two halfs in two weekends

The Dallas White Rock Half Marathon:  2:03:16
The Fayetteville Half Marathon:  1:56:18 (that's a PR, yo!)
on the iPod:  "christmas song" -- the dave matthews band


I love the Advent season.  The music, the food, the tree (real not plastic), the parties.  All of these make the winter month of December one of my favorites.  Not unlike most people, Christmas for me is a time to look back at the year and count my blessings.  They are, again, many and varied.  And there at the top of the list, right below my friends and family, are the races i've run in 2011.  Every single one has been fun as hell and challenging at the same time.  They've helped define me and make me whole.  These last two weekends haven't disappointed, as I ran two half marathons back-to-back.  And I've got not only medals, but the sore quads to prove it.

It was about 48 hours before we were ready to road trip down to Dallas for the White Rock Half Marathon when she texted.  We had been planning for this race, mind you, basically since getting back from Chicago in October.  We hadn't exactly been diligent with the training, but there was no uncertainty that we were going to run it.  So I read the text and my stomach dropped.  What?  Really?  You forgot to register for the race?  Is this Amateur Hour??  The first rule in distance running is: REGISTER.  Preferably early.  


After giving Mrs. Murie ample grief for her gaffe, we had a good, long chuckle and loaded up, pretty much knowing that she'd be able to register at the expo.  Hoping.  Praying.  And, sheepishly, she did.  Along with one other ill-prepared runner who was ready to go 13.1 miles.

While down in Dallas I got to see two great friends from childhood, Jamie Dildy and Dawn Holcomb.  Along with about four other friends, we all went to school together K-12.  Jamie and I lived in the same neighborhood and Dawn was my prom date.  We sat and talked over beers for hours, catching up and telling stories.  I sat back and listened to both of my friends describe amazing lives they are living.  It was great to catch up with them both and I know that i'll continue to run into them.  Jamie is a power runner, having completed 12 marathons so far, including Boston.  Dawn is simply gorgeous.  I love her spirit and her drive, and she can tell a story better than anybody I know.  She's got that moxie that makes her stand out in a crowd.  We could have talked all night, never missing a beat.


Mrs. Murie and I had dinner on Saturday night with one of her life-long friends, Beth, and her husband Lee.  Great fun.  They took us to a local latino tapas place that was spot-on in terms of protein and carbs.  And they had really good margaritas.  I stopped myself after two.  Lee was running the half as well, so we called it an early night as we watched the forecasted rain clouds roll in and open up.  They wouldn't stop until well after the race was over and we were leaving Texas.  It was a pretty wet and rainy half-marathon but I loved it nonetheless.  That's all i'm going to say about the rain.  No need to hash it any further.  

Okay, just a little bit more about the rain.  It poured.  Buckets.  Relentless buckets of big rain. It rained all night and rained on the way to the race.  It rained while we hunkered in a shed waiting with 25,000 other runners for the gun.  It rained on the way to the start corrals.  There were periods where it lightened up here and there, but it pretty much rained the whole damn time.  There was no way we weren't running it, however.  Not even a chance.  In the slightest moment of reprieve, a really nice lady wearing an Arkansas Razorback hat took our picture right before starting.  Then it starting raining again.  Broken record.  

Despite the less-than-ideal conditions, we went out and had a blast.  Really.  White Rock is officially a really fun course that traverses through great neighborhoods of the Big D.  We took it easy and talked the whole way, only stopping at aid stations very briefly, before getting after it again, stomping in puddles and throwing caution to the wind.  And the best thing about the whole race?  Beer and pancakes at the finish.  Hot damn!

Not to be outdone, the 2nd annual Fayetteville Half Marathon went off this morning without a hitch.  The temps were crazy cold, in the upper 20's, but the sun was shining and spirits were high.  Methinks it will be difficult to ever skip this race, as it's in my hometown, but boy howdy did I seriously give it consideration this morning at 5:00 a.m. when my bed was sooo warm and it was sooo cold outdoors.  As always, I couldn't be happier that I went.


Calling me a Crazy Man (one of her favorite things to say), Mrs. Murie stayed back on this one, but like the gracious and sweet friend that she is, cheered and spectated around mile 6 and again at the finish line.  It had been quite some time since I'd raced solo, and i'd be remiss if I didn't admit that I wanted her to be out there with me.  I so very much enjoy the comraderie in being around other runners.  But, alas, things were a-okay as I was surrounded with other local friends.  Christine Cook and I warmed up in my truck, which I illegally parked really close to the start.  We waited in the corral with Carole Swope.  I talked with Adam Simmons and his wife Kim about running Grandma's this June.  Robert James and I pounded out the first mile together until I had stop at a construction port-a-potty.  That totally saved my life.  Erica Asfahl and I ran together for a few miles out by the agri park.  Love her.  Miss going to the beach with her.  Joe Sidney was grabbing time chips at the finish.  And Sara Hood was at the post-race beer party, with her husband Jeff playing support crew.  He always does that.  What a dude.  And, of course, my own personal crew was all over the course.  Don and Cynthia, Susan and Baby Charles cheered me on every step of the way, yelling and smiling and taking entirely too many pictures.  I've got the best family in the world.  I own them pretty much everything.  I love it when my dad comes to races, because he always smiles and has a good time.    

That leaves one of the coolest people I know, my friend Erin Helf who ran her first half marathon today.  I was so excited when she told me she had registered at the end of the summer and was happy that she was tackling another project.  She wins at everything she does, including keeping he husband Ben in line, and I knew she'd do well today.  We go way back and I love her for that.  She was one of the very first people I talked to when I had things to talk about, and I leaned on her even when she didn't know I was.  She's a finisher and there's going to be more finish lines with her name on them.

While I'm not 100% sure that I agree with exactly how it went down, and I don't know that anybody really can be, it's a beautifully simple story nonetheless:  redemption and salvation wrapped in cloth and lying in a stable meant to house beasts.  In a world full of less-than-perfect people who don't always get things right, including a big ole runner like me, a tiny baby has come to remind us that love always wins.  I hope that my friends and family have the most blessed holiday season and know that I will be thinking about them every day, especially when laced up and doing what I love so much.


Run.