Bayshore 2009

This weekend I traveled with friends to Traverse City for the Bayshore Marathon. My training partners and I had all trained for the half, with one of us doing the marathon. Back in November, we orchestrated a brilliant plan to crash at my parents' condo in Glen Arbor, due west of Traverse. We imagined consuming gobs of food and wine while recanting great points about the race, celebrating on the deck overlooking an incredible sunset into Sleeping Bear Bay, and giggling relentlessly while clinking to a great year of running.


Fast forward to how the weekend actually went: with a headcount of eight, we lost five due to injuries. Of the five, three opted out of the trip altogether, and two earned stress fractures on opposing feet (which, as one would imagine, brought lots of jokes about being twins competing in the three legged division). This left three runners who were (mostly) injury free. One of us was beaten down by the marathon at mile 25, and two finished the half unscathed. Statistically speaking, it was not a stellar weekend for running. Foruntately we were able to drown our sorrows in platesful of pasta with homemade sauce, chicken enchiladas, and eight different kinds of cookies.

I honestly thought I would be OK going to the race. Though the weekend was about running, I focused on the trip as a weekend long experience rather than a 13.1 mile race. Running takes you to so many amazing places and sometimes, as in my case, it takes you to a place where your foot is enveloped up the knee in plaster. Even so, I was elated to be hosting my friends at a place where I grew up over swaying trees, summer tennis lessons, and chair lifts. Of all the places I've been, it's one of my favorites, and I had the chance to share it with some of my favorites.

My mirror imagine and I made inspirational signs and cheered our friends on, and hobbled from spot to spot to catch a glimpse of what we were missing. Somehow, being together in the same situation, didn't seem so bad. We had each other, our markered "quit your crying" signs and our team spirit. It didn't matter if we couldn't run. A race isn't quite as fun without the loud mouthed bystanders. Despite my positive front, I can't say I didn't get a little misty and feel that twitch of excitement (tinge of jealously?) when the runners breezed by. It all just seemed a little unfair.

Between obsessive thoughts of removing my cast at home and carefully considering my post cast getting back to running program, I am doing some hard core resting. I'm looking forward to my follow up appointment with the foot doctor on June 2. Updates to come.