Emotional Race

This past week has been an emotional race for me.  My dad had heart surgery on Thursday - very surprising - and so I was in the hospital all day Thursday and Friday, then yesterday after the race.  He is holding his own, still in ICU with minor complications, but stable.  I did run the Country Music 1/2 marathon yesterday.  I did not once feel good during the race like I have in past races.  The whole thing was a struggle.  But I thought of my dad and how he would love to be anywhere but in that hospital with all that pain.  I thought of how he use to run, and instilled in me a love of sport and competition.  It kept me going over all of the hills and to the finish in 2:01.  Another day, I would be so disappointed in this time.  But on this day, during the midst of this trial, I was happy to do it and happy to be done with it.  It hurt but it was a good hurt.  A hurt that one day may keep me off of that operating table.  I ran for my dad.