Chicago Marathon, here we come!

Yes! It is true... I am going to run a marathon!!! Maybe I should rephrase that... "I am going to finish a marathon!". I may run, walk, or jog...maybe crawl, but I am determined to FINISH the Chicago Marathon on October 11th!!! How in the world did I get myself into this you may be asking? Let me start at the beginning...

Recently Don Williams posted a note in our church bulletin about anyone interested in joining the Iowan's for Africa marathon team to please see him. I read it one week and thought about it for 2 minutes... "Hmmm, that would be cool to do...someday." The next week I saw it again and Dave mentioned a certain someones name to me that was doing it and I thought "gosh, if they can do the marathon I should be able to finish it." (mentioning no names here!! :-) I went home from church that week and couldn't STOP thinking about it. You see, deep down I always had this far out goal of doing a marathon someday, but I really thought my opportunity to do this passed when I hit about 25 and had baby #1. Anyways, for 2 days I thought about the marathon...all the hard work it would be, the training, the fundraising, taking time away from my kids possibly to train, the costs, the discipline it would take, did I mention the hard training? After two days I went to bed and asked God as I lay on my pillow to please help me discern if I should quit wasting my thinking energy on this or pursue it some more. I also went to bed feeling like this challenge was way too much work to pull off and leaning much more towards the no side of doing it. The next morning I wake up and my friend, Kris, has emailed me to say she is running and would I like to join her!?!? Ahhhhh! I got all nervous and excited in one! I brought this crazy idea up to Dave whose first reaction was to laugh a bit, tease me, and shrug it off. I don't blame him. I would have done the same thing to myself if I wasn't on what I like to call "the marathon high"! I spent that day praying, calling Don, talking to Kris, talking to Dave some more, praying, googling marathons and running...and finally deciding, Yes, I would do this!

Let me tell you why I decided to do this...
I have a lot of reasons but here are some main ones: I get to run for an awesome cause. World Vision is an organization that is really motivated to make a difference with the poor in our world. I am moved by their work and support them fully. I am so happy to raise money and run for their cause. Another reason is, I am so excited to have a goal like this to work towards and discipline myself to reach this goal. I have been craving for leadership in a way that would motivate me to seek change physically, spiritually, and emotionally. I am so thrilled to have Don Williams coach me and our team the next 6 months. I am also pretty pumped about my team! It is one fun group and not only that but awesome people in general. I'm really looking forward to getting to know some of them better and having time to spend with some of my closest friends. Another reason is I am up for the challenge of doing something outside of my comfort zone and seeing what God has to teach me as I train the next 6 months. One more thing is, being a stay home mom/wife I often tend to myself last...and while I would never exchange places with anyone I would love to have something that I am working towards for myself and a goal that I can look forward to and put some personal energy into. my list goes on and on... but I must say I am so excited for this and while I realize the hours and training and pain and commitment it will take... I am really looking forward to the whole experience and crossing that finish line on October 11th!

I hope to keep you posted as I train... I'm sure you'll hear the aches and pains of this journey as well as the joys and accomplishments. Please pray for me and my team and World Vision and if you feel led...please donate even $10 to this great cause! Check out my fundraising page, as well as meet my team mates at...

http://www.firstgiving.com/jessicahansen

Chicago Marathon... here we come!