Tuesday, May 4, 2010

I will endure the night...

I promised myself that i'd write a reader’s digest version of the Cape 13 Relay that took place this weekend, and would omit such trivialities like the discussion of Jamie Foxx’s tongue trick as seen on Oprah, Van #2‘s car alarm going off at 2am and requiring a wire to be cut out of the vehicle because the electronic key’s battery died, which also required our Runner #8 to hitch a ride with another van to the transition, which also required Runner #9 to ride a bike to his transition due to vanlessness. Yes, true story. Van #2 was dubbed JV Van. Van #1 was full of Twizzlers and empty water bottles and knives with peanut butter still on them and halves of bananas turning brown on the floor, bibs pinned to seatbelts, sweaty sports bras slung over seats; afterthoughts of quick wardrobe changes. We smelled like chocolate cruellers, chicken parmesan and sweat. We were drunk on the oxygen of the final notes of Girl Talk’s “Feed The Animals” and LCD Soundsystem. We were in love with our toughness:) We were part of a the centipede of Road Warriors of all shapes and sizes! We were Land Vikings! Oblivious to the water crisis just north of us, but wondering why the “1 mile to go!” signs were actually 1.5 miles. Ugh so defeating:)  


What I will tell you are the importantly fun things, like how cool it was, as a relay veteran, to witness the magic of eleven people taking on this great big thing, something they have never ever done before, and watching their doubts turn to unbridled energy because they saw that their body CAN. that their mind CAN. That they are bigger than the fear of being bigger than something. It was so inspiring.


It was also really humbling to see the fruits of my own day-in, day-out training come to fruition for my three runs of the relay. I have been on this training program for no real reason, no race in mind, just wanting to build my endurance and speed.  My body has gotten fitter and stronger, and I was completely blown away in seeing firsthand how constant practice and hard work can make those few glimmering moments of racedom amazing. I told Mary (gave me a training program back in January) how this weekend is a real testament to the mantra I’ve repeated in my head for weeks when my body wanted to take a few days off and eat chocolate for hours: consistency breeds results.


i wasn’t even supposed to run this relay this weekend. I thank God for the opportunity. He knew I needed something and He knew I was ready for this - not just in running but in hanging out with cool peeps and perfect strangers.  To be able to say YES, and to have done it, feels good. So does meeting new incredible humans, sharing sweat and candy bars with said humans, and so does the reminder of how beautifully sweet s-l-e-e-p is once it’s all over:)


And with that, here’s a song that was consistently thrumming in my hypothalamus throughout the race. How can you not run joyfully into the great expanse? And no, I didn’t wear headphones. I have music playing in my head always & happily.


x+oh,
kay


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