​If this past month has taught me anything, it has been the true meaning of endurance: Fortitude when life throws a few too many challenges my direction once. Picking myself back up time and time again and choosing to continue to press forward. Battling negativity, exhaustion, tears, the desire to quit, and in the process, tapping into strength reserves I never knew I had. Going into this past weekend, I really had no time to for my typical pre-race nerves. I was too busy battling the compounding stressors that had been beating me down emotionally and mentally to the point of shear exhaustion.

Yet somehow, when I found myself standing on the starting line of the Patriot's Half this past Saturday, I was calm, relaxed and smiling. While the 6 hr drive to get to the race site was not the most desirable, a big part of me knew it would be beneficial to get out of town. I napped almost the entire drive, trying to not think about the inevitable challenge weather would present with highs predicted about 95 for race day, or how mentally tired I was, or how a big part of me wished this race would just go away. Deep down I know I was excited and wanted to race, otherwise I would have just stayed home.