A message from Cathy Powell:  6/4/2008   (I was running with Cathy last week and she relayed this story to me. I thought, you know, that could prove to be pretty inspirational to someone who was challenged to get a workout in when they were feeling a bit low".  I asked her if she'd put it in print and by george, she did.  So here it is.  A battle of the wills story.

"Just Keep Swimming"
Steve asked me if I would mind writing about my recent trip to West Virginia to run the Hatfield and McCoy marathon, I think so you all know that no matter how bad you feel, that if you dig deep within you can prevail.
The trip didn't start anything like I had envisioned for a marathon; yes, I knew it was going to be a hilly course and was prepared for that; and yes, I knew it would be warm for a June marathon. Unfortunately, I hadn't planned on working as many hours as I had the week prior to the marathon, I hadn't planned on my back starting to spasm the week before and taking muscle relaxants that gave me a horrific headache so I had to take lots of Ibuprofen to get rid of the headache. Let me tell you a week of that stuff doesn't do much for the stomach. Throw a noisy, bumpy flight on top of that and getting off the plane to 96 degrees with humidity that made it well over 100, and a drive up and down and curve after curve through the mountains of West Virginia for 1 1/2 hours and its enough to make anyone sick to their stomach. Which is exactly what I did; 14 hours before the marathon and I'm puking my guts out.
I managed to check in to the marathon and my hotel room. There was a free pasta dinner that night and I thought lets see if I can eat something because I need the fuel for the race. I walked to the restaurant, looked in and said "no way can I eat pasta" next step try and eat a turkey sandwich; one bite of that and it was in the trash.
I didn't get much sleep and wondered how was I ever going to run 26.2 miles with nothing for fuel. I got up early and took the shuttle to the start line telling myself "you'll get through this even if you have to walk". I was also praying the sun wouldn't come out for a while because if the heat was anything like the day prior I was toast. It was atleast 75 degrees at 7:00 when we started and up a large hill we went, one of so many I couldn't even count.
Anyone that knows my running habits I don't drink much, usually 10 miles in before I start rehydrating, but this day was different I knew it had to be if I was going to finish. I had a little gatorade just before the race and started drinking sips of water and eatting a single sports bean, basically a high octane jelly belly, two miles in. The race was very well organized for such a small race and they had water stops every mile with water and gatorade. I made good use of them and got some fluids in me so I had the energy to get through what was seeming like a never ending race. I was concerned the sun was going to pop out but at the 13.1 mile point it started to mist and eventually a steady rain. Then I had soaking wet feet and they were sloshing around in my sneakers. Could this get any worse. Oh yeah it could. I had two thoughts going through my mind as I was out there just plugging along; one was just taking it one mile at a time, and two, my mantra "Just Keep Swimming", I'll explain this one later. I had been drinking more than I normally do when I run so my stomach was starting to feel it and my legs were getting tired because my muscles needed fuel. At mile 23 or so we are going over this bridge in the middle of a golf couse that moves every time you step down. If I wasn't feeling bad enough this was not helping matters. The end was near 'Just Keep Swimming, Just Keep Swimming. Well, I made it to the finish line. My finishing time was not one of my better ones but my goal and always my first goal is to finish. I did that for which I was happy after all it took me to get there. The surprise was when I crossed the finish line and one of the volunteers asked me my age and I told her and she said " I think you placed in your age group" I started laughing to myself and she walked back up to me and handed me a trophy for first place in m y age group. I thanked her, shook my head, and thought; if she only knew what I had just been through.
I have to explain the "Just Keep Swimming" mantra. I thank my daughter for this. Two years ago I went to Nashville to run the Country Music Marathon. Yet another marathon that was hot, humid, 90 degrees, and I was vomiting a few hours before the race. While I was visiting my daughter made me watch Finding Nemo. Hence, where "just keep swimming" came from. While running when things are bleak and I feel like I can't go any further, I start telling myself to "Just Keep Swimming".
So all I can say to everyone is; find your mantra, dig deep within, and you can do whatever you set your mind to. I'm telling myself I won't be visiting my daughter down south anymore and running a marathon while there because its guaranteed I'll be sick to my stomach the night before.