My goal this year was to run the Seattle Rock N Roll on June 25, 2011. Yes, 2 weeks away. Instead, I flew to San Diego to cheer on and witness my best friend run her very first half at the SD Rock N Roll. It was awesome. We were up at 3:30 am, out the door by 4:30. Her husband, kept me rolling in laughter as we cheered her on through her race. We spent 90 minutes at the Starting line, watching as each corral was brought to the starting line & their horn blew in staggered starts. She was in corral 38. Corral 37 gets up, they count down, blow the horn, we tense.... ready for 38 to step up. Suddenly her husband says "they're telling everyone to just go!" NO! Where is she? Dang, we missed her. What? A hand waiving - "There she is!" Turn, aim, CLICK. The back of a woman in green in the midst of the crowd. I hope that's not the way the day goes!
We mosey on out to checkpoint Mile 6, decide we will try to find a closer point since we want to hustle out to the finish line. As we drive around, realizing neither one of us printed the route map.... we get stuck in a closed street trap. We turn around and I say "back to the bridge, where we just were?" Yes, progressing beautifully!
We get to checkpoint 6, "there she is!'... no, not unless she has grown a full beard. "There she is!" "yes?" "No." Waiting, hey look, the water station is empty! Now what do they do. Marathoners, now at their 10 mile mark, cry up to us "hey up there, show us some love!" CHEER, CLAP, RUN ON Rockers!
Finally, here she comes, hubby gets all the spectators to yell her name, she looks up surprised and big smile, waves - CLICK! Redeemed! :)
We head to the trolley, get to Mile 10, have a discussion on whether to run to the Starbucks, because surely we have about 15 minutes or so.... decide to just check it out, get over to the curb, I say to her hubby, maybe you should walk up, stand on the sign & let me know when you see her. Suddenly, my camera blinks "low battery" and I growl, flip off the camera. I say I'll need warning because my camera needs a head start to be ready. He says "Um, THERE SHE IS". Having been subject to his teasing all day, I say "yea right, funny". He says "NO REALLY!" I look up, crap - it is her and she's right there! He runs to the right to click photos on his phone, I run left to give my camera time and get in front of her. Turn, CLICK! YES! She's sweaty, she cut time off, blurts out "WHERE's the CAR?!" and moves on. We realize - no time for Starbucks and we better run to the finish line cuz she's bookin' the last 3.1!
1 mile to the finish line, turns to what I'm sure is close to 2. He turns to me and says "if I'm a spectator, why am I walking 13 miles today?"
She gets to the finish line, tears stream down my face and I am so proud, so glad to witness my best friend, who's been by my side for over 15 years, achieve her biggest goal (after raising twins, ha!). Those of us that struggle with ourselves and achieving our goals, after serving the world, know - this was a deep, emotional moment.
I will not be running the June 25th in Seattle because my foot has given me some time off. I'm slowly moving back into the road. But I took that disappointment (yes,it hurt to not be running today, there is an ache...) and put my sisters run first. I will take my teens and we will volunteer @ Seattle. The next best thing to running, is cheering others on to accomplish their goals. It's food for the Running God and someday, the god will repay me! ;)
Run On.
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