PAIN!!!!!!!!!!

Sometimes I make some curious choices. Today, for instance. The plan was to meet Emily at the 20.5 mile marker and take her in from there. The farthest she had ever run was 21 miles (like, you know, 21 miles is some tiny distance that most of us knock off once a week or something instead of some grueling, massive distance that I think is pretty far when I drive....) and so I would provide encouragement and motivation.
Her parents flew in from....Nebraska? to watch her and offer support. I think that is very cool. Parents who remain involved and interested in their kids lives rock. So they were also meeting her at that point.
Well, I parked around the 22 mile marker and shortly after I did Emily called. She sounded pretty discouraged. She was off her pace (she thought) and was only at the 14 mile marker. So I made what is a good choice, yet under the circumstances, if I had it to do over again, I am not sure I would make.
Last weeks' epic 12 or 13 miler I did is something I had not yet fully recovered from. Also, had a great time in K-Falls yesterday, but the drive back was fairly fatiguing. Also, I for whatever reason did not breakfast. Possibly because I thought I was doing about 5 miles. And that far I can always push myself.
Well, after hearing her call, I thought she might need some encouragement, so I thought I would walk a mile or two down the course to meet her a hair earlier and maybe be a little help that way. Yeah. Well, I started chatting a bit with a guy that came down from Seattle to support a couple people, and before I knew it I was at Mile 18. And, if you are doing the math, that is a shade over 4 miles.
My foot had started throbbing at that point and I instantly developed buyers remorse. However, this day was not about me, so when I saw Emily I just turned and fell in step with her.
Where I started with her was at the top of a long, grueling hill. 18 miles in and they are climbing hills I would not do with fresh legs. That is why they are athletes and I am a couch fungus. (I used to be a couch potato but I molded. Oh, come on, you know you laughed.)
Well, my job was to encourage her and that is certainly what I tried my utmost to do. The remainder of the way was dedicated to telling her what a great job she was doing and how impressive her drive and determination were. I told a few jokes to distract her, particularly at those points where she was talking about it being "the part where they said I would just want to kill myself...and I do" type thing.
Also, in what would be totally demoralizing to me, the police started reopening the roads thus moving the runners and walkers to the sidewalks.
To her credit, once we got in a rythym, she churned out the miles pretty well. In fact, when I first saw her she was kind of on an island. There were no people in sight behind her and just a few in front of her.
Over the last 8 miles, she must have passed 50 - 60 people. That, to me, is impressive. Think about it. Someone has been ahead of you for 18 miles, but when they are getting weaker and slowing down, you are turning up the heat and getting faster and stronger? Awesome.
In fact, one of her running partners had passed her long before I encountered her. We passed her at the 25 mile marker and finished far ahead of her. Probably a half mile or more I would think.
Well, I was done for the rest of the day. I came home and promptly laid down, and getting me off my backside was pretty near impossible. I can only imagine what it is like for her.
There is an important lesson here, however. Because I needed to support and encourage her I was able to block out what would otherwise have been crippling pain. It allowed me to push on when I totally would have quit. And hopefully my attempts at motivating and encouraging her did the same for her. Right now I ache from head to toe, but it is totally worth it. Because I feel that, by being part of her support network, I was able to both drive myself beyond what I believed my capabilities to be and also because I was able to rely on someone else.
Hopefully this is a lesson I take to heart and expand my support network a little bit. I know a lot of you offer me help from time to time but I am always too stand-offish and/or proud to take it. Keep offering...you just might see that starting to change.
Oh, and Michelle...thank you so much for your help on that Spanish last night. Normally I would not have asked for that, but after the above lesson...I am glad I did. I really appreciate your friendship and the help you offer me. And that is why I not only don't object to taking care of your cats when you and Sean are gone...I am honored that you trust me with that responsibility.
Okay, I am off to rest my weary bones. Someone wake me when Gabriel blows his horn.