back ground.
5:04am [my support crew is growing]  My sister Ann and her husband come - awesome.

I thought the news crew would be there at 5am.

not
so
much.

But it was nice [mentally] thinking they would be.

5:15 - - I can feel the emotions coming.

This. is. the. moment. I. had. waited. for. [and dreamed of - literally]. for. the. last. three. months.

My thoughts:

• the training - - - it worked.
• the planning - - - was a success.
• all these people - - - they are here to support me.  amazing.
• I am beyond "blessed".

Then my thoughts went to the women:

The women who deal with [or have dealt with] domestic violence in their life.

I cannot begin to tell you about the emails & letters I received in the last three months.
The. stories. were. horrific.  truly. horrific.

These women sent me THEIR stories.  They shared what I'm guessing to be one of the hardest, scariest, toughest moments [days, months, years] of their lives......with me. 

My perspective.  My life has been changed by this alone.

I have close family who have dealt with this as well.  I've seen what it does to families.  To children. to loved ones.

and
it
sucks.

[thinking] this. is. why. I. run. today.

The questions I was asked most:

1.  "why?"
2.  "why Sojourner center?"
3.  "Is that even healthy"
4.  "you're just doing this to get sponsors, aren't you?" [yep, someone really asked me that]
5.  "why 24 hours?"
6.  "why 24 on a TREADMILL?"

Answers:

1.  Because I can.
2.  Because my heart aches for these women.  I see the Pita's car pull in the driveway and I either . . . . smile, run out to greet him or yell to Peanut "yay, Dad's home".  Every woman should feel something like this or at the very least NO FEAR!
3.  I did the training.  I AM healthy.  It'll be fine.  Go eat your ice cream. [sorry for the mean tone - but that one got under my skin . . . . but the next one.....even more so]
4.  uhhh, let me check.....no.  NOT one.  Not one lingering company circles about me.  And I'm freaking great with that.
5.  Because I couldn't think of anything bigger.
6.  Because treadmills rock.

5:35am. 

My heart is beating fast and it's in my throat.  Having trouble swallowing.  I'm getting quiet.

My spin instructor hops on the treadmill beside me.

"so what's the plan?  you see that finish line now?"

too.  choked.  up.  to.  talk.

you
see
I
only
did
a
small
part
of
this
event.

I just ran.

Truth be told.  My Mom.  Shar [Happy], Dave & My Dad.  Did the other 98%.

I called my mom and sister into my "ring of fire" [barricaded area].

then
I
lost
it.

This event would not have been this calibur if it wasn't for them.  There's no freaking way.

They did:

*signs
*towels
*emails
*treadmill delivery
*treadmill pick-up
*found me my awesome DeRosa Medical staff --- which in turn found me "Randy" who set me up with the BEST AC units EVER.
*Found me my Dr. Ken [pain patch guy] ;)
*RUN EMZ bracelets
*etc, etc, etc

but more importantly they let me focus on training & cry to them when things got a little sketchy.  Telling me, "Emz, we've freaking got this" .

5:50am-My second grade boyfriend Mr. Joe Dana walks out to film the ending.

5:51am - Peanut hops onto the treadmill beside me.

Emz:  it's you n' me girlfriend
Peanut:  okay mom.

5:56:30 am - I hit 99.99 - the max reading on the Woodway Treadmill.

My dear friend Myrissa yells out from the crowd, "you. freaking. did. this!" . Loved that.

They begin to count down.

nine
eight
seven
[thinking please go slower]
six
five
[I hear Go Emz!]
four
three
two . . .

 . . . . [thinking please add . . . . . one and a half . . . . one and a quarter]

one.

They begin clapping. yelling. I have chills running down my spine and arms.

Z E R O.

I don't hit pause. 

I. wait. probably was only an extra minute or so but okay . .

now.
I'm.
ready.

And we capture a moment that, [let's be honest]

will never happen again . . . .

I cross the Vemma finish line first!

And look who gets the first sweaty finish line hug . . .

My nephew, Michael.

Then my nephew, Tanner [I love this photo]

My running man Aaron [he put in 20+ miles with me]

Ahhhhhh, Dave.
The. man. who. GAVE. me. my. sweet. nickname.

Now.  wait for it. wait for it.

BAM!

open the flood gates . . . My Dad.

Even though I have ugly cry face.. . . . .I love this photo.

Awwww man . . . .

I. see. My. Pita.

[guess who's holding the camera I'm looking at?]

this. is. the. best. hug. ever.

best. kiss. ever.

My. girl.

Yes. I. am. blessed. for. sure.

Then guess who I see over in the corner capturing every moment on camera?

Yep, Dawn.

My partner in running & texting crime. [often at the same time]

Dawn.  I'll never be able to repay you for the service, love and support you have shown me.  I will die trying though.

More hugs all around:

Friends [so awesome of you guys to come Kim & Myrissa]:

New friend I made during this run:

He came twice.  As did a few people along the way.

Top three moment of my life.

1.  My wedding.
2.  My Peanut.

3.  Our 24 hour treadmill run for Sojourner.