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Foster Kid
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 [Recap]
I woke up to three letters of encouragement from my hubby and received three big hugs from my favorite athletes upon arriving at the event (Stacy, Brandy, and Martin). I couldn’t have asked for a better way to begin my Sunday morning. Miles 1-5 greeted me with perfect weather (foggy and overcast). We moved quickly through the corral and were off! My fellow runners and I were surrounded by supporters who were cheering us on, and music filled the streets of downtown Fort Worth. Miles 5-13 are always my favorite at Cowtown. I absolutely love running through the Stockyards. At mile 12 a bakery was handing out chocolate chip muffins, and I of course enjoyed one myself… SO yummy! Miles 13-20 are always emotional for me. Around mile 13 we head up to the courthouse and the course is flooded with American flags, service members, and photos of the veterans who have died serving our country. My heart always swells, and gratitude fills me. I was still running strong at this phase of the ultra. Miles 20-25 were enjoyable! My body felt great; I was sure to stop at every stop that offered candy, and any rest stop I could for Gatorade to stay hydrated. At mile 25 I saw my favorite cheerleader, Mary, and gave her a big hug. Miles 25-31 are the hardest portion of the course. The sidewalk cement is more taxing to run on. At mile 27, I turned around, got some snacks and was off for the finish. Then came the struggle at mile 28. My hamstrings locked up and I listened to my body and stopped to walk for a while. When I felt slightly better, I picked up my pace to a slow jog/walk. Again, my cheerleader Mary was there at mile 29.5. I was hurting and she embraced me with another hug and the encouragement that I could do ANYTHING for one mile. And yes, Mary was right: I CAN do anything for one mile. I found a little pick me up with the end in sight and increased my pace for the last 400m. Mission Accomplished! I crossed the finish line with a time of 5:03 for the Ultra. I placed 2nd in my age group and 10thfor Overall female. While walking back to my car I chatted with a New York runner who told me she loved this event because people at Cowtown were so friendly and helpful. THIS is exactly why I love this event and have chosen to run it for ten years! I returned home to my hubby who had a big hug, proud smile, and finisher’s breakfast waiting for me. I am so blessed. [Reflection] Steve and I have loved running Cowtown over the years. In ten years, I have completed one half marathon (the year we had the ice storm), one full marathon, and the Ultra eight times! This course is positive, uplifting, and has an environment filled with fun. You can’t be a spectator or participant and not feel joyful. I am running strong and feeling great, but unfortunately Steve’s long-run days have ended. Now it’s time to turn the page and find a new adventure together. I know he will always support my future goals, but we are finding our new “next adventure” together.
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By the time I turned 21, I had been divorced twice, homeless, and lost all trust in humanity. I want to spend some time expressing what that darker time of my life was like in order to help others realize the importance of never giving up. Life can (and does) get better. I was holding on by a thread, but because I did hold on, I have twenty-five years of bliss with the love of my life (of course filled with many peaks and valleys).
I graduated at the age of 17 and married my first husband at 18. The college I was attending was closing, so I married my boyfriend and moved with him to Springfield, Missouri. The traumatized mind often tries to protect itself, and I cannot recall many details during this time. I do remember he dropped me off on the side of the road with the clothes on my back and (I think) a single bag when we were back in Washington state. We hadn’t even been married an entire year. I was homeless for a while, and then ended up staying with my sister briefly. She was dealing with her own issues at the time, and from there I found myself in my uncle’s basement while I worked and attended another two-year college. Within another year I was married again and living in California. Unfortunately, Husband #2 was an abusive marriage. I won’t dwell on the details of the abuse or issues in that relationship. But to put it into perspective, the marriage ended in a court martial and was the first case concerning a husband raping his wife. After a night of abuse, I moved in with a friend’s parents. Though the torment did not end with leaving the house. Husband #2 stalked me day and night. I feared for my life and sustained constant harassment. At one point he tried to put on a show that he was a changed man who wanted to salvage his marriage and convinced the pastor of our church to come to the house and get me to reconcile. That did not go well. One day when I was out for a run, a private detective assigned to the case was disguised as a fisherman. He jumped out at me and told me Husband #2 was hiding in the woods waiting for me. He told me I needed to stay with him and eventually I saw Husband #2 retreat to her car. That detective saved my life that day. After the court martial, I never heard from Husband #2 again. These years were incredibly difficult, and I wondered how much lower I could go. Homeless, lost and divorced twice by the age of 21. I was humiliated and hopeless. I didn’t have parents to turn to and felt so alone. This wasn’t the life I dreamt of, and I felt as though my entire life had been fighting in survival mode. How could I trust anyone? But my faith in God and good friends (who became like family) helped me get through it all. At 23, I found my person and partner in life. Life is amazing, but it can be awful. There are peaks and valleys, and most things are out of our control. Hold on. Breath. Trust that things WILL get better again. “One day you will thank yourself for not giving up.” –LR Knost Until Next Monday... |
AuthorPollyann Keller Archives
October 2024
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