I haven't written anything for a bit because I've been spending a lot of time running - I like Fall marathons. :)
It's been a good 2 weeks but I'm ready to rest now.
Purely out of my own inability to plan, I scheduled myself to run the Marine Corps Marathon on the last Sunday of October and the NYC Marathon the first Sunday of November (whoops). While both were fun races I don't recommend them back to back. :) Fortunately, I managed to remain uninjured and actually wound up with 2 personal best times (DC - 3:15 and NY - 3:11).
Probably one of the funniest running moments I've ever seen came at the end of the race in NY. After crossing the finish line runners were handed bags with a gatorade, a water, an apple and a bagel as they limped through the line of runners collecting their medals, getting pictures taken, and turning in their timing chips. Of course at that point all you want to do is to eat carbs and to sit down but what you need to do is walk (because sitting down could involve not getting up again). The man walking in front of me immediately pulled his bagel out of the bag excitedly, ready to eat (I understood the excitement-I felt it too), when something truly tragic happened....the bagel fell from his hands and landed on the ground.
Now, most people would probably say, "Oh no! the bagel got all dirty and he couldn't eat it?" but that was a minor problem - at that point, the germ issue was insignificant. The true problem? How in the heck to get down low enough to pick up the precious bagel. He stood there....staring at the ground...at the bagel that was in his reach but oh so far away.
I felt so helpless, I wanted to help but I had just run 26.2 miles as well and the pain was just too great...actually, I didn't even know if my legs would bend that far. I'm pretty sure I would have had to throw myself to the ground and hand it back up to him.
Give him my bagel? Are you crazy?
So, I stared with him, sharing in his misery - trying to appear compassionate. Other runners came and looked down as well, mourning his loss and wanting to help but simply unable. You could see it in our faces - we all wanted to pick ut up but it seemed so, so, so far.
Finally, relief came in the form of a volunteer who willingly (even excitedly) came to the rescue.
There's just something about marathons that brings out the best in people.
It's been a good 2 weeks but I'm ready to rest now.
Purely out of my own inability to plan, I scheduled myself to run the Marine Corps Marathon on the last Sunday of October and the NYC Marathon the first Sunday of November (whoops). While both were fun races I don't recommend them back to back. :) Fortunately, I managed to remain uninjured and actually wound up with 2 personal best times (DC - 3:15 and NY - 3:11).
Probably one of the funniest running moments I've ever seen came at the end of the race in NY. After crossing the finish line runners were handed bags with a gatorade, a water, an apple and a bagel as they limped through the line of runners collecting their medals, getting pictures taken, and turning in their timing chips. Of course at that point all you want to do is to eat carbs and to sit down but what you need to do is walk (because sitting down could involve not getting up again). The man walking in front of me immediately pulled his bagel out of the bag excitedly, ready to eat (I understood the excitement-I felt it too), when something truly tragic happened....the bagel fell from his hands and landed on the ground.
Now, most people would probably say, "Oh no! the bagel got all dirty and he couldn't eat it?" but that was a minor problem - at that point, the germ issue was insignificant. The true problem? How in the heck to get down low enough to pick up the precious bagel. He stood there....staring at the ground...at the bagel that was in his reach but oh so far away.
I felt so helpless, I wanted to help but I had just run 26.2 miles as well and the pain was just too great...actually, I didn't even know if my legs would bend that far. I'm pretty sure I would have had to throw myself to the ground and hand it back up to him.
Give him my bagel? Are you crazy?
So, I stared with him, sharing in his misery - trying to appear compassionate. Other runners came and looked down as well, mourning his loss and wanting to help but simply unable. You could see it in our faces - we all wanted to pick ut up but it seemed so, so, so far.
Finally, relief came in the form of a volunteer who willingly (even excitedly) came to the rescue.
There's just something about marathons that brings out the best in people.
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