Humble

Today I got to sit on the sidelines and watch a few friends run the Rock and Roll Half Marathon in Virginia Beach.   What a blessing.  Running Buddy and I rode our bikes up to the start line to try to catch a glimpse of a very good friend of ours that we work with just before the gun went off. Just for history's sake, this little gal that we went to watch JUST started running last spring after watching Running Buddy finish her first marathon.  She was quite inspired by the whole event and I think at that moment decided to run the half marathon this summer.  Nope, she's never even completed a 5K.

What is with these young women full of guts and glory that they just "go out" and start running and then end up doing marathons and half marathons for the first time without experiencing little races???  Running Buddy did the same thing last spring with the Shamrock.  I have so much respect for these gals who have no fear.

We never did get to see our running gal pal in the start corral.....we actually never missed her.  We just thought she got ahead of us.  So we pedaled up the road to try to catch a glimpse after the pack thinned out.  We basically "runner stalked" for 1/2 hour and never saw anyone that we knew so we pedaled to a spot and parked ourselves and waited.  It was worth it.  After about an hour we started to see some familiar faces.

What was so humbling to me was watching all the runners and the efforts, the struggles, the pain, the joy. I'm so used to being in it for myself....I never notice anyone around me.  Today I noticed EVERYONE.  It was truly humbling.  But I waited so anxiously and impatiently for my running gal pal and I thought I would NEVER see her come up towards the bridge where Running Buddy and I were waiting.

And then there she was.....walking and sweaty and a bit worn down.  We shouted for our gal pal and she just forced a smile....and walked on so Running Buddy and I jumped in and started to run with her.  Just for a few paces but it seemed to get her going...and all she could say was "I am so exhausted."

It was warm but very humid on this day.

We watched running gal pal hobble up the bridge and over as we rode our bikes along the way cheering and cajoling......it was so  hard watching this young and inexperienced gal struggle through the pain.

She kept asking how much farther.

Running Buddy and I parked our bikes and decided it was time to pull running gal pal the last 1.1 miles.  She was hurting, tired and miserable.  My heart raced for her.

We jumped in the pack and sandwiched our gal pal and Running Buddy transformed herself into me.....she coached gal pal all the way with focal points and words of encouragement and I had to choke back a few tears as I saw all the determination and team work roll out before my eyes.  These 2 young girls who have just started their running......one coaching and one looking for encouragement.  It was the first precious moment I experienced today.

Then we let gal pal pull herself to the finish line solo.

Afterward, we met her as she walked somberly away from the finish line....disappointed that she had to walk and in shock that she hurt so much and wondering why she hurt so much.  Then running gal pal's tears started to flow and she cried......and I experienced my second precious moment as Running Buddy and I told our gal pal how proud of her we were and how great she is and I added the whole speech about how much stronger she is now.

What a day.  I have a slightly different perspective now....Im proud of my friend and I have so much respect for the journey she took today and I'm so proud of my Running Buddy for putting on the coach hat.

And now I am WAY too psyched up and PUMPED for OBX marathon.

Running gal pal did PHENOMENAL for her first time....a VERY respectable 2 hours and 33 min.  I grinned ear to ear.....she is amazing.  Looking at her stats...she definitely started out too fast.  But overall, that girl KICKED ASS.  Can't wait to see her at work on Tuesday and BRAG BRAG BRAG!

Ok, I am ready to kick the training into high gear.  We have a 17 mile long run next weekend and I'm doing Hampton Bay Days 10.  Gonna try to race it and see what happens.

Here we go with another Hurricane.  It may be something to consider for the weekend.  I probably need some rainy runs.  This would be a psychological barrier for me.  Stay tuned from the East Coast.