Today was the day. 22 miles. I really was on the fence about doing it. I was thinking maybe only 18 or 20, but the course was such that I was commited to the whole 22. Theresa and I met at Hospitality Point in Mission Beach and were running by 5 am sharp. I love that about triple A personality runners. 5 am is not really 5 am. If your watch is 10 minutes fast, you may be okay for the start. If your watch keeps current time, you are already 10 minutes late for a training run. It was dark and humid, but the air smelled of all things I remember from living down in South Mission when we were first married: damp grass, beach, stinky trash from the cans, cigarette smoke from the homeless people who were out even before we were. Smells evoke such strong memories. I was reminiscent of all the really great things hubby and I did before kids when we were locals down there: eating sushi out often, lingering, lazy days on the beach, surfing after work outside our (rental) home. It made me crave a little quality time with hubs. It was really great to remember him in that light and feel so much in love again. It also made me realize that I need to get out of the same running routine more often. Time is just at such a premium, I have a hard time justifying spending 3 plus hours running and even more for travel time. Today, it was worth it.
Like I said, Theresa and I started at Hospitality Point and ran the designated course for the San Diego Track Club. We, however, began before the group. It was sweet victory to be finishing as they were running out another 2 hours, as we passed each other along the bike path. Hard to believe that huge group would be plodding along under the 10:30 am sun. Sometimes I am so grateful to be quadruple A personality and up before the other crazies. The course was a little out and back to South Mission and then out to Crown Point and back. This kept it interesting and fun, and to be honest, the ignorance was bliss because I was not exactly sure how far we had to go at the start. It was nice to be running in the dark, both literally and figuratively, as it made for an interesting and more enjoyable run. We finished in 3:01 for the 22 miles. It felt so much better than 2 weeks ago, the same distance. Not sure if that is because there were less (read:no) hills involved today or just a better day. I got very little sleep last night, which always stresses me out a little for the long run, but it seemed to effect me little today, which was great.
The really beautiful thing about Theresa is that we can chatter away together, or we can run, stride for stide, in silence simply listening to each other's feet on the pavement or rhythm of our breathing. It is nice to be in company, but lost in one's own thoughts. The second half of the run was very much this way. I had a lot of time to think and reflect and be lost in thought. I could not stop thinking about what I read yesterday from my daughter's little book of devotionals and how I came across something that was revelant to both Theresa and to me for my training. It was a story about a pearl in an oyster.
"Oysters make beautiful, gleaming pearls. When a tiny grain of sand gets inside the oyster's shell, this grain of sand makes the oyster very uncomfortable. In response to this irritation, the oyster begins to coat the grain of sand with something called nacre, made of protein and calcium, Layer after layer of nacre coats the grain of sand until, at last, a beautiful pearl is formed. Because of its pain, the oyster creates something precious."
Why do we suffer in both this sport and life? Sometimes the pain and irritation are things out of our control. We lose people we love, we lose out on a job we desire, we lose something we really value. However, sometimes, we inflict the pain on ourselves. what are we thinking? Are we are trying to achieve something greater than ourselves? In spite of the discomfort, what are we hoping to gain? I have been so caught up in the idea of qualifying for Boston at Rock N Roll and then agonizing over the decision to run with the Foot Locker Team (knowing that I will not qualifying with them, as we all have to stick together for the first 13 miles at, most likely, a 9 minute pace). I know that I will not be able to make up the chunk of change I need to for Boston in the second half of the race. Today it occured to me that I just need to enjoy the journey. The journey that has taken me this far and the one the day of the race. All of this preparation, all of the sacrifice, all the hard work along the way, I know there will be a pearl at the end of the race. It may not be my fastest marathon, but I am hopeful it will be a journey worthwhile and one that will teach me another life lesson, or "pearl". I look forward to learning what that lesson is when I cross the finish line June 4th.
"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." -Jeremiah 29:11
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