on the iPod: "one and only" -- Timbaland (featuring Fall Out Boy)
I've known for quite some time that this week has been coming. In the final stretches of last year's Chicago Marathon, I had fully convinced myself that I was "one and done". The exhaustion, pain, and self-doubt had completely taken over and I was simply ready to stop. I decided that I would cross the finish line of my first marathon and that would be it. I'd stick to 10K's and half-marathons, but no more fulls. Not for this guy.
And then I crossed the finish line in Grant Park and everything changed immediately. Within minutes i'd gone from total uncertainty, doubt and gloom to complete and total elation. I was the happiest man on earth. My legs were shot, my core was screaming in pain, the sun was shining down, there was a beer in my hand and a finisher's medal around my neck. I was surrounded by 45,000 runners in one of the coolest cities ever. In that moment I owned the city of Chicago, and I owned running. I knew right then and there that I'd be back. And now it's finally time to go.
With only a 10-miler planned as part of the tapering portion of training, it's a good thing that there were other events on the calendar for Northwest Arkansas this weekend; namely the Arkansas vs. Texas A+M game, as well as Bikes, Blues & BBQ. Add to that the Rogers High School vs. Heritage High game and the last few days have been eventful. Being crosstown rivals, the two teams faced off in a fierce defensive match, with the Rogers Mounties pulling the upset. I'm so happy for the players and my Uncle Charles, who moved here from Texas a few years ago to be their defensive coordinator. I have really good memories of him and his family growing up, and it's been great to have him around again. The Mounties played lights out on defense and came away with a win. Good for them.
On Saturday Uncle Lewis and I watched Arkansas come from a 17-point deficit at halftime to beat Texas A+M for the third straight year in a row at Cowboys Stadium. Welcome to the SEC, Aggies! College football, win or lose, is so much fun to watch. Of course it's better when Arkansas is winning, but i've moved beyond the days when wins and losses control my post-game personality. I just enjoy watching. WPS! After the game we packed up a cooler and headed down to St. Paul's to watch the parade of power during Bikes, Blues & BBQ. An estimated 100,000 bikers were greeted with an outstanding Fall afternoon and throngs of gawkers along Dickson Street. Heavy on the "sleeveless shirt wearing 'Merican" demographic, the rally was again a total success. We enjoyed the afternoon with Susan and Baby Charles, Matt McGowan, and his daughter Nora. The bikes were varied as the people riding them, but they were all impressive and loud. Really loud.
Our morning run today was highlighted by the triumphant return of Mrs. Sarah Pugh, who has spent the summer months training independently, which means she signed up for the Chicago Marathon waaay back in February and then kinda found her new hobby of taekwondo, which pushed running to the back burner. She first became interested in it from taking her sons to their lessons each week; and then one of them asked her if she would be his sparring partner. How could a mom say no? The rest is board-breaking history, and she has the bruises on her forearms to prove it. Mrs. Pugh took to taekwondo like a duck takes to water, like a cop takes to donuts, like a honey badger takes to being a bad ass. Honey badger don't care! Those who aren't familiar should YouTube it STAT. I digress.
At any rate, it was so pleasant to have Mrs. Pugh back in the training fold and I can't wait for the three of us to run Chicago again. This morning around mile five, with Mrs. Murie quite a bit ahead of us, Mrs. Pugh and I went pace for pace, running in silence, but fully aware of each other. She broke the silence with a conversation about when we first became friends through running about two years ago. She remembered our very first training run for the Little Rock Half Marathon and knew that it had been along that same particular stretch that we were currently in. Furthermore, she recalled a poignant dialogue that we'd shared with each other, a dialogue that was the beginning of a solid friendship that has grown as we've taught together at BHS and ran together in countless races. It's been strange to not have her around this summer on our long runs, but she's never been too far away. What she's missed in training, she more than makes up for with moxie and determination. She's a winner in life and is going to be just fine, regardless of how long it takes her to cross the finish line.
It's fair to say that this week has been one year in the making. I've experienced a lot in last 12 months: tons of local races, new people coming into my life, teaching the best students a teacher could ever ask for, Sunday night dinners with my awesome family, a vacation at the beach, growing spiritually at St. Paul's, playing with my nephew Charles, and quietly enjoying the times in between. Being an introvert, those are probably my favorite. Throughout it all, running the Chicago Marathon for a second time has never left my thoughts. Not for one single day. It will culminate this weekend and I couldn't be happier.
Run.
No comments:
Post a Comment