138,336...1,943,040

My official time was 5:12:57. 

Showing off my first marathon medal. 

I put one foot in front of the other 138,336 times on Sunday. I can't help but be a little emotional about it.

• I don't know what made me sign up in December for this race. But I did it. 
• I don't know what kept me from making excuses every time I didn't want to run. But I ran.
• I don't know how many days I wished I would have never signed up for it because I didn't know if I could do it. But I did it.
• I don't know how many times people said I can't believe you're doing this. You don't have to. But I did it. 
• I don't know what caused me to get sick multiple times during training. But I pushed through.
• I don't know how many times I saw people pass me and think why even try. But I put one foot in front of the other. 

There are hundreds of reasons I could think of why I didn't want to do it, but I can also think of a hundred reasons why I wanted to do it.

• I want to do something hard. 
• I want to do something others can only dream of doing. 
• I want to feel alive. 
• I want to feel like an athlete for one of the only times in my life. 
• I want to prove to others you can do anything you set your mind to. 
• I want to be proud of walking in my first 5K two years ago to running a full marathon.  
• I want to prove to myself that I can do anything. 
• I want to put all my trust in Him because there were times I wasn't sure how I'd do it. 
• I want to beat my genetics. 
• I want to be my best self ever to have a baby. 
• I want to love doing something for life. 

And a hundred other reasons why I did it. I finished. I ran my own race.

I wasn't fast. I was disappointed in my time. Hundreds of people were ahead of me. But I have to remember I put one in front of the other, not just 138,336 times but 1,943,040 times throughout the training of 20 weeks to get to hold up that finisher's medal with pride.

I teared up running into Memorial Stadium. I just couldn't believe I was done. Done with the race I never thought would actually happen.

As far as the actual marathon, I'll get into that in another post this week, but I wanted to capture my thoughts just a few days after the race so I can look back on how I felt.

Evaluating the 101 list...

Just as the first two weeks of the new year come to a close, I wanted to reevaluate my 101 list a bit.

I love having little things to work towards for self-improvement as well as general categories I should focus a bit more on so the concept of 101 is good for me. Yet, BIG things have changed in our lives in the last year so some of the goals just are not going to happen. Here are a few tweaks to my list.

3.Buy a pair of Tory Burch boots--We are now using the Dave Ramsey system of a budget and envelope system for cash, therefore, any extra purchases are a no-no. Oh, a girl can dream though!
10. Buy a sewing machine and use it six times (0/6)--Again a repeat of #3. 

11. Become a Team Leader in Mary Kay--Still getting there. Lots of activity happening this month so not only will I hit this but Future Director by the end of the MK year. It. Is. Done.

12. Have my hair done by Deidra--She is now my future sister-in-law so I think this qualifies as not cheating on your hair dresser, right? 

13. Get a pedicure for every two races completed in 2012--I am HORRIBLE about pampering my feet. I just don't see the sense in it but I will get one after the marathon, when I finish the training!

18. Interact with 10 students in Missouri about K-State College of Ag--The K-State College of Ag sadly did away with the AgBackers group I was a part of so I'll have to figure out another way of talking about K-State and ag at another time. 

19. Take a cooking class--repeat of #3

35. Take an extended weekend getaway with Todd for our first anniversary--This didn't happen, and obviously won't, but we had an amazing first year with a great trip together to Florida twice!

63. Learn donor database system at work--All of these things below are now not something I do in my new job. So with the new list in May I'll create some new work goals. 

64.Begin CFRE certification

65. Meet with my mentor twice in 2012 (one of two)

67. Finish online Photoshop course

69. Meet the annual campaign goal

74. Host a workshop on message training for staff

75. Successfully complete/have funded 10 grants

66. Complete 90 faces in first 100 days of 2012--Didn't happen BUT I am setting it as a goal for completing by May 1, 2013. 

89.Plant an indoor herb garden--Let's be honest. I have attempted this twice now and cannot get the darn thing to grow. Grrr.

95. Paint/Recover Filing Cabinet in Office--DECLUTTER. We got rid of that sucker. 

So some updates, but still working on the others.

*~*Do any of you make "bucket" lists? What are some of your goals?*~*