One Week!

One week from now I'll be running the streets of Pittsburgh!  The race officially starts at 7:00AM, and I have no idea how long it will take to get through the start line but I'd imagine by 8:30 I'd have at least 2 miles behind me.  I cannot believe how close it is!

Last week I did a training run with Monica, one of the women who running the relay with our women's team, and Samone one of our women on staff who is also on the relay team.  We ran Monica's leg of the relay which is also the first 5.5 miles of the half and full marathon.  Because we will both be running this leg in its entirety, I think I'll actually be running with Monica next week (assuming I can find her in the crowd - last year 25,000 runners attended!).  I'm really grateful for that opportunity.  It will be not only some encouragement for us both as we run, but for me it will be a great reminder of why I'm running.

Watching Monica run has been a really fun experience for me.  She is in her 50s, a regular smoker, and she doesn't exercise except for walking Downtown.  When we run together we go slowly and we take a few walking breaks.  But Monica has the heart for running that I want to have.  As we were on a walking break last Tuesday she said "Okay you are walking too slow, we have to run fast! This is a marathon!"  And when we had walked long enough that I thought I could push her to run a little more, she'd be jogging before I even finished asking "Do you want to run a few blocks now?".  Literally. I mean she literally started before I could finish that question.

Monica wants to make changes in her life.  She wants to be healthier, get and apartment with a kitchen (she rents a room without one now), and live more like Christ every single day.

A lot of times I think that the work I do should encourage the homeless.  That by showing up in the shelter and getting to know the people there and sharing a Bible study that they can have hope.  And that's true, there is a unique and perfect hope that comes from Christ and I am blessed to be able to share it.  But often, very often, I think about these men and women and I am the one encouraged.  By their strength, by their knowledge, by their fight, their passion, their honesty.   I find myself wanting to be more like the homeless in a lot of ways.  It's really a pleasure to be able to run so that I can continue to serve them.




I am so looking forward to running these first 5.5 with Monica next week.  I want to be in my 50s telling other people to pick up the pace one day!  I can't think of a better way to start this half marathon.

And hey! If you're in Pittsburgh come out and cheer us on!  You can find a map of my course here, and if you want to catch some of our relay team you can find the map for the full marathon here.  Seeing some familiar faces will really let me know I'm not alone on those last 8 miles!

And of course, if you'd like to sponsor me as I run next weekend for LIVING Ministry, you can visit our website.  Make sure to mention Jenna B Marathon in the comment section so that we know how to categorize your donation.  One week to go and our team is 66% of our total fundraising goal!



Thank you all for the support and encouragement.  In the time it's taken to write this I should have run about 2 more miles....only 9 more to go ;)  Wish me luck!