Hyperboles: Marathon Followup

OK, as promised, the marathon stuff.

I love being around runners, because no matter what they're doing in the rest of their life, they still share runner traits. Runners will think it's no big deal to pee in a bush because you're running and don't have the time to find a real bathroom. (And what's more real than a naturriffic bathroom anyway?) Runners obsess over the same things, understand chafing so much that you bleed, can sympathize when you have more blisters than toes, can appreciate the dedication it sometimes takes to get out the door, and most of all, they know why it makes sense to run when you're sore. I could go on and on, but I think you get it.

We took off in 29 degree weather, which was ridiculous because the marathon is in Phoenix for cripes sake, (and since when is it 29 degrees in Phoenix?) and right around the first mile marker there is a young blond woman holding a 3' by 4' sign that had something about Jesus on it screaming about how Jesus is the only way, that we should not be tempted because Satan is everywhere and we will go to HELL! Understandably, we continue running. Around the second mile, there was an older man holding a 3' by 4' sign with the same Jesus type messages and he was screaming essentially the same things. There was another young man sometime before the 4 mile mark, and his sign said something about Jesus and how religion and church don't matter, and he was screaming that we can only find salvation through Jesus, and if we didn't we would be going to hell. One of the runners in front of me turns to her partner and says, "At least it'll be warm there." Apparently the Jesus Freaks need a lesson in knowing their audience. People about to slog through 26.2 miles in freezing weather are not looking to be saved.

Is awesome! They had about a zillion coaches and friends and family members on the sidelines pretty much the whole way, and this really lent a positive mood to the whole event. I don't know what their success rate is, but anybody interested in training for a marathon who wants outside support should check them out.

I am fairly strong. I have run until I threw up, run until I got dizzy, run until I needed to sleep. I have never run until my legs wouldn't run anymore. I reached that point at about 21 miles on Sunday. My mind was in it, I was in it, I was tired but it was OK, I was sore, but it was OK, my feet hurt, but it was OK, I only had 5.2 miles left and I was going to make it. But my legs didn't want to move. I physically could not go any faster than I was going, which was getting progressively slower. Worst sensation ever.

I could barely walk on Sunday and Monday. Tuesday was a bit better, and today isn't better yet, but maybe it will be. See above.

We would not have been able to complete our marathon without our awesome support crew. They did a fabulous job being where they were supposed to be and giving us our Gu or water or Gatorade or whatever. Thank you to all.

Hyperboles