capital running

yesterday's mileage: 8.5

today's mileage: 3

on the iPod: "crash into me" -- the dmb

Saturday found me waking in our state's capital, as Susan and I, along with Baby Charles, who turns 4 next month so he's not really a baby anymore, had driven down the night before. We were in town for a family reunion, and stayed the night with Uncle Steph. I don't get the chance to run with her often, and haven't done so since the Little Rock Half Marathon three months ago, so I was happy when she told me to bring my Asics so we could lace up for a run.

After dinner at U.S. Pizza and then meeting my friends Russ and Lee for a beer at Dugan's, I was in bed early and ready to run. Does that make me old? That I'd rather skip going out in a great city so that I can get up early and run in a great city? I'll always take the latter. What the hell does that say? I think i'm getting old.

Steph and I headed out around 7:30 a.m. in what was already a blistering heat. It must have been in the low 80's. Nevertheless, I was excited to be running with her and even more excited to be running in a different city for a change. It's so much fun to run while out of town. She lives in Midtown, really close to Catholic High School, and I had forgotten that Little Rock has rolling hills just like Fayetteville. It took about 100 yards for me to remember that, as we were immediately facing some real inclines. Heading east into Hillcrest, the same neighborhood where we had pizza the night before, I found my rhythm and was feeling great. Until I had to pee. Like really bad. We made a quick stop in Kroger only to find out that they have the cleanest bathrooms of any grocery store bathroom that i've ever been in. Not that i've been in many grocery store bathrooms, but Kroger runs a tidy ship. Thank you, Kroger. I was impressed. That's all i'm going to say about that.

Back into the morning heat, we continued through Hillcrest, passing a farmer's market at Allsop Park. While it was amply supplied, it had nothing on Fayetteville's farmer's market. I was more impressed with the amazing craftsman houses that seemed to be everywhere I looked. I want to live in one of those. Uncle Steph, having been a gracious host and excellent running partner, turned around and left me to continue on through Stifft Station and toward downtown. I was excited to log some more miles, because I knew that the return trip would be on a portion of the Little Rock Marathon route that i've never run: the dreaded Mile 14 up Kavanaugh, with it's slow, austere incline. To tackle it I had to first get on the other side of it. So I did.

Heading past the Arkansas School for the Blind, I could see the downtown skyline in the near distance, including the state capital building. I surmised that it would be a good turning around point and headed in that direction. Stopping on the front lawn of the capital, I felt an immediate sense of pride to be an Arkansan. I've lived in this state my entire life and can't complain one single bit for the hand i've been dealt. The capital grounds were gorgeously understated, with an expansive lawn that sloped gently toward the building, which looks striking similar to our nation's capital.

A really nice lady, with a look of concern for my wellbeing on her face, asked me if I'd like some water. I didn't tell her, in an effort to avoid being rude, but I didn't need water at all. In fact, I felt great. My legs had tons of mileage left in them and my energy was full. I graciously declined, but I did ask her a favor. She probably thought I was some sort of total creeper, but I wanted a picture standing in front of the capital. She had a cell phone (who doesn't carry one anymore?), and took the picture below and texted it to me without question. She told me she was a historian working on original documents that chronicled the history of blacks in agriculture. I immediately felt humbled by such an important project. Too much history regarding people that aren't white is either ignored or completely discarded. Total shame. It made me feel kinda dumb to be proud of something like running, when there are people out there preserving such profound aspects of our state's history. She gets an A.

I was pumped for the run back to Stephanie's house, because it meant i'd get to try the Mile 14 hill of the Little Rock Marathon. Only having done the Half, I'd heard horror stories of it never ending, stretching on like a menace, and of runners ultimately walking up the second portion. I wanted to know if I could do it. It was time. About a third of the way up Kavanaugh, I felt good and was surprised with how well I was doing. Two thirds of the way up, I was waiting for it to get difficult. Toward the end, Mile 14 began to live up to it's reputation, right in front of Pizza D'Action, but the truth is that it never fully materialized to kick me around like I expected it to. In fact, I pretty much kicked it around. Take that, Mile 14. That's how I roll.

With my legs feeling the burn, Susan and I made the family reunion shortly thereafter. I was apprehensive about going, having not seen most of my extending family in a really long time. It had been years. In the back of my mind I didn't know what questions might be asked, or what might get said obtusely. And I didn't know how I would answer, either. I think Susan felt a bit of the same feelings that I did. I also knew in the back of my mind that these people were my flesh and blood, that we were connected, and because of that I very much wanted to see them all. Every one.

Not surprising as I look back on it, the reunion was exactly what I needed, and it felt so good to be there. It felt natural. I saw my great aunts, my cousins, their kids, and grandkids. I ate amazing food. I looked at old pictures, I listened to stories, I got tons of hugs, I remembered growing up with these people. And when nobody was looking, I cried.

I hope we have another one next year. And I hope that I continue to run. I will.