Now Is My Time

Some of you may be wondering how I managed to pick a half marathon out of all the things to do to "Chase the Cross" so to speak.  Well...Let's start at the beginning...

I distinctly visualize the bright yellow bike trailer my mom had attached to the back tire of her bike.  On the seat behind her sat my brother strapped into the toddler tag-along seat, as his bright helmet bobbed up and down.  Beside me sits my sister and between us, our ever faithful dog Lucky.  With the weight of us kids, the bike, dog, and trailer, my mom was easily pulling her body weight and then some as though it was nothing...

It was like yesterday, watching my dad run the last quarter mile of the Boston Marathon - a 26.2 mile race.  My job?  Cheer as loud as my voice would allow as dad rounded out just one of many marathons.  As a six year old, any reason to yell REALLY LOUD was reason enough to make the necessary amount of noise to carry him the last few yards of a grueling race...

The sister that sat beside me in that bike trailer has always been the person I looked up to.  As a middle school student, I looked forward to getting to go up to the high school to see my older sister.  Her five foot nothing frame running the 3.1 mile cross country meet.  Steady, constant, and unchanging.  Her facial expression determined, her body in flawless form...there I was, running from checkpoint to checkpoint, encouraging her, and making sure she could hear her little sister supporting her through her entire run...

Looking up to find that same boy that was strapped into mom's toddler bike seat, now towers over me at six feet, four inches...and growing.  He, like the rest of my family, got bit by the running bug.  And there I was, every step of the way, proud to see him charge across the finish line, time and time again.  Yelling just as loud as I did for my dad and sister.

...

You see, running is part of my family.  My mom and dad started it all in high school.  I can look in their yearbook and see pictures of them standing side-by-side after finishing cross country races together.  It's part of my blood.  I proudly embark on this daunting task to "Chase the Cross" not for my family, but WITH my family.

Now it is my turn, they each have passed the torch .... now it's my turn to redirect the race in a

Race For the Risen One.