Oh how a year can change. This time last year I was cursing myself for signing up for the marathon, for torturing myself once again in something I didn’t quite enjoy the first time around. And this year, well, I wasn’t a marathoner, wasn’t a half marathoner, wasn’t even a runner. I was a 5k walker.
We couldn’t let alien thumb sucker’s debut on the racing circuit go unnoticed now could we?
One of the first questions Big Ring asked of me after I had crossed the finish line of today’s Run for Water was “How hard was it for you not to run?” It was a question my walking partner had also asked of me along the route. And you know, had I been on my own, trying to get through those 5 kilometres solo, it would have probably killed me. I mean, just seeing all the fair-weather runners out these days, and seeing all my running peeps pictures posted on Facebook is causing great pangs of envy in my belly.
But today, it wasn’t like that , those thoughts didn’t even cross my mind – all thanks to my favourite walking peeps. With my beautiful sister-in-law by my side (who also happens to be one of my most favourite people in the world AND my in-the-know pregnancy chick too!) as well as my super cute nephews Lightening Bolt and Spider Roan bringing smiles to my face every step of the way, the event for me became a catch-up stroll around the lake. Something my sister-in-law and I used to love to do back in the early days of hers and my big brother’s courtship.
Lightening Bolt leading the way!
It also brought a smile to my face knowing that this event is probably the only time my Big Brother, who ran ahead of us with my other nephew as soon as we crossed the start line, would finish first. Oh yeah Big Brother, I’m laying the gauntlet down. You got your glory today, but once alien thumb sucker is out, let the race begin! You’re going down 😉
Okay seriously, this picture melts me!
While the event didn’t necessarily have a negative effect on me, the excitement for Big Ring was lost. He and a buddy came out to cheer me on this morning, before going out on a 102 km ride. I don’t know if it was the time it took for us to cross the finish line, or the lack of nerves and excitement bubbling out of me, but Big Ring couldn’t help but long for those days of my running yore. Don’t worry Big Ring, I’ll be back soon enough.
Waiting… Waiting… Waiting…
And to cap the day, I was able to watch my favourite running chick cross the finish line of her very first marathon – with a beautiful smile on her face. So freaking proud of that chick, oh man.
I also witnessed Evil Pace Bunny crossing the finish line. Remember him? Well, we may have to rename him Evil – INSANE – Pace Bunny. This guy, ran an ultra marathon on Saturday (in super hot temperatures I might add) and then this morning went out and did the marathon. But he didn’t just do the marathon, didn’t take it easy, make it an LSD run, oh no, EPB crossed the finish line in 3:49:02 – with that evil, freaking smile plastered to his face! Like I said: Insane. Evil.
A well-deserved piece of pizza indeed!
And congrats to all my other running peeps who rocked the 5k, 10k, half and full marathons today!
Run for Water: one year later was first published May 27, 2012.