Mark him well... striding like a gazelle to the finish line, five minutes below his goal time. (3:30 was his goal... qualifying time for the Boston marathon). Two of the qualities I admire most in my husband are his discipline and perseverance. They came in handy when embarking to marry me (not a simple endeavor), and when completing the casual 499 page dissertation on Lono grammar that made up his 
doctorate. They shone again last month, when he tackled his first marathon under the unforgiving rays of a tropical sun. Well, I should clarify. The race started at 4 am so the runners could beat the morning heat (of course, it's not exactly cool at 4 am either, but the heat starts getting your number at about 8 am). He was flanked by a "great cloud of witnesses"... two colleagues who are veteran marathoners, Tim & Stu. (Another 
athlete deserving honorable mention is Joan, a colleague who walked the wheelchair of a handicapped person for the entire 10K. Way to go, Joan!)I decided the race would be a good opportunity for me to get my post-second-baby body back in shape, so I trained for the 10K. The 10K followed some of the same route as the marathon, along a road on the coast which offers some scenic ocean views (islands and boats dotting the blue horizon). Somehow knowing I was sweating on the same pavement that my love had shortly crossed before made me feel like I was part of this adventure. I was happy with my time (two minutes less than I had run before Sam was born) and glad that I recovered my breath after inhaling some water down my windpipe (picture the tall white girl, gasping for breath as downtown
traffic, lined up because of the race, wonders if they'll be reading about her in the morning news...) I need to practice that multitasking drink while running thing. All in all, it was a great experience. We celebrated with an iced Milo (chocolate malt), a milk tea, and a week's worth of sleeping in to the lusciously late hour of 6:30 am. (Training runs had given Mark many early morns). Pictured: pasta load night at our house on Sat; the runners in motion; celebration drinks: Milo (chocolate malt milk)
3 comments:
Congratulations, Mark! and Rach! on that training and running so well. (PTL for the legs to run w/!) So many lessons learned on hard pavement...
WOW!!! :P I see you guys have metals around your necks! Rach!!! You WON! :D I've started my own home training ( scrubbing toliets, mopping floors and vacuuming). It's my own version of "wax on-wax off" We'll see if it takes the pounds off. :) love ya
My is laughing & smiling because she remembers those days at ORU when you were struggling with your fitness requirement. She says, and I quote, "It's amazing what love will do! :)) "
Post a Comment