Generosity

I have been blown away and humbled by the outpouring of support I have received the last few days.  Before starting this process, it was not the prospect of running for 6 or more hours straight that scared me, but raising enough money to train and run in the marathon.  Having a fundraising goal is not something I have ever had before.  (And no, selling girl scout cookies does not count - because, please, who could resist my crazy hair cuteness back when???)

This being said, I have until July 22nd to raise $1,000.  I will be volunteering at least six weekends, raising $150 toward that goal (we receive credit if we volunteer on our non-training day).  But $150 is a hole in the bucket compared to $1,000, no matter how much I say every penny counts.

Next thing I know, I have $30 coming in from complete strangers.  I have another $30 between two friends who do not necessarily make a lot of money.  And then... there's the family friends and mom's friends.  Yes, I have totally been using my mother.  Big drops in the bucket coming my way from this group.  All together, I have more than half of the monies I need raised to run this marathon.

What does this mean?  I can raise the rest of it.  Because every single dollar has counted and every single dollar continues to count.  What does this really mean?  I guess I'm running a marathon!

I'm blown away that so many people have such faith in me that I will complete this process and complete the race.  It is truly humbling to get an email on my blackberry telling me that somebody else has donated.  I email a thank you to these folks and try not to be too mushy or corny, since raunchy and sailor mouth are more my style ;), but my heart actually swells knowing that there are people who think enough of me and my drive to make this journey.

When the pain starts to hit, when the boredom sets in, when I can't keep myself enough company, or when "The Wall" seems insurmountable, I will have the names of my supporters in my head.  When the time comes that I cannot get myself through, and this time WILL come, it will be the people who believed in me that will get me through.

So thank you.