So off we were on another Saturday long run. A step back week of 16 miles for the day and Jon and I showed up as confident as ever that this would be a successful day. And as usual, we were nearly the only ones in shorts. With the steady routine of the weekend long runs and other weekly miles, including speed work, Saturday seems kind of like payday for me and sometimes I go into it a bit too casual. I only glance at the map they send out to the group for our prescribed weekly long run route. I'm not going to be in front and will be following nearly everyone else so why would I need a map? Jon is pretty good at memorizing the route but has been known to take a short cut from time to time though we always get our mileage in. Running with a GPS makes in nice in that regard. I always say that the only time you are truly lost is if you care where you are going. Most days I don't care and am just out there running. This day turned out to be a little different.
Leaving the Dick Beardsley Running Company (DBRC) store at 6 a.m. all was well. Since we would be passing a Stop-N-Go on 25th Street, I didn't have to find a bush to take care of business as I usually do being a middle aged male and a morning coffee junkie. Jon kept going as I sprinted into the store only to find the restroom occupied. As I stood there waiting, there was another guy wandering the store in running clothes so I started chatting with him. He told me that he and his female running partner, also his co-worker, are in the same running group as I am and are training for their first marathon. The women's restroom was out of order so his running partner was in the men's room. He mentioned she wasn't feeling very well and he himself was just getting over strep throat. We were 3 miles or so into our run and I wondered how the day was going to go for these two. Would they continue? As the minutes started to tick away I wondered how badly I really needed to use the restroom as Jon was getting further and further ahead of me. When the door opened I felt terrible for this gal as she looked pretty green around the gills. I suspected their day was over, wished them well and headed into the restroom. When I left Stop-N-Go, the two were a half block in front of me, stopped, and she was hunched over in the familiar "I'm going to be sick" position. I cruised by them, again wishing them well, as nobody likes an audience when you're heaving.
Just down the road was the first water stop set up by the DBRC. They refilled my water bottle for me, gave me a gel and I asked them how far Jon was ahead of me. They said about 5 minutes. OK. So as I took off I figured that if I ran about 2 minutes per mile faster than his pace, I'd catch him in 2-3 miles. No sweat. Well, a quarter mile away from the water stop I realized I was mssing something critical to my plan...... I needed to know the route. Which I did not. I had absolutely no clue where to go. The only thing I could do was turn around and hope the guys were still there at the water stop. When I got there, the two runners from Stop-N-Go were there. They knew the route so I tagged along with them. Being the route was an out and back, I knew we'd run into Jon eventually. I felt bad for him as I was pretty certain he'd be running all by himself and probably wondering if I'd been run over by a truck.
The two folks that got me back on track were some seriously tough, committed runners. When I first started running with them, the gal said that although she felt awful, she might as well keep running and gut it out thinking if she went home she'd probably feel just as miserable. They both did a good job of hiding their discomfort as we chatted away about running and life. I have no doubt they have what it takes to get through a marathon.
The pair went out ahead of us as I hooked up again with Jon, filling him in on my whereabouts. I felt foolish for not knowing the route. Jon always knows the route and I have become dependent on that. I should probably study the map a little better but you know how some guys are with maps and directions.
Jon did exceptionally well during this run, both physically and mentally. He gained confidence in the training program put before him and learned he is well on his way to being able to tackle his first full marathon.
As we arrived back at DBRC, the two ahead of us had finished their run and were headed home. They were all smiles and waving to us as they drove by. Their faces showed the joy we get from putting forth a tough physical effort and conquering those demons that tell us to stop because something is too difficult. The lesson learned is that most of us are much more capable than we give ourselves credit for.
As for me, what did I learn? That this is a big part of why I run. To watch people surprise themselves when they exceed their own expectations. Also to appreciate the efforts of others and what it does to contribute to my success.
And, oh ya, next time find a bush.
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