Mile Markers

In past marathons, when I've run with a pace group, we usually try to dedicate each mile of the course to someone, to give us something to think about and someone to run for. After all, you don't want a mile that you've dedicated to your parents, or to the cops guarding the route, or to your SO, to be the mile that you fall apart and hit the wall. So the idea is that you power through it, and then rinse, repeat to the end.

On today's run, a rare chance to get out on an afternoon while the sun was still shining, I started thinking about my mile dedications for this weekend, and who I wanted to think about on my 26.2 mile journey. Some of these mile assignments have special meaning, and some are slotted in as I thought about them. I will print these and carry them with me; if I can get a real 5:00 pace band at the expo Friday, I'll add the names to it.

Mile 1 - I start out each race thanking God and acknowledging how blessed I am to be able to do this
Mile 2 - for the race volunteers, who spend their day handing us water, directing us, and feeding us
Mile 3 - for the police officers who voluntarily protect us on the route
Mile 4 -for Denise, my pace group buddy who ran the half at Cowtown last year while pregnant!
Mile 5 - for Jason, my most recent protege, who finished his first 5K last month
Mile 6 - for my Oracle buddies who I've run with over the years (Randy, John O, Dan, Heart, Janet, Fotta)
Mile 7 - for @Libbyruns and @mlindsley and all my new Twitter buddies
Mile 8 - for Ellie, Juls, Jon and all my bloggy runner friends
Mile 9 - for my Been-Jammin', my "non-traditional" 9 year-old athlete, who inspires me every day
Mile 10 - for the SMU Ops Commies, my original marathon cheering squad
Mile 11 - for my parents, who have celebrated only 11 anniversaries but have been married since 2-29-64!
Mile 12 - for my Dinner Club peeps, among my dearest of friends and my core social group - if I had to be stuck on a desert island, I hope you are all with me! we'll always have good meals and good times!
Mile 13 - for Jenn, who has become a greater friend than I ever expected or deserve and who is starting a journey of her own
Mile 14 - for my DSS U14 family , a great bunch of wonderfully supportive friends & hockey parents
Mile 15 - for my cousin Melina, who is training for her first 5K in March
Mile 16 - for GI Jan, our group leader last year who continues to motivate me despite her own challenges
Mile 17 - for the other runners in the race, that we are all safe and strong at the finish
Mile 18 - for my Sandro. This is the mile where I have historically blown up, crashed and burned, hit the big bad wall. The things that can be most difficult also are most rewarding.
Mile 19 - for XT4, who inspires me to be more than I am, who is the athlete I want to be when I grow up
Mile 20 - for my SWAT BFFs, who always keep me going when the going gets tough
Mile 21 - for my family members who have served and are serving in the armed forces
Mile 22 - for John, who's been supporting me in all I do for the past 22 years
Mile 23 - for my family members not already in this list
Mile 24 - for Carmen & David, two of my most supportive cheerleaders ever
Mile 25 - for my father-in-law, who carries on valiantly, for us and for my boys  
Mile 26 - in memory of Connie, who is missed more than we ever thought possible
Last .2 - for ME!!!

Who do you think about during your races?