2319: Second Look

March has been a good month. The days are stretching longer, the air is warming up, and the trees are beginning to bloom like they’ve been waiting for their moment. Everything feels like it’s shifting. In Mississippi, it almost feels like we skipped winter altogether… well, almost. Those last couple weeks in January definitely reminded us what cold really is.

Speaking of cold weather, I had the opportunity to travel back to Carbondale, Illinois, and then on to Springfield for a “second look” at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine with my great friend and future classmate, Ahmad Wilson. But the trip felt like more than just a visit. It felt like a culmination. Every mile carried the weight of the support I’ve received from family, friends, classmates, neighbors, and coworkers who have all played a role in helping me get to this point. The uncertainty, the faith, the patience… it all came together on that drive.

The trip from Jackson to Carbondale is a little over six hours, depending on how many times you stop for gas, food, or just to stretch your legs. It’s become one of my favorite drives. Memphis, Tennessee marks the halfway point, and every time we pass through, Ahmad and I make a stop at the Bass Pro Shop. It’s a small tradition, but it gives the trip something to look forward to. After Memphis, it’s about two and a half hours to Carbondale, with one more familiar stop along the way: Boomland in Charleston, Missouri.

That gas station holds more memories than most places I’ve visited. I’ve been stopping there since I was a kid on trips to Chicago with my family. As I got older and started making that same drive for school, the tradition stayed alive. My oldest sister, Yesenia, always used to buy incense there. When we were both away at school, I started doing the same. It became my way of staying connected to her from a distance. Every trip, I’d pick out new scents, and when we saw each other again, I’d bring them back to her. A small thing, but it meant something. This time was no different. I picked up a few and already know I’ll be giving them to her when I see her for Easter.

We made it to Carbondale, rested up, and then headed out the next morning for the three-hour drive to Springfield. That drive gave me time to reflect on where I was three years ago when I first visited the school. A different version of me with the same dream. Sitting in that moment now, I couldn’t help but feel grateful to still be on this journey, and even more grateful for how far it’s come.

Now, here I am, one day away from my second half marathon.

I’m feeling confident. I got a couple of light runs in this week—a 2-mile run on Thursday and a 3-mile coffee run this morning—and my body feels ready. These past 10 weeks have flown by. From the start, my focus for this training block was simple: stay healthy. For the most part, I did that… until my 11-mile long run, where I tweaked my quad, hip, and IT band. That moment tried to pull me into a spiral, making me question how it would impact race day.

But I had to remind myself why I run in the first place.

Running, for me, has never just been about times or distances. It’s my outlet. It clears my mind, grounds me, and connects me with people in a way that feels natural. It brings me out of my shell without me even realizing it. That perspective pulled me back in.

So now, with one day to go, I trust the work I’ve put in. I trust the recovery. I trust God.

And tomorrow, I run.

Peace,

Zechariah Davis

🎵 Song of the Week

heart pt. 6 - Kendrick Lamar

🗣 Quote of the Week

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📖 Scripture of the Week

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