Richmond Half Marathon: An Unexpected Race

“It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings

The Unexpected Races

About this time last year, as we sat around eating holiday food, my buddy Michael said, Why don't we find a 5K to train for? It"ll help us get back into shape. So...one 10K and two half marathons later, and here I am writing this post

Two Half Marathons in 2012. Whoda thunk it?

And that's the least of the surprises: Going into last year's holiday season, adoption had never crossed my mind. But here I am, working and planning with my wife Val to bring two young people out of a Russian orphanage and into our home.

Funny. I had this feeling that God was telling me to prepare for something big. I just had no idea...

Adoption and racing converged at the Richmond Half Marathon. I thought I'd try using this race as a fund-raiser, and some incredible friends stepped up to the plate to support us. Friend Jeff upped the ante by challenging me to shave 10 minutes off of my previous race time. And he promised a bigger donation if I did.Yikes. No pressure there.

A Strategy Emerges

If you want to cut 10 minutes from your PR, here are my suggestions:

• Run the mile you're in. In Ashland, I kept thinking about the miles in front of me. In Richmond, I just concentrated on staying strong at the moment. It makes a big difference
• Lolly-gag in your first race. Seriously. I didn't know what to expect at the Patrick Henry Half, so my only goal was to avoid the ignominy of being picked off the course by a shuttle. Maybe could have pushed that one a little harder? 
• Concentrate on speed work. Between August and November, I spent more time on speed work. Part of the reason for this - honestly - was because my knees just weren't holding up so well on the long runs. . 
• Have a cause. Brady Murray, Iron Man and founder of RODS Racing told me, "You'd be amazed what you can do when racing for a cause." He was right. 
• Finish on a down hill. The Richmond race closed with a nice decline heading into Browns Island. I try to finish most of my training runs on an incline, so this made for a swift kick at the end. 
• Pray. Can't stress this enough. Things happen when you pray.

Thank You, Pace Team

Just before the start, I noticed a 2:15 pace team in the corral in front of me. Perfect. If I could catch them and then stay ahead, that would get me in the neighborhood of 2:10. So that was the first order of business. By the time I reached Bryan Park, around mile 7, they were long gone. I had a burst of energy inside the park - fueled by the clock that told me I was under an hour for the first 10K.

Expect Great Things from God, Attempt Great Things for God

The Richmond race is behind me. But there's still a lot of ground to cover before we can bring Ana and Tim home. One thing I am trying to learn, though:, is to run the mile I'm in. It's too easy to be overcome by the distance that stretches out before me. But God's grace, like Manna, is enough for the day.

Richmond Half Marathon: A Race to Bring Two Orphans Home

A Russian orphanage is the only home that Ana (10 years old) and Tim (12 years old) have ever known. For children in their situation, aging out of institutional life can be disastrous. Many end up ill and on the street. 

Our family has just embarked on the exciting, frightening and faith building path of bringing Ana and Tim out of the orphanage and into our home. If we're successful, Ana and Tim will have a family, access to quality medical care, and the chance for a healthy, productive life. It's a massive undertaking, and I'm writing to ask for your help. 

Here's a little background: 

Our journey started with Reece’s Rainbow. This ministry helps to fund the very costly process of international adoptions. My wife and youngest daughter were introduced to the RR website by a friend and they quickly sensed that God was calling our family to the ministry of adoption. For me, that conviction was longer in taking root. But the Lord soon put Ana and Tim on his heart as well. 

As we began to explore the Reece’s Rainbow site, our eyes were opened to the plight of older children in foreign orphanages. For many, aging out of an orphanage is a disaster. With no family or social services to fall back on, many of these children will find themselves on the street, involved in drugs and prostitution. A tragic number resort to suicide. 

 How you can help Ana and Tim: 

On November 10, I'l be running in the Richmond Half Marathon. I'm asking for you to help by becoming a sponsor. It's a 13.1 mile run. If folks like you could contribute $1.00 per mile - $13.10 - it would go a long way towards bringing Ana and Tim home. Of course, anything you can contribute will help and will be greatly appreciated by these young people. 

 All donations can be made through Reece's Rainbow. Reece's is a registered 501(c)3 corporation that provides grants for those seeking to adopt children with special medical needs. To date, they have disbursed over $4,000,000 in adoption grants. To sign up as a sponsor, just follow this link: Ana and Tim - Richmond Half Marathon. Once you've committed, you'll receive a post-race email letting you know how many miles I've completed (13.1 at the most) and reminding you to go online and make a donation to Reece's Rainbow towards Ana and Tim's adoption. 

Of course, you can donate through the Reece's' Rainbow site, and learn more about Ana and Tim here. I also invite you to keep up with our journey - and the half marathon results - through our blog, www.DeutschFamilyAdoption.com. Most of all, we'd ask you to pray.When all is said and done, we're trusting God to move mountains for Ana and Tim and bring them home.