Run For Joy
This is a picture of my friend / training partner / athlete….. Sarah, and I. I sometimes call her my protégé. I always call her my sister. There are things that happen between miles, between friends. Words never spoken but so much just known.
Sunday I was not too far behind Sarah at the race. I could see her occasionally glance over her shoulder. I knew she was hoping I was near her. I could anticipate when she would look back and I would give her the thumbs up.
It's something shared between people. A common thread, a common passion. Whether It be running, swimming, cycling, walking, yoga, or even ice cream. Sometimes the most monumental moments are the moments of silence.
This morning Sarah and I began our super secret long tempo runs. It's actually the workout Coach T gives me and I have roped Sarah in. If anyone has developed an addiction to the Ironman it's Sarah. Two girls addicted to the Ironman running around town at 5am. Looking for the Wizard (thank you ELF for that!) and finding out who we really are. Filling our lives with color.
When I crossed the finish line at IMFL in November I found my phone, dialed Sarah and screamed. Just screamed into the phone. She screamed back. We just screamed like 2 school girls who just heard there were tickets for New Kids on the Block on sale.
In my entire life I have never had that. There's a lot in my life now that I have never had. My life is full of color and richness. It's why I hold these experiences so close to me.
Sunday morning the texts started flying between Sarah and I. Skirt or tights? Sportsbra or T shirt? Fuel Belt? Socks with sneakers? Which hat are you wearing??? These moments are the treasures.
People think we run away from our lives. I can't explain to them I run right at my life. Through sport my life has been enriched. Through these miles memories have been made.
Today we ran for joy. We ran because the morning came to us and asked us to. The sun rose slowly and the chill in the air was welcome. It reminded me summer was coming. It reminded me that the Lilac bush outside my kitchen would be in full bloom soon. The peanese along my driveway would be blossoming with big heavy flowers.
It's like there is an outline of me and it’s once again slowly getting colored in. This time the colors are brighter, carefully selected. Deeper and richer.
The first 75 minutes were E pace. We took to the hills of Victor. Up High Street, right on Lane, back to Main. Up High again, and all the way down to where it lets out at the Eastview Mall. It was here where Marathon Pace began. We ran down Main Street as the morning traffic drove past us. I imagine how strange we looked. 2 girls in skirts running away. At times laughing and most of the time holding our pace.
We turned right onto a street that took us through some neighborhoods. We knew Tempo pace was quickly coming. We knew the pace and we knew what we had to keep. I told Sarah we were entering to box of hurt and we were looking for the Wizard. I told Sarah that I wanted her to reach out and grab a piece of his robe and bring it back. She nervously said okay.
Go time. T pace. We began downhill, which sounds nice but when it was hour #2 downhill was worse than uphill. We allowed gravity to pull us along. I'd shout to her "Too Fast…. Too slow….. PERFECT" when we were on or off pace.
It took Sarah 5 minutes into T pace to shout PANCAKES. I couldn't believe it took her so long. I started to laugh.
We made a left on Main street. We raced just 2 days ago and I could feel it. I began reading signs on buildings. At the end of a long run…. it feels a lot like being drunk. I saw the name of one of my friends who is a lawyer on a building… and suddenly I couldn't’t' remember what town I was in. For an entire minute I thought I was downtown Rochester… did he have an office out here? What street is this? Why am I running downtown? How did I get here? Then I ran right into Sarah.
We hit the last 5 minutes. GO TIME. I shouted. Main street was buzzing, we were running fast. We decided to turn in front of Victor Advanced Chiropractic which was the most painful decision of the day.
Three minutes, I told Sarah. And we ran. At one minute I told her…. this is the Ironman finish line and you are about to hit your dream time. Run like you want it….. we ran shoulder to shoulder, holding onto a dream, a pace and a smile.
And then we were done. We slapped a high five and began our walk back to Pappa Jack's.
It was 7:15 am and we were done with the hardest workout of the day. We were smiling. We were laughing. The employees from the Town Of Victor were departing Pappa Jacks and cheered us out their windows. They asked us if the streets were clean enough for us, we told them they were!
The Ironman is made out of moments and memories like these. It is during the race that I look back and I laugh at how I see how long it takes Sarah to shout PANCAKES during a hard run. Or the time Pelee called me in Lake Placid as he was shitting himself on his bike. And I went to save him. Or the time Glenn ran towards Foster 1 during a training run and Mike ran the hell away.
Or the moment the phrase "Prairie Schooner" was coined.
These are the moments I live for. These are the moments I reach for. A lifetime of memories. A treasure chest full of good clean ridiculous fun.
Today we ran for joy.
Sunday I was not too far behind Sarah at the race. I could see her occasionally glance over her shoulder. I knew she was hoping I was near her. I could anticipate when she would look back and I would give her the thumbs up.
It's something shared between people. A common thread, a common passion. Whether It be running, swimming, cycling, walking, yoga, or even ice cream. Sometimes the most monumental moments are the moments of silence.
This morning Sarah and I began our super secret long tempo runs. It's actually the workout Coach T gives me and I have roped Sarah in. If anyone has developed an addiction to the Ironman it's Sarah. Two girls addicted to the Ironman running around town at 5am. Looking for the Wizard (thank you ELF for that!) and finding out who we really are. Filling our lives with color.
When I crossed the finish line at IMFL in November I found my phone, dialed Sarah and screamed. Just screamed into the phone. She screamed back. We just screamed like 2 school girls who just heard there were tickets for New Kids on the Block on sale.
In my entire life I have never had that. There's a lot in my life now that I have never had. My life is full of color and richness. It's why I hold these experiences so close to me.
Sunday morning the texts started flying between Sarah and I. Skirt or tights? Sportsbra or T shirt? Fuel Belt? Socks with sneakers? Which hat are you wearing??? These moments are the treasures.
People think we run away from our lives. I can't explain to them I run right at my life. Through sport my life has been enriched. Through these miles memories have been made.
Today we ran for joy. We ran because the morning came to us and asked us to. The sun rose slowly and the chill in the air was welcome. It reminded me summer was coming. It reminded me that the Lilac bush outside my kitchen would be in full bloom soon. The peanese along my driveway would be blossoming with big heavy flowers.
It's like there is an outline of me and it’s once again slowly getting colored in. This time the colors are brighter, carefully selected. Deeper and richer.
The first 75 minutes were E pace. We took to the hills of Victor. Up High Street, right on Lane, back to Main. Up High again, and all the way down to where it lets out at the Eastview Mall. It was here where Marathon Pace began. We ran down Main Street as the morning traffic drove past us. I imagine how strange we looked. 2 girls in skirts running away. At times laughing and most of the time holding our pace.
We turned right onto a street that took us through some neighborhoods. We knew Tempo pace was quickly coming. We knew the pace and we knew what we had to keep. I told Sarah we were entering to box of hurt and we were looking for the Wizard. I told Sarah that I wanted her to reach out and grab a piece of his robe and bring it back. She nervously said okay.
Go time. T pace. We began downhill, which sounds nice but when it was hour #2 downhill was worse than uphill. We allowed gravity to pull us along. I'd shout to her "Too Fast…. Too slow….. PERFECT" when we were on or off pace.
It took Sarah 5 minutes into T pace to shout PANCAKES. I couldn't believe it took her so long. I started to laugh.
We made a left on Main street. We raced just 2 days ago and I could feel it. I began reading signs on buildings. At the end of a long run…. it feels a lot like being drunk. I saw the name of one of my friends who is a lawyer on a building… and suddenly I couldn't’t' remember what town I was in. For an entire minute I thought I was downtown Rochester… did he have an office out here? What street is this? Why am I running downtown? How did I get here? Then I ran right into Sarah.
We hit the last 5 minutes. GO TIME. I shouted. Main street was buzzing, we were running fast. We decided to turn in front of Victor Advanced Chiropractic which was the most painful decision of the day.
Three minutes, I told Sarah. And we ran. At one minute I told her…. this is the Ironman finish line and you are about to hit your dream time. Run like you want it….. we ran shoulder to shoulder, holding onto a dream, a pace and a smile.
And then we were done. We slapped a high five and began our walk back to Pappa Jack's.
It was 7:15 am and we were done with the hardest workout of the day. We were smiling. We were laughing. The employees from the Town Of Victor were departing Pappa Jacks and cheered us out their windows. They asked us if the streets were clean enough for us, we told them they were!
The Ironman is made out of moments and memories like these. It is during the race that I look back and I laugh at how I see how long it takes Sarah to shout PANCAKES during a hard run. Or the time Pelee called me in Lake Placid as he was shitting himself on his bike. And I went to save him. Or the time Glenn ran towards Foster 1 during a training run and Mike ran the hell away.
Or the moment the phrase "Prairie Schooner" was coined.
These are the moments I live for. These are the moments I reach for. A lifetime of memories. A treasure chest full of good clean ridiculous fun.
Today we ran for joy.
6 comments:
OK--now I know what I'll be hollering at the top of Papa Bear this summer: Paaaaancakes!
Your joy came straight through the computer!
-Danielle
What a great post! Thanks for reminding me that it's the every day workouts (just had one myself with my husband this morning!) that make the whole entire experience all worthwhile... Have a great day Mary!
I completely understand the words you speak of. Moments that make living so worth while...
Memories worth holding onto close to the heart..
Thanks for sharing such a great post...
AWESOME Mary, Thank You.
I agree with Danielle, your joy came flying through the computer & it made even the simplest things in life so awesome! Hope you have LOADS of awesome training/life/racing moments to come...
Again Mary, your vivid descriptions take my breath away. I can see you running, picture your joy. And it makes me smile! I'm so happy for you, amd only wish I could be there with you.
Thanks for bringing a bit of joy to my life!
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