I was asked why I am not gushing with excitement about this race. I truly don't know yet. Perhaps I am just TIRED!!!! =0) Perhaps it just hasn't hit me yet. Not sure. I too have wondered why I've had such a different reaction to this race as opposed to the last one, or even the milestone training runs. This race was quite different for me. I started out tired, which is NOT a good place to begin, cause then you are fighting with that for the length of the journey, since there are no places to stop and rest (nor the time to do it) along the way. I wanted to run with Donna, because we have trained together all season and I love to run with her, we always have such great conversations, and yet I wanted to see how well I could do on my own. I discovered that you are never truly alone in this race (which of course has so many spiritual correlation). Like that first time you Gloria me. I didn't see her until she was right there with me. WOW!!! And what a joy. I had been wondering if I would see her at mile 5, but thinking she said she was going to be at mile 8, so, hopeful with a side of reserve just in case. Plus I was getting hot with my jacket on, but didn't want to tie it around my waist (who knows why). I figured I could make it to wherever she was and pass it off then. And then God would send along Anna or Paul or I would pass or be passed by teammates as our intervals overlapped. Until the bridge split, and then I didn't see those ones again. Even people I didn't know would encourage me along the way. That was a great reminder that we are all in this together, on the same journey, trying to get to the same finish line, so I may not know your name, but I can encourage you because we are all headed for that same city. Stay the course, trust your trainer(s), take in necessary nutrition along the way, and just keep putting one foot in front of the other. (Spiritually speaking too! amazing how many coordinating lessons there are with an endurance sport and our spiritual life. I think that is why Paul wrote so much about it in a few of his letters.)
For a time I ran with a man named Dan. He had a red shirt on so when I passed him by he yelled out "Go red team!" Then I lost him for a minute when he saw people that he knew on the other side of the freeway barricade and wondered how he could get over there. But then he caught up with me and asked if I minded him tagging along for a little while. I said "no," and we stayed together until Anna found me just before the last turn and downhill before the halfers pull off to finish. I was going a bit faster than Dan at the time so I said goodbye and we ran on. We stopped at that medic tent right there on the corner so I could get something put on my left foot to stop the friction that seemed to be forming a blister. They taped me up and sent me out and when we reached the split, not too far along the freeway, there was Dan again with his shoes off, sitting on the sidelines. I called out to him some encouragement, and he said he would make it, he just needed a minute. I hope he did. I think he needed a coach! He told me that he had tried to get in 3 (THREE!!!) 20 mile runs in the 3 months before the race. The last one he attempted he injured himself, so his doctor told him to stay off his feet until the race and he should be okay! This is a man who has never been a runner before and is attempting to do three 20 mile runs just to prove to himself he can do this. Craziness! I am sooooooo grateful to have had such wonderful coaches who would knock me upside the head if I even considered such a thing. I don't think I ever would have, but if I had.... =0)
I think another reason I am not effervescing about all the details of the race is that I am trying to remember them. Tiredness + trigger memory = lack of remembrance. The pictures have helped. But there is something about running constantly in a current just trying to get to the end that seems to block out the recalling of recorded memories. I guess because I really didn't have to think about anything, but "left right left right drink," "left right left right eat." Also, anytime I go somewhere for the first time I am just trying to figure out how to get there. I think if I EVER did this again (not saying I will), then I would remember more of the journey. I guess that is kind of typical.
It was interesting to me to observe some of the other runners. For some it is so effortless, but for others it seems to take every ounce of strength within them to carry on. I passed such a one on the floating bridge. She was just coming on in her purple TNT jersey as I was just about to go through the tunnel to get off. She seemed determined to sprint the whole distance, with heavy, heavy footfalls, and breathing to match. I thought to myself, "honey, slow down! or you'll wear out long before the finish line. We've got 15 more miles to go!" Perhaps, that was her normal pace, but she seemed awfully determined to gain ground at this point. I wonder how she faired? I wonder how many of the runners on the course were under TNT? It seemed like every mile there were at least 20 purple shirts around. Just curious.
So many lessons...
