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Tuesday, May 9, 2017

Flying and done

Last weekend I ran my 22nd marathon and my last race of the year. At least that is the plan. I have not really been feeling like running. I lost the joy a little bit and my races are not as good as they used to be and not as good as they could be. I am slowing down. And for no good reason. My mind just shuts down. And that is really not good.

Time for a break. I won't stop running. I will just stop racing. I have not been a huge fan of racing anyway. I owe myself one more marathon so that I will have completed 10. Maybe that will happen next year, maybe maybe, maybe not. I also owe Tisa (a friend whose son was shot and is running 23 races this year in his memory) a race. And as much as I hate 5Ks I would do it with her. And then there is our annual midnight 10 miler. Yes, this is my mad attempt at slowing down.

It is fitting that the Divas half in Myrtle Beach be my last (although I would have been fine with any race being my last). I do enjoy staying until the last runner crosses the finish line. This time there was a woman who came all the way from New Jersey and was on the course by herself. About five of us (most of us strangers even to each other) ushered her across the finish line. No one finishes alone on my watch. And then there was the woman for some reason unbeknownst to us turned away from the finish line and kept running down the street. I chased her down and brought her back. That was a first for me.

Anyway, it is a good race. It reminds me that even when I race poorly there is victory in finishing. It reminds me that there is good in the world and that one that day I can bear witness to people trying to do something by crossing that finish line. We all have a story, most more than one. It is etched clearly on some of the faces and not so much on others. But every story should be honored. Just like every person who laced up and dared to step up to the start whether unsure or not.

I enjoyed being the cheerleader for those who came behind me. It was tough for me and I imagine that it was tougher for some of them. No matter. We finished and we got a big a** medal to show for it. Divas rock!