Fresh & Fruity After 26.2

Second marathon, successfully completed. I usually place a little higher in my age group, but there are a lot of very fast runners in this race because it's a popular qualifier for the Boston marathon. On one hand, I'm just happy I finished. On the other hand, I realize that I could train smarter and do better so now I'm motivated again.

I spent most of last week freaking out and nursing an injured achilles tendon, worrying I wouldn't be able to finish the marathon this weekend. It sounds silly, that my biggest worry is whether I'll be able to run 26.2 miles, when other people have real health problems, ones that threaten their lives, or the lives of their loved ones. I am healthy enough to be able to train for and complete a marathon, and that is such a blessing, I felt ungrateful for being so upset about this injury, the first problem I've had that has threatened to stop me from completing a race. For me, running is a prayer of thanksgiving for my health and the beautiful place I live. So grumping about a minor injury is like complaining to a someone in chemo that you're having a bad hair day. But I was freaked out. Training for a long race has meant some sacrifice. Getting up early, passing on social events because I have a long run the next day, keeping a consistent training schedule. Although it brings fitness benefits, I've been training for a particular event, and the thought that I wouldn't be able to complete it made me think, "what was the point?" So I babied it the week prior to the race, sprayed and rubbed it with strange Chinese herbal concoctions, and did a lot of praying. Some combination of God and herbal medicine did the trick, because it gave me no serious trouble.

CMW (see her playlist below) and her husband played host to the three of us who came up to do the race. They took us for pasta the night before and CMW got up at 5am to drive us to the start. Then she drove down to the Capitol, did her own race, and stuck around to watch us finish. People, you can't pay for that kind of support. They gave us way more than a place to crash, and it made the race experience for me.

Also in the Pumpkin Support Team was Rhubarb, who drove from Oakland to Sacramento to be there at the finish line. Maybe it doesn't sound like a big deal. Maybe it seems silly to drive for damn near two hours to see someone run by you. But let me tell you, when I was out there at mile 19, my knees and my hips hurting, my whole body telling me to just STOP, it makes a HUGE difference to know that there is someone at the finish line waiting for you. Knowing that in that crowd of faces at the end, there's someone looking for you, someone shouting your name.

After the race, we went to the IHOP near CMW's house for a big brunch feed. Rhubarb immediately picked up the insert to the menu and asked if I would be interested in the perennial IHOP special, the "Rooty Tooty Fresh & Fruity." ("RTFF") We've been to IHOP a couple times, and every time she manages to bring up the RTFF. She claims this is ridiculous, but I remember there have been repeated instances of the RTFF interaction at IHOP. I passed on the RTFF, but I have a feeling it won't be the last time it's on offer!