{"id":1988,"date":"2013-06-21T08:00:48","date_gmt":"2013-06-21T12:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/elbowglitter.com\/blog\/?p=1988"},"modified":"2015-01-02T10:53:45","modified_gmt":"2015-01-02T15:53:45","slug":"bling-update","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/elbowglitter.com\/blog\/2013\/06\/21\/bling-update\/","title":{"rendered":"Bling Update"},"content":{"rendered":"

So, with no races on my calendar for the next few months (well, til mid-August), I decided that it was time to finally remove the race medals from the bannister and hang them on my medal hangers.<\/p>\n

\"20130619-094658.jpg\"<\/a><\/p>\n

(Click for a larger version)<\/p>\n

This is my medal collection.\u00a0 Sorry the photo looks blurry, but that’s actually just shadow.\u00a0 My first race medal was earned in September of 2010, so this is about three years of medals.<\/p>\n

You might say that I have a problem.<\/p>\n

People often ask me which medals are my favorite, and that’s a tough call.\u00a0 As you can tell, I have my runDisney medals separated from the others because I’m slightly biased.\u00a0 Those are some fabulous medals.<\/p>\n

But to be honest, I really just the medals by the race.\u00a0 The medal on the bottom left is from the Disneyland Half in 2010.\u00a0 I love that medal because it was my first half marathon medal.\u00a0 I think it was actually my first race medal overall.\u00a0 I will never forget the feeling of that race.\u00a0 For those of you who have followed my story, I was actually registered for the Princess Half that spring, but got really sick and couldn’t run, and then that illness snowballed into my ultimate diagnosis of my heart problems and also panic disorder.\u00a0 It was not an awesome time in my life.\u00a0 So to be given the go-ahead to train was an amazing feeling.\u00a0 I was terrified of that 3.5 hour time limit.\u00a0 I wasn’t sure I could do it until around mile 10, when I realized just how much time I had left to finish.\u00a0 I was going to make it and that medal was going to be mine.<\/p>\n

I love the Tinker Bell Half Medal because it was a gorgeous course and so much fun to run.\u00a0 And obviously, my first marathon medal will always be special.<\/p>\n

For the non-Disney medals, it’s equally difficult.\u00a0 That giant surfboard medal from the Myrtle Beach Mini in 2011 is a favorite.\u00a0 It was a new PR for me that day and a glorious race.\u00a0 Hiding behind the Philly Half medal is a medal from Katie and Steve’s Wedding 5K, which will also always hold a special place in my heart.<\/p>\n

Of course, so many of my races are run with friends and family, and so I can’t use those experiences to pick and choose my favorites.\u00a0 Then they would all be my favorites.\u00a0 I have had so many awesome experiences and met so many awesome people while earning these medals, and I can’t wait to earn even more.<\/p>\n