Team Bermejo up and ready for the Southern California Half Marathon in Irvine! God bless our kids! Papa has dragged them out of bed numerous times for these kind of racing events.
Little Sei Honor was calm before the race...and was asking where Mama was.
We started line up right against the recruits from the Orange County Sheriff's Academy, where they shouted out orders and cadence. With so many people surrounding us, it was enough for Sei to be preoccupied until he....
...asleep around mile 3.
Not even the shouts of support, such as "good job, baby!" and "oh, he's so cute" woke him up. He did not ask for Mama until he woke up around mile 10, and he only asked once. I told him that we will see her soon, and that we were almost "home." He said okay, ate some bananas at the water stop, and was even singing during the last mile. This gave Papa the extra energy to push towards the finish line. Little Sei did such a great job! We were especially amazed with the amount of young kids running the race. Many of them had "Run for LA" t-shirts and were running with classmates and teachers as part of their fitness training for the 2007 LA Marathon. Their determination and will not to give up was such an amazing inspiration.
Prior to the race, I made a list of people that we were going to pray for during each mile. I started doing this during my last race at the San Francisco Marathon, and it kept my mind more focused and on other things than on the pain and the miles. So all throughout the race, we prayed for our family, friends, our small group Bible Study, our home church, and finally, Free Wheelchair Mission and those they serve. The last mile, we especially lifted praise and thanks for the Cross where Christ Jesus endured suffering for us. And then finally, I thought about His Coming, and the exhileration and joy we will experience that day when we cross the Heavenly finish Line! Praise, Glory, and Honor to the One Who Never Grows Weak and Weary! As we neared the race finish line, I tapped Sei on top of his head, and thanked Jesus for being with us and using us for His higher purposes.
Special thanks to my sister, Emily and my four nephew and nieces, Sergio, Mia, Kiana, and Kai who came out to support Team Bermejo and were right there cheering us on at the finish line. And finally, my wife, Megumi, and our daughter, Hana - always for their love, faith, support, and prayers.
Thank you to everyone who offered Team Bermejo encouragement and support in our efforts to raise money and stir hearts for FWCM! We were strengthened and inspired by your compassion and generousity!
Notes:
Finish Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Sei's Sleep Time: 7-8 miles (miles 3-10)
Temperature: Bright, sunny, and warm - a beautiful day to be alive
Body: i've felt better during previous half-marathon, however, however, I couldn't be more pleased how we did;
a killer charlie horse cramp about 20 minutes after the race
Post Race: we all went to lunch at Souplantation, then to OCC Choir practice, saw the end of UCLA's upset of USC (go Bruins!) and then off to a Christmas Program in Loma Linda. A tiring yet awesome day!
Question of the Day: After the race, Hana asked her mom "Does this mean that Sei has run a half-marathon?"
