Living Outside The Lines: Tales Of A 15K

My running buddy, Gertrude the Garmin, beeped at me whether I was ON PACE, BEHIND PACE or AHEAD OF PACE. I’m happy to report; we were only BEHIND PACE twice…

By, Becky J Miller

I promise I am not going to preach, just using this as a point of reference; in Genesis 50:20 the Bible records the story of Joseph. He was sold into slavery by his brothers, but then gets an opportunity, years later, to face them. 

Joseph had much time to dwell on what his brothers did, but there was no malice in his heart. Instead he stands before them and says, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”

On February 9, 2013, I had a “Joseph” moment. The day dawned cool and crisp. I was excited to be in Dallas, at the Cotton Bowl, preparing to run the Hot Chocolate 15K with my then 20-year-old niece, Melissa. She had started running less than a year before and was just beginning to branch out into distance runs. 

This 15K was our first run together. She and I had discussed our target pace and finish time goal. Despite taking the “scenic route” to the Cotton Bowl we managed to line up in our starting corral well before the gun sounded. 

Normally, I am what my husband calls a “race snob.” I hate to be trapped in the pack at the beginning of a race. I waste a lot of valuable energy bobbing and weaving around people. I decided to take a different approach this race; I kept a steady pace and only moved around people when the choice was that, or run them over! This technique worked rather well. 

My running buddy, Gertrude the Garmin, beeped at me whether I was ON PACE, BEHIND PACE or AHEAD OF PACE. I’m happy to report; we were only BEHIND PACE twice; once when running up hill and once we’d slowed down at a water stop. 

Despite a few noticeable changes in grade, the race felt easy. I was surprised because my training runs had not gone so well. No doubt, the incentive to not fall behind my 25 years younger, 25 pounds lighter, niece helped. My official finish time was 1:31, my Garmin had me at 1:30, but I won’t bicker over a minute. I was ecstatic! I had finished right on target!!! 

But wait, there’s more!! In October 2011, about a month before the accident that left me with a broken neck, clavicle, scapula and ribs, I completed the Chosen Half Marathon for adoption. I finished that race in 2:08, a personal record for me. It was my last big race before the wreck. 

I save all my race bibs and usually record the date, finish time and whether I placed in my age division. Because I set a personal record in the Chosen Half, I also recorded my official pace, 9:49. I’d run two half marathons since recovering from the accident, but my pace had been nowhere near what it was pre-accident, until this day. 

My official pace in the Hot Chocolate 15K was 9:49!!! When I saw that number, I could only weep tears of joy over what God had done in my life. Not only did I survive the accident, not only was my body healed, but my health and athleticism were fully restored!! 

As if all of that was not enough, the race took place EXACTLY one year, to the date, after the titanium halo I wore for three months was removed. The halo was detached February 9, 2012. Like Joseph, I can only stand in awe at how God used an event that almost took my life, to bring good not only to me, but also to all the people who’ve been witness to the journey. 

Sometimes bad things happen to us, things we cannot control, but the choice of how we navigate through those difficult times, is always ours to make. Will we succumb to the pain, or prevail against it?? The choice belongs to you.

Until Next Time,

Becky J Miller ~ Warrior Princess

Becky J Miller is a contributor and is exclusive to SM Corridor News. You can read more of Becky’s columns in Lifestyle.