*cough*cough*whimper*whimper*
Dave did GREAT! He finished all 26.2 miles in just 4 hours and 13 minutes! *G*R*E*A*T* and yes - I 'm VERY proud of him. With just six months of training, less 6 weeks due to injury, little sleep the previous week due to nerves and a virus that he caught from Rachel earlier in the week. He did it!
*cough*cough*whimper*whimper*
OK. Now what happened while Dave was running?
Well, before the running even began..., I broke my toe the day before the race (a bad break to the baby toe - OUCH!) and the little virus that Dave caught turned into a monster for me and I lost my voice somewhere during the day of hobbling around town:
First, at 4:30 am, I hobbled with two sleepy little girls to drop Dave off at the starting line. Next, home to shower & dress, eat breakfast with the girls, and then rush to Crown Point (mile 19) where - after a mad dash for parking and a run while pushing the stroller with a broken toe - we caught him with just 5 minutes to spare.
Lookin' strong at mile 19. Daddy ROCKS!!Then a mad dash to the trolley in Fashion Valley to catch a ride to the finish line, which is where I'm pretty sure I lost my voice. And this is how:
I handed my bags to a nice woman who offered to help me, set the girls above the steps inside the trolley door and turned to grab the stroller - when I turned around again the TROLLEY DOOR HAD CLOSED!!Next, we tried to grab a cab instead of getting on another trolley but the cabbies didn't want a fare that was headed anywhere near the marathon finish line traffic and all strongly suggested that I take the connecting trolley. Which we did.
I began banging on the door, yelling only to hear a loud speaker telling everyone to clear the doors. "NO!" I screamed. "YOU'VE GOT MY KIDS!!!" and I ran down to the next door which was still open.
But there was no room for me w/ the stroller and there was no way I would have been able to get to my kids through the mass of people. I was SERIOUSLY PANICKED!! "STOP!! MY KIDS ARE DOWN THERE!!"
I looked back again to see the other door where the girls were had opened again and ran, hauling the folded stroller, faster than you can imagine and hurled it into the doorway just before it closed again. The WONDERFUL woman who had been helping me had pushed the emergency button - FINALLY.
I stepped over the stroller, hauling it up the steps behind me, shaking and teary eyed behind my sunglasses - but smiled at my girls and said, "Wow. Mommy was scared you were going to leave without her." I then turned to the people around me and said, breathlessly, "You read about parents like me in the paper." And that sparked a discussion about how quickly it all happened and how rude the security guard was when he finally came back to check on what the emergency was. They were all very kind and helpful. That's about the time I realized the additional damage I had done to the already broken and now THROBBING toe.
Then we had to walk, me, with my broken toe, voiceless, pushing the girls about a mile through the crowds to the finish line. Where we searched, and searched, and searched trying to reach Dave through choppy analog cell service until finally the call went through and he said, "I'm two feet behind you. Turn around."
He was exhausted, his knee was hurting, his feet were throbbing, he was sweaty and wet, but he looked beautiful standing there with the Finisher medal hanging around his neck.
I am sooooooo proud him, the girls were excited to see him and it was all worth it. (except that part about almost losing my girls on the trolley)
*cough*cough*whimper*whimper*
OK - back to Dave. He said it was all going pretty well until just after we saw him at mile 19 and then he hit a serious wall. He said there were a couple times that he started to tear up, wondering where in the world he was going to get the strength to take another step. But he did - he kept on going and he did it. Can you believe it - (OK, of course you can, it's Dave we're talkin' about after all.)
His first marathon in 4:13. How great is that?!?!*cough*cough*whimper*whimper*
The girls were golden most of the day. Staying close and listening - I couldn't have asked for more. They hit a wall in the last few hours of the day. It seems that getting up at 4:30 am to drive Daddy to the starting line was tough on the little ones near the end of the day.
*cough*cough*whimper*whimper*
As for me? I'm going to drink a little lemon tea for my throat and then go lay down and ice my toe. Dave's taking the girls out for pizza.
Gotta love that man!!
Oh wait - he's not done yet. He's off tonight on the red-eye to Wisconsin for a week's long business trip. He's leaving now - for a week. Wait! That means I'm home for a week, broken toe, no voice, two kids...,
hmmm. Notice the smile and relaxed look?? My own little marathon begins now.
*cough*cough*whimper*whimper*
**
3 comments:
I have chills, goose bumps and tears in my eyes. What an incredible, exhausting, exciting, frightening day! What an amazing man! I loved the pictures along the way. Dave may rock, but you, my girl, are a boulder!! Here's a kleenex for the snot and the tears.
Well, well...Congrats to Dave. In fact many congrats to Dave. That's quite an accomplishment. I can remember a few "force marches" hikes) of that distance in the long dim past and can't imagine trying to run that far.
From the recanting of your day at the races, you had a bit of a marathon yourself, compounded by Dave's absence. I find that the only thing worse than feeling lousy, is having no one to complain to.
OH MY GOD…..I am rolling!! I almost fell off my chair. NO,it’s not funny, but I'm picturing all of this going on. What a hoot!! LOL
But seriously, are you ok? How and the *#%@ did you break your toe? And you all cought Ray Rays cold too.
Yes, Dave does look very relaxed as he is exiting the house for a week. GOOD for him on his race well done.CONGRATS DAVE :O)
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