True confession? I really love running. There’s something exhilarating about having a goal and reaching it, whether it’s time or distance. It began when I put on my first pair of running shoes in eighth-grade track!  Through junior high and high school, I ran the two-mile relay, the mile, two-miler, and get this – hurdles!!  Yes – you heard me, these short legs ran hurdles (I am five-foot tall by the way!). I wasn’t ever very good at it, didn’t qualify to go to states. I would place in track meets, improve my times, but never truly excelled into something great. That’s alright, because running is fun and a way to stay fit, gain energy, a stress release, and a great time for praying. This year I decided to run the Columbus 1/2 Marathon. With four kids, one child with special needs, and a busy schedule it’s hard to find the time to consistently run every day, but I was able to complete the race in one-hour, fifty-seven minutes and fifty-eight seconds (but who’s counting?). My goal was around two hours, and I was ecstatic to achieve it.

I have a few reasons for deciding to run the race this year. One was to set a goal and have the discipline to achieve it. Having four kids in nine years has not been conducive to training for long races. I’m not one of those super-women who can run/race while pregnant. This year, our kids were at an age where I had a little more time to train consistently. I have run a few longer races through the years – some 5K’s, a 10-miler, and a 30 K (18.6 miles), but never a half-marathon. Races are fun, the feeling of camaraderie and teamwork among runners as you encourage one another – knowing it’s a great accomplishment to run that many miles. I remember trying to give my boys perspective on how far it was. If you got in the car and drove from our house to Hilliard along I-270…yikes, that is a long way and we are doing it on foot!

The second reason I ran was to raise money for Marathons for Moms.  It’s a fund-raiser that is close to my heart especially after having Toby. While pregnant with our third child, at a 21-week ultrasound we learned he had Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus. Later that day, a high risk doctor presented us with the choice to terminate my pregnancy.  For us it wasn’t something we even considered, but for many out there they feel it is their only option.  Many unborn babies, especially ones with special needs are NEVER given a chance at life.  Let’s be honest, society doesn’t exactly treasure children, let alone children that will need many resources (education, money, therapy) for their entire lives.

So I ran for Toby – because of God’s grace, we had the knowledge and resources to have our baby and above all, have hope for his future. I ran for all those babies out there that need a chance to be and to give families hope.

I was truly honored and blessed to raise money and run for Marathons for Moms.  It’s incredible to see how God was completely in my training and fund-raising.  There were weeks I was only able to fit in one short run during the week and the long-run on Saturday. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to reach my time goal of under two hours or the financial one, but God provided in many ways.  My husband sacrificed many hours home alone with four kids, so I could train. God provided the strength and endurance to finish well, and reach the financial goal. One of these was through the final donation in the form of $200.00.  A friend donated her entire substitute teaching salary in honor of someone that she knew that chose life for her unborn baby facing a heart defect.

When she told me the reason for the donation I shed tears in thankfulness and joy. Looking back at this journey, both with our son and running, I can see the ways that God has always provided.

He has provided in big ways like facing uncertainty as Toby fought for his life in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at 4 weeks of age, and in small ways – allowing me the time and energy to not only finish a half-marathon, but finish well! In the end, God’s provision is evident and He is the giver of life and hope to everyone who asks.

-Carrie Holt, Columbus, Ohio

I visited the Pregnancy Decision Health Center web page and noticed the Marathons for Moms page in late June of this year. As someone who runs and who has been extremely passionate about the pro-life movement I thought it sounded like a great idea. However, I’m also a full time graduate student and a mother to five year-old triplets. In addition, I usually only run four or five miles at a time. But Marathons for Moms kept entering my mind every single day. Finally, as my husband and I were at a Christian concert in late July I told him of my dilemma of how I had this feeling like I was supposed to run, but questioning how I could possibly train with my already hectic schedule. At that time a gentleman walked over and stood beside us. He was wearing a half marathon t-shirt. God had spoken and I heard Him loud & clear.

However, I still wasn’t 100% convinced that my body could handle the training or the race. So I told God that He would have to increase my runs without my typical knee pain before I would officially sign up and make an announcement at church. Of course God was faithful and my runs quickly increased from four miles to seven or eight miles. At the same time my knees, which are normally sore due to runner’s knee, were doing great. So I made it official with my registration for the race and my announcement to the church.

Not only was I able to complete my first ever half marathon for Marathon for Mom’s this year, I was also able to reach 3/4 of my fundraising goal! In addition, I improved my usual time and came in faster than I ever anticipated at the beginning of my training. Though I thought I would walk away hating such distance running, I would love to do another half marathon and improve my finish time to under two hours. I would also love to fundraise again for Marathons for Moms. I cannot think of a cause more deserving than helping the unborn and those in crisis pregnancies. Thank you to all of the staff at Pregnancy Decision Health Centers for all that you do each and every day; and thank you to God for moving me out of my comfort zone and being my strength each step of the way!

-Jessie French, Marysville, Ohio

Marsha Middleton completed her first ever half-marathon in Kansas City on October 15th.  As the CEO of Alliance for Life Missouri, Marsha works to unite pro-life efforts in the state of Missouri and to support Pregnancy Centers through awareness, training and more.  Marathons for Moms was excited to receive the following reflection from Marsha:

I will share with you how I even came to the place of attempting to do this marathon. Tim, I don’t know if you remember we had a conversation early on back in June as I was trying to figure out how this entire Marathon for Moms process would work as I was planning on recruiting runners. You suggested that I go on and sign up as a runner so I could see exactly how it would work so I could explain to runners as I recruited.  So that is what I did, however as I was walking through the process, I felt the Lord nudging me that I was to actually do this. I argued with Him a bit, but that urging was so strong… that I had to be first. Lead by example. So I committed to do it with the idea of walking or breaking it down and doing several 5ks. I think you and I even talked about that aspect at one time. But I just kept getting the message that I needed to begin training to do a half marathon; I needed to do one event, not several. So in late June I began the training process to run a half marathon and raising the money.

While the half marathon was harder than I expected and I had some knee issues midway that created a very painful end, I have learned many lessons about myself and from a spiritual perspective that I would not trade. I finished which was my ultimate goal. I will be working all year to deal with these physical issues so that I can do it again with hopefully less pain. But more importantly to run because life matters and encourage others to join me.

Thanks for introducing me to Marathon for Moms and suggesting I sign up as a runner. I know you didn’t know what you really were inspiring me toward, but the Lord used that to move me to actually “do it” instead of hoping others would for me.

We are working toward building this thing across Missouri for 2012 to raise funds statewide. I am expecting great things from God as we attempt great things for God!

His for Life …running because life matters!

Marsha Middleton

The following inspirational email is from Marathons for Moms participant Rachael Bede of Columbus, Ohio. Rachael, a mother of 5, completed the Presque Isle half-marathon in July and raised $1163.90 for Pregnancy Decision Health Centers.

Thank you, Rachael, for sharing your incredible story and for your perseverance in the race for life!

Dear Friends,

Because of your donations (and possibly prayer support for those who can’t donate), I met the halfway goal for Marathons for Moms by May 5th and I won a drawing for a new pair of running shoes – Woo Hoo!!!! It was such a cool experience. I have generally picked up whatever is on sale at Kohls. My latest pair had not only doubled the amount of mileage that is recommended for running shoes, but shooo-wee they emanated quite an odor due to all the rain and mud I had been sloshing through. So I got to visit a really great running store, where they analyzed my gait and arch-type and all kinds of things I’d never considered before, and I came away with some beauties.

So I was very much enjoying my training, and felt great about a couple of 10-milers I had run when- WHAMO- on Memorial Day I was made very much aware of a new little Bede growing inside of me and had to stop training altogether due to being rather sick.

On Sun, July 17th after a fun weekend with my brother and his family who live in Erie, I showed up at 7am for the Presque Isle half-marathon, not sure I was going to be able to walk for 4 hours. So I started off running- after a few miles I set a goal of not stopping until I hit 7 miles, which would be halfway there. After that it was a lot of alternating walking and shuffle-jogging until I finally jogged the last mile in. It was a beautiful run – we could see peaceful views of Lake Erie with boats and lovely beaches and marshes along the way. At the end, though, was the loveliest view of all- Philip and my little ones cheering me on.

But back to the reason for it all, through this process I have been cognizant of – and taking to prayer – the women and babies who visit PDHC, and I praise God that they have somewhere to turn so that they can make life-giving decisions. Here I had a direct correlation to the women facing a troubled pregnancy. I, of course, carried my little one with me on my journey. It was kind of humiliating- I was passed by a woman with a large hump on her back, another woman with the words, “Please, God, let there be someone behind me to read this t-shirt” on the back of her shirt, and an 11-year-old boy chatting with his mom as they ran. I felt a tiny bit of the fear and the doubt, “can I do this?” that some of these ladies feel who are unexpectedly pregnant. I also prayed as I ran for the special needs of those of you who donated money to the cause.

Thanks so much for the shoes, for the support, and for the love!

Sincerely,
Rachael