Getting to the starting line...

     All packed up and headed to Duluth, with one stop in Superior for our oldest son to take his driver's exam.  Successfully completing his task, we were headed across the bridge.  I had an interview scheduled with WDIO tv that afternoon.  Thankfully, the interview wasn't too nerve racking.  First time I've ever experienced that. I was very excited to be able to get my message out.  (There should be a link to the interview on this page)  My uncle, the anchor of WDIO, gave us a tour of the station just before he had to go on air.  As we were walking around, "teasers" of my story, which was going to headline the news, kept rolling throughout each room.  It was a little strange seeing myself show up on the tv just before a commercial or something.   After we had left the production room and the newsroom and were heading for the door, a young man approached me and said, "I'm sorry I didn't recognize you at first that you were the one in the news clip running with the flag.  I want to thank you for doing that.  I'll be going over seas in a couple of months and really appreciate what you are doing."  What a deal, I thought.  It brought my friend to tears who was with us and gave me goosebumps.  I then told him I was honored to do so and thanked him for serving.  Later that day, he actually put a call-out on facebook to any military to come and support me at the race.  What a humbling moment.
     In decided what should I wear, I didn't want too much attention directed at me.  It was all about the flag.  So I opted for black & white.  At first I wanted to have names of those who have served on my shirt, quickly realizing there are way too many of just people I know, and I was running for ALL who have served, both living and deceased.  Then it came to me, "United We Stand".  A statement so true.  Strength in numbers, right?  Now for the back of my shirt.  I know that there are some in congress who wish to take God out of certain places or events...well it was my job to keep Him in this one.  So, "One Nation Under God" seemed perfect.
     Not listening to the weather forecasts, I packed as if it was going to be "nice".  I was sorely mistaken.  Thanks goodness for the running expo!  I was able to purchase gloves, and arm covers there.  It rained and rained and rained.  Waking up the morning of to rain, of course, I did my normal stretching rituals, waking up my muscles, eating what little food my stomach would tolerate, and packed up my warm-up bag, which included the ever important flag.  A friend, who would also be running, was doing the same.  My husband drove us to the drop off, where it was still raining, and cold...still in the 40's.  My friend and I were sporting the garbage bags, as were many of the runners, to keep us dry until we get to the start.  Twenty-six miles actually seems longer when driven then when run, for some odd reason.  It seemed like an eternity to get to the start, raining the whole way.  By some miracle, as the buses arrived in Two Harbors at the start, the rain stopped...going against what had been predicted.  Hmmmm...try and tell me God wasn't a part of that!
     As we got off of the bus to join the other 8500 runners and even more spectators, the energy could easily be felt.  Music playing, runners busily stretching, warming up, using the porta-potties, and getting to their places in line...no turning back now!  Had my final source of energy, an orange, about 20 min before the race began.  After doing more stretching, they announced that they were soon going to start.  Time to unfurl the flag.  As I began twisting and lengthening the pole, a woman began to sing the Star Spangled Banner.  With no other flag in sight, people shuffled around me to form a large circle and covered their hearts.  O MY GOODNESS...Suddenly I became the flagpole to over 8000 people!  So I slowly grabbed the lower ring of the flag, because I hadn't had time to connect it yet, and raised it as high as I could,  the whole time feeling so humbled and honored to be holding the thing that all these people were saluting and had such respect for.  This was really happening...I was about to live one of my dreams!

    My friend had made his way up to his pace group and I to mine.   As I was anxiously waiting there, one woman gave me a thumbs up and thanked me for carrying the flag.  She told me that her best friend was still in Iraq.  She continued explained to me what happens when a soldier in killed;  the rest of the troops that are there,  line both sides of a path to the plane where the casket is carried past his or her fellow soldiers and then is sent home to their family.  Each of the members carry a flag forming a path lined with flags.  Me carrying the flag, reminded her of that.  She told me how that process helps them to remember that it wasn't just a soldier, but also a son, a daughter, a father, a mother...they are family.  Tears of great gratitude filled both our eyes. I could feel the emotion she had on this topic.  We hugged and wished each other luck.  We were just minutes away from the start of the 35th annual Grandma's Marathon.

My friend & I sporting the garbage bags

                  

The girl I met at the start who had served in Iraq

   

Training time!

Training began in the middle of February.  Living in Wisconsin, that means, unless you like subzero runs, it's a good time to get to know the treadmill.  Starting those early morning runs, wasn't such a drudgery this time.  It was as though I wasn't the only one in training.  With the thought of hoisting our flag while running past so many people, I'd get goosebumps and have energy I couldn't explain.  As I ran, I thought of all the men and women who have sacrificed so much for us, even their lives.  I could almost hear them cheering.  Again, more goosebumps...  This made me all the more excited to run.  As the days kept getting longer, and the temperatures would ever-so-gradually warm up, I was able to do more running outside.  Though it took it a very long time to warm up!  I can run in the rain, the snow, and the heat, but you can keep the cold!  That is not for me.  Unfortunately, it seemed every Saturday (long run day) it would be absolutely miserable:  cold, rainy, windy, cloudy, and even sleet & snow would fall.  I can think of one particular run, 17 miles I believe, that I almost didn't make it.  I had 4 miles to go, and had to call for my husband to bring more clothing.  I could feel my joints and muscles freezing up with every step.  My stride had significantly diminished so much that I think the average person could have walked faster.  I think I was even moaning with every step.  I was so cold!  My husband was by my side the rest of the way home.  I couldn't have trained for that marathon without his support!  ~  Another long run day was the day the world was supposed to end...remember that day?  It was supposed to end with fire...well, God had different plans.  It rained and rained and rained.  I have never been so wet on land.  It was a 12 mile run that day.  I think it rained for at least 10 of those miles, pouring for at least an hour somewhere in the middle.  Temps were not so bad, so I had fun with that run.  When I returned home, I lowered my arms and water came streaming out of the sleeves of my rain jacket.  ~  The last most memorable run, was a 21 mile run.  (It was supposed to be 20 miles but I missed calculated)  I had shed my $50 running pants and long sleeve Panther shirt (the school our kids go to) and placed them in a ditch under a "Neighborhood Crime Watch" sign, which was at a corner where the nearest house was a 1/2 mile away...pretty baron.  That was about 3 miles from home.  I continued my run, caught up with a friend who was training for her first 5K, then began my return route.  When I got to where I had put the clothes...they were gone.  Gone!  I couldn't believe it.  I was so mad, the last 3 miles went by pretty fast and pain free!  ~  Through the 4 months of training, I have realized that anyone can run a marathon, it's the training for it that makes you think twice.  I survived the crazy weather, I survived running 18 miles on a treadmill (not recommended!) I survived my minor injuries (with LOTS of physical therapy help) and I was rearing to go!  My last thing I needed to do was to actually run with the flag.  I had one week before the race. I had purchased a flag from Fleet Farm, American made, of course.  The pole was a retractable aluminum pole that a Vietnam Vet had recommended for me to use.  He uses it for the patriot guard.  Two of my boys accompanied me on their bikes while I ran 3 miles with the flag.  It was lighter, and more comfortable than I had thought it was going to be.  Cars would pass a little slower, I'm sure wondering what the heck I was doing.  Friends stopped me to ask what I was doing and wished me luck when I told them.  On my return to home, a truck was coming up the hill.  The driver, gave me a thumbs up, and blew his horn.  I knew then, this is going to be a very exciting ride!

Making a Dream a Reality

     I came home from that run that day I had first got the inspiration to carry the flag and had to do some research.  I went straight to the computer and googled, "carrying the flag in a marathon".  I didn't know if it had been done, if it could be done, or anything.  The first two links that came up were about guys from MN who had carried the flag.  One had done it, because he had served and had been injured, but had recovered and wanted to show his patriotism.  The second guy, had a whole website with pictures, a blog, interviews, etc.  He runs in memory of his best friend who had been killed while serving to protect what we hold so dear.  I thought that was a pretty touching gesture.  I did not find anywhere that any women had carried the flag in any race, let alone a marathon.  Time went by.  Christmas came.  We began receiving letters like we always do that time of year.  One in particular comes from my math teacher who I had in Northern MN about 25 years ago.  In his letter, they tell of what each of their kids are doing, how most Christmas letters are.  They said one of their sons now runs 4 - 1/2 marathons a year, carrying a flag, in memory of his friend who was killed in the war...wait a second...I went back to the website I had visited 4 months prior and discovered that that was him!  What a small world!  I tracked him down on facebook, and began asking all the questions I had about how to train to carry a flag in a marathon.  He was so nice to answer all my crazy questions.  Through our conversations via facebook, we discovered that we would both be running in Duluth.  He would be running the 1/2 and I the full.  What a deal!  I don't really believe in coincidences.  This was meant to happen.  I think our message is an important one, and now we both are trying to spread it.  Freedom is not free, and is something we all have, but only some have paid the price... which I am ever so grateful for. 

Kurt's website is http://www.philcosfreedomteam.net/  

A dream in the making...

     Last year, while out for a 5 mile run, training for a half marathon, I had made my turn for home.  There, waving so majestically with a beuatiful blue sky behind it, was Old Glory.  Even though I had seen that same flag before, for some reason this time, it made me start thinking how grateful I was to be able to be out running on some country road, with no worries of being shot at or told I couldn't be where I was, doing what I was doing.  I think alot during my runs, and this time was no different.  There seemed to be alot of turmoil in our country at the time (still is) yet something inside me as an American did not want me to lose hope of the great country it started out to be.  Sure there are problems, sure there are so many differences between the citizens who live here...but that's the glory of it.  We are allowed to be different!  We are allowed to voice our opinions!  We are allowed to be FREE!  Then it hit me.  There are many things that make us different, but there is one thing that unites us as Americans, and that is what that flag represents...FREEDOM!  I thought more of how it feels to be at some kind of event where the Star Spangled Banner is played, and how everyone joins together to remove their caps, to cover their hearts, or to sing.  For that brief moment, everyone there is united.  Then I thought, how can I help to unite my fellow Americans?  What could I possibly do to make any kind of a difference?  The answer was waving right in front of me.  I need to run a marathon carrying a flag!  That's it! It was as if a lightbulb had been lit.  So, I ran home to begin my journey.

And that is how it all began...