This week’s post actually falls in the Keep Moving Forward theme, but here’s a little knowledge about this Team World Vision favorite phrase: “Twende Mbali Pamoja” basically translates to “Go Farther Together/ Let’s Go Together” and this idea that the solo act of running a race is actually a communal event that can be used for so much good has shaped so much of the last 5-6 years of my life.

It is once again Team World Vision Phoenix’s race week. I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about how different this race week is than the first time I ran a half marathon with Team World Vision. In a lot of ways… on paper I was a lot more “successful” when I ran back in 2019. My paces were faster- significantly faster. My Training was more consistent. I hit my fundraising goal. I even had a sizable cheer squad. But when you dig a little deeper, it isn’t the total unbalanced picture I see on first glance.

While I would LOVE to get back to the speed I had in 2019… most of the reason I hit those paces were because I was running every single run all out as if it were a speed training run. I ran every long run at race pace and it is truly a miracle I didn’t get seriously injured that first year.

In 2019 my training was more consistent because I did every single run on the plan out of terror I would not cross the finish line having never run over ten miles by the time I hit race day. It was scary to be at that start line knowing I’d run ten miles but now 13.1 miles were in front of me. So I ran even when it was hard on my family. Even when I was sick. etc. I also ran more consistently because I only had 2 kids instead of 3 and only 1 of those kids was in school. You might think having the kids in school affords me more time and flexibility to run, but life has proved it is the opposite. It is much harder with extra curricular events for the kids and homework help needed and all sorts of other things on our calendar to find a consistent running time. I have to get super creative and flexible to get in 70-80% of my mileage… 100% is just not realistic for my life right now. But that’s OK! I have other important things going on. My husband is actually out of town this race week, which is still a HUGE challenge/stressor, but if that had happened my first year running a half I think it would have broken me. I might have completely given up. Now… I’m rolling with the punches.

OH, and the fundraising? I hit my goal because my goal was much lower my first year… I didn’t think I could EVER fundraise as much as I have. And while I’m not done yet, and would LOVE your help bringing clean water to more people (You can donate to my page by clicking HERE),  I know that I have put my all into bringing people clean water year by year year, and that I have set a loftier goal now than I would have when I started.

All that to say, each race is SO different. It doesn’t matter how many times you have done the distance or even that particular course, you just don’t know what race day will bring. (IE This year is threatening to bring the new experience of racing in the rain.) I know that no matter what happens, I have grown as a runner and as a person since I first started this journey. And I know the BEST part is the community I have built both with other runners and with my amazing donors (some of your fall into both of those categories!), and the impact we have “going together” with people around the world who have their lives changed with clean, accessible water. Here’s to race day aka the victory lap.
PS: Want to see the finish line feels? I’ll post about it on my instagram page when the pictures come in!