2:54:46 | 1st amateur female, 4th woman overall | Austin Marathon
This one is hard to put into words. Running has always been something bigger to me. Itās more than crossing a finish line with a goal time.
Itās finding yourself in it all.
Itās trusting the guidance of a coach who lifts you back up when you forget what youāre capable of. @krispy.runs
Itās training with a drive, a quiet fire of redemption.
Itās not taking yourself so seriously, smiling along the way, and remembering why you started.
Itās finding community with a bigger mission that pushes you to keep going @releaserecoveryfoundation
Itās the outpouring of love from friends and family who believe in you even when youāre rebuilding belief in yourself.
And ultimately, itās making yourself proud.
She comes lightly upon the morning, Kate of the bright stride and wind-tossed hair, as if the city itself had called her name and she answered with laughter.
Austin lifts its towers behind her, pale in the early sun, and the long road unspools ahead, a promise not yet burdened by the weight of miles. Bib pinned, heart steady, she runs in that first hour when effort feels like play and the body believes in its own glad music.
There is a sparkle in her eye that says the race is not yet a reckoning but a dance, and she moves through it smiling, as though each footfall were a small act of defiance against gravity and doubt.
Early miles hold a secret sweetness.
And @kateheldt , fleet and fearless, tastes it as she passes.
-At the @austinmarathon
#austinmarathon #marathon #26point2 #austintx #austin
NYC Marathon was unexpected.
I collapsed at mile 24. Not at all a part of the plan. It was scary. But you know what? That moment reminded me of the simple, powerful goodness in people. The outpouring of love and kindness that surrounded me is something words will never quite capture, but Iāll try: thank you.
Thank you to the strangers who hopped over the fence to support me. Thank you to the stranger who sprinted ahead to find help. Thank you to my mom and friends who came to find me on the course and literally gave me their clothes off of their backs. Thank you to the medics who tended to me. Thank you to the friends, family, and coworkers who called, texted, and messaged to make sure I was ok. Thank you to my friends who ordered me an IV from 2000 miles away. Thank you to my husband for lifting me up. Thank you to my run coach for reminding me that I will get through this stronger. Thank you NYC for proving that even despite the chaos, compassion always show up.
I finished the last 2.2 miles the next day. Was NYC marathon what I expected this year? Not even close. But you know what? Every small act of kindness I felt out there, every ounce of energy someone gave me, mattered. I felt a lot of those moments on Sunday. Am I upset? Iām devastated. Am I done? Not a chance. Iāll be back.
Even in the unexpected, there can be a glimmer of hope.
