26.2 Miles of Dedication

According to WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University Dedication is:
dedication
noun
1. complete and wholehearted fidelity
2. a ceremony in which something (as a building) is dedicated to some goal or purpose
3. a message that makes a pledge [syn: commitment]
4. a short message (as in a book or musical work or on a photograph) dedicating it to someone or something
5. the act of binding yourself (intellectually or emotionally) to a course of action; "his long commitment to public service"; "they felt no loyalty to a losing team" [syn: commitment]

Some have commenting to me on the dedication it takes one to challenge themselves to even contemplate running a marathon - the training, time, nutrition, and all else that goes into making your body gain the ability to perform the task at hand.

According to Fave, Dedication is...
1 - my brother, Matthew - He is the one whose determination and dedication of marathns and triathlons inspried me to pursue them myself.
2 - all the women on my team - that showed me that with mental toughness and the support of each other anyone can conquer any challenge . if you want it, it's yours for the taking.
3 - my colleagues - they laugh at me whe I come in sore from a big workout, support my need for caffeine when I am tired from getting up too early so I can fit it in, and confirm that it is okay for to me to constantly sit here eating!
4 - missy - one of my BFF's who supports these crazy goals I have and entertains me on trail runs so we can grow stronger together.
5 - monkey Karen - who has begun the challenge herself in completeing her first two running races and aleready making such strides (pun intended)
6 - cousin Rachel - (who I still pretend is in middle school even though she is finishing college)under my peer pressure she completed her first 10k this spring even though I ended up being too sick to barely get out of bed but she kept pushing forward and recently completed her first half marathon.
7 - Baby David - the world is at his fingertips. May he conquer all that he dreams of.
8 - cousin Carolyn - who recently crossed the finish line of her first triathlon and afterwards she gave me one of the greatest compliments of all - that I was her inspiration. (me? really?)
9 - Coach G - she developed not only a training plan to get me to the finish line but also a circle of support that words cannot do justice.
10 - Coach Karen - who will continue to kick my butt in the water and on the track...if I ever go!
11 - Jackie - as she begins to prepare herself for taking on this challenge for the first time herself.
12 - Keiko - childhood to "adult"hood friends. a fellow interior designer. and now a fellow triathlete, too.
13 - Pinot Noir - for my sanity
14 - SQ - for always smiling
15 - Teresa Stadler - for keeping my going
16 - Jim Miller - for keeping my shins working.
17 - Princess -I have a crazy schedule for taking her o-u-t and her snggles are the best!
18 - Molly, Mollie, Lisa, and Debbie - for our training runs.
19 - Mindy - my co-worker training "together" (she's with Sports Backers) to complete her first marathon
20 - KO - true friends don't need ponytail holders.
21 - my Iron girls - the dedication they show to overcome any and all obstacles to complete a marathon...after swimming 2.4 miles and cycling 112 miles.
22 - Karen and Temple - my girls pursuing their goal with me in the Richmond Marathon. Their first time taking on 26.2 miles of smiles.
23 - Katharine - who always keeps me focused on what it is important. she has met me at the gym too many mornings to "ellipticalize" together when my knees and/or shins were too inflammed for actual running.
24 - Alison - who convinced me to sign up for the Nike Women's HALF Marathon last year. i couldn't get in, so she said I could sign up for the full and run the half. Without that half filling up I wouldn't have had the confidence to pursue the full...and complete it!
25 - Mom - whose cheers can be heard above all others and finish line hugs cannot compare
26 - Greg - "Greggy-Pooh" as he has become to the TG's. who keeps me focused and hydrate and eat the right things...with ice cream splurges. And let's me whine and complain over the small things - then brings me back to reality.
.2 - Lynnie and Miso - Sure the ".2" seems like a small distance, but it is the longest distance one can imagine. Without our games (I can hear you) and wearing masks, training would not have been nearly enough fun. I credit these two girls for keeping me going thoughout our training. Miso Grateful. I dedicate this marathon to us!