Chicago Marathon 2011

The marathon is over here in Chicago. The street sweepers have cleared up the empty Gatorade cups and plastic water bottles littering the ground. It’s impressive how quickly the streets were blocked off, shut down, and cleared out for the runners. A few hours later, and the streets are back to normal.

Steve and I arrived at our post near the 25-mile marker on Michigan Ave. at about 9:30 am. The elite runners were about half an hour away, but we wanted to make sure we didn’t miss them. Besides, it was a great opportunity to hang out with people in our neighborhood. We enjoyed talking to a lady who said her claim to fame was handing a cup of water to last year’s winner as he ran by the water station. She said she earned that honor because she happened to have the longest arms. Her little boy seemed just as eager for the race as she was and was excitedly pointing out all the policemen.

Leading off the marathon were the wheelchairs and hand bikes. The chair/bike riders were impressively beefy, not at all like you would expect long distance runners to look. I was surprised to see only about a dozen or so through the entire race, though.

Moses Mosop of Kenya

As the first runner came by, I was not surprised to see it was a Kenyan. His name is Moses Mosop and he was so fast, with a beautiful smooth stride. I was surprised to see him so far in the lead, though, with just the camera entourage around him. Last I knew from the news there were about eight or nine elite runners together in the lead. Moses won the marathon with a new course record time of 2:05:37. The American, Ryan Hall, came in fifth place.

Before the race started, I’d heard about the female from Russia, Liliya Shubukhova, who was vying for her third Chicago Marathon win in a row! I had forgotten to watch for her in all the excitement, but I managed to take a picture of her running by. I almost missed her, but I swear that is her leg and most of her face. She did end up winning overall female. Winning three consecutive years is a marathon record, male or female.

Liliya Shubukhova of Russia

Wanting to be closer to the big crowds and action, Steve and I made our way north on Michigan until we reached the hill leading to the finish line, which was close to the 26 mile marker on Roosevelt Road. The variety and number of runners passing by us for hours was entertaining and inspirational.

About four hours into the race came the people who really impressed me. They are the everyday, run for fun and fitness, here for the beer, not so elite, have little chance of winning crowd. My kind of people. Some were smiling. Some were grimacing. Some were limping and some were picking up speed heading up the hill for the last half mile. They are the ones I cheered and clapped for. They were running for friends, family, foster kids, stray animals, charities, cancer survivors and victims, and some were running just for themselves. I got a knot in my throat seeing their determination. When someone stumbled or slowed, I wanted to run out and help them. These people were reaching deep inside themselves to bring out the best they had in order to get across the finish line. It was so inspiring.

Finally saw a tutu halfway through the race!

For a lot of people, the marathon is about who wins. For others, it’s all about who finishes. For me, the real winners are those who start. Winning, or even finishing, the race doesn’t happen if there is no start. One single step forward is all it takes to begin. That step doesn’t even happen the day of the race. For many people it starts months in advance. First, there’s the decision to run, goal setting, then planning and training. Today, 45,000 people followed through on their decision by showing up at the starting line. Not everyone finished. I saw a few people taken away by wheel chair. The fact that not everyone finishes will not deter me from starting.

Today, a man I know (Congratulations Rob!) ran his first marathon in Portland, Oregon. During my time at Brundage Bootcamp, he was very supportive and motivational to me. I am so proud of him for running and I want to join the group of marathon runners he became a member of today. Tears came to my eyes as I considered my own purpose and reason for running the Chicago Marathon. Perhaps I will share my reason some day. But not today.

Hill near the finish.

Today, I take my first step towards finishing. I have decided to run the 2012 Chicago Marathon.

It's Gonna Hurt!

Recently, while out for a run, I witnessed something that really made me think. I was on the loop back to my house when I came across a yard where a lady was comfortably ensconced in the shade, in a lawn chair. A little boy was standing in the sun a couple of feet in front of her. I say standing, but I actually mean he was jumping up and down, waving his arms, and animatedly describing something to the lady.

I couldn’t hear the words the boy was saying but I could hear the excitement in his voice. As I came closer to the yard, the little boy began bouncing on his toes with his arms clutched to his chest. He looked like a coiled spring all ready to explode. He finished his pitch to lawn chair lady and as I came up to the yard, I clearly heard her say, “Oh, but that’s gonna hurt!”

And just like that, all the energy in that coiled spring was gone. Arms drooped to the side. All bouncing stopped. Head tipped forward toward the ground.

I recognized the look. I’d seen it enough in my own kids whenever I told them any one of 10,000 perfectly good reasons why they shouldn’t do something. I’d seen it in my own face when I let someone talk me out of something that I really truly wanted to do.

Let me ask you, why shouldn’t we do things that hurt? I can understand that purposely damaging ourselves is a really bad idea, but what if pain is a pathway to something great? What if putting up with being a little uncomfortable or inconvenienced is going to bring strength, excitement, or even glory??

I broke a bone once and having it set, really hurt, but it would have healed wrong if they didn’t set it. I’ve received shots that hurt but they made me feel better or even protected me from disease. I’ve donated blood. That’s a hurt that is so good for other people! I’ve been through some tough relationships that hurt, and even ending them hurt. Next week, I’m moving to Chicago. It’s hurting to leave my home state and my friends, but this is going to be a great adventure and wonderful new life.

Lately, I’ve been getting up at four in the morning to go workout in a field in the dark with a bunch of other pain worshipers in Brundage Boot Camp, and baby that hurts!! Yesterday, when my daughter exclaimed over my “traps”, I knew it was worth the pain of those early morning workouts.

Sometimes, the things that hurt are the best things for us. We gain knowledge, experience, strength, zest for life, a new outlook, and most importantly, new friends. I wish I could take back those times I discouraged my kids with my dour pain predictions. All I can do now is set a good example for them.

Today, my BBC friends and I, are heading to North Plains to take on the Oregon Warrior Dash. There will be mud, fire, logs in a pond, cargo nets, walls, lots of running, and glory. We will arrive on the battlefield ready to attack. As we head to the starting line, we will go forth proudly knowing that THIS IS GONNA HURT!!!

Warrior Dash, Portland, Oregon

I took on one more project today.

I know, I know.

Please don’t tell me I’m crazy. I have enough people already doing that.

I know I’ve started many projects in my life that I have yet to finish:

I started building a dresser for my daughter, Tiffany, the summer I took a wood shop class at Lane Community College. It became kindling.

I attempted to build an outdoor garden “lighthouse” complete with a solar powered light for my grandparent’s anniversary. Again, kindling.

I was a carpentry apprentice for about six months.

I was an electrical apprentice for about the same amount of time.

I’ve been divorced twice and had more boyfriends than I care to discuss.

I have changed my college major from Accounting to Business to Computers to Business to Accounting to Marketing to Hospitality, over the course of 24 years.

I started a lucrative career selling lingerie (Undercover Wear) from my home. That lasted just a few months.

I started an even more lucrative career selling Pampered Chef from my home. That lasted for several months (only because I had lots of friends who really like Pampered Chef).

I started training to be a body builder when I turned 25. I was done two months later.

I was going to “be a runner”. Still not sure what I meant by that one.

One spring I decided to be a whitewater rafting guide. That was a fun class, and I guided a couple times afterwards, but that was it.

I have held nearly every job in the Weyerhaeuser sawmill in Cottage Grove because I would get bored of the one I held and sign every job posting.

I was going to be a poker pro and a golf pro and a professional artist and a motivational speaker.

I’ve started and abruptly ended an infinite number of diets and exercise programs.

Lately, however, I’ve had a string of finished projects:

Summer, 2010, I paid off my car loan. Still have the car, too.

November, 2010, I completed a two year apprenticeship to become a Journeyman Saw Filer.

March, 2011, I signed up for four weeks of Bootcamp. Not only did I complete them, I signed up for four more MONTHS!!

July, 2011, my third and final child moved out and into her own place. No, I’m not done being a mom, nor would I ever want to be, however I am now officially an “empty nester”.

August, 2011, I will earn my Associate’s Degree in... you guessed it… Hospitality!!!

So today I decided I would take on yet another project!

I’m going to get in excellent shape so I can run the Warrior Dash in September.

I thought about shooting for a half-marathon, or even a marathon, but the hard-core, down & dirty, 14-obstacles-over-a-bit-more-than-three-miles-dash, sounded like a MUCH bigger challenge!

Actually, it just sounded like a lot more FUN!!! I’m going to be running with some awesome folks from Bootcamp and I’m super excited to complete this task with them.

See for yourself what it’s all about: http://warriordash.com/register2011_oregon.php

I hope you will all come and cheer for my teammates and me on September 10^th, in Portland, Oregon!!

I may be moved to Chicago by then, but if I have, I will return to Oregon on the 10^th to do the Dash.