Five weeks ago, I stopped in Starbucks on Lake Washington Blvd. A woman with a backpack, sweat drenched hair, leaning on walking sticks was in line ahead of me. After placing her order, she asked for directions from the baristas. They looked at her with quizzical expressions, so I asked where she was heading. "The Seattle Center (miles from where we were)...I need to get to McGilvra then Galer then..." I assured her she was heading in the right direction, but those streets were not the most direct route to her end destination. I asked why she was taking a round about way downtown. "I am training for my first marathon. I have been walking since 6:30am." (it was 2pm) I was heading to NYC in just a few days to run the NY marathon so we briefly talked about long training routes. She mentioned she was in need of new routes, so I stuffed my card in her backpack pocket as we parted ways. I climbed into my car and she set off down the sidewalk. As I drove by, I gave her a quick cheer, "Wahoo, Patti. Way to go!" She raised her arms high in the air and a smile appeared on her tired face. She emailed me the next day letting me know she had made it to Seattle Center in TWELVE hours. Pretty incredible I thought.
The next week I ran the NYC marathon, my third, but the last one was a lifetime ago. The run did not go as I had envisioned. The cold, windy morning got the best of me. I finished, which I know is an accomplishment regardless of the time, but the run and the experience fell far short of my expectation. I left the Big Apple with a sense of disappointment. Returning home, I kept in the back of my mind the idea to run the Seattle marathon the Sunday following Thanksgiving. I figured it was going to be a long time, if ever that I would be able to run that distance again…so I might as well. I ran a few times but did not commit. The fall weather had set in and I knew I wouldn't run the marathon if the forecast was rain. The holiday week started with torrential rain. Nope, not going to run, I thought. On Thanksgiving, I opened the forecast app on my phone and saw the full sun icon for Sunday...race day…there went my out. So, without giving it much more thought, I registered for another 26.2.
Saturday I spent questioning my stupidity. The forecast was showing temps hovering around freezing level. Well, I thought, I can start and always bail out. Home is just a cab ride away this time. What was I thinking??!! I tormented myself all day thinking of my stupidity in signing up. That evening, while I was ruminating out loud, Cooper, my 11 year old son said, "Mom, all that matters is that you finish. I just want you to finish…" His words ran non-stop through my head as I went to sleep until I emerged from my warm SUV at 7:45am into 27 degree Seattle morning to walk to the start line. "Just finish…"
The marathon run started at 8:15. The walkers started an hour earlier…in the dark. It must have been even colder. As I was heading up a gradual incline on the I-90 bridge between mile 5 and 6, I saw a walker with a backpack and walking sticks. Seeing Patti heading up the same incline made my day. I ran past her saying hello and that we had met at Starbucks. She looked perplexed and then the memory emerged from our meeting and she lit up with a smile. The marathon doubled back on itself twice, so I got to see Patti two more times times during my run. Seeing her smile truly made my day and I thought if Patti can do this, I can do this…just finish…that is enough ran through my head. At mile 23, Cooper met me to run to the finish line. It was one of the best experiences I have had with him. He loved running into the stadium and holding my hand as we crossed the finish line. He was so proud of me. I reminded him that I ran walked the last 9 miles and he said, "Mom, that doesn't matter. There is only one real winner and you were not running to win, right? So it doesn't matter how you finished but that you finished…"
After a long bath and resting at home for a few hours, I realized Patti was probably still walking. Mile 23 is very close to my home so my mom and I jumped in the car, to see if we could find Patti. She was just blocks away. I rolled down my window and gave her a big cheer. Her head lifted and she gave us a big smile. We drove further ahead, jumped out of our car and cheered her on as she crossed over the highway and rounded a corner. We ended up walking her 23rd mile with her and learned she started walking the week after she was cancer free. "I had spent a year living in fear. A full year in contraction. I decided my next year would be lived expanding!"
Her next goal is to the Camino de Santiago in Spain from April to June. It will be a 450 mile pilgrimage. "People walk 15 miles per day for 33 days. I don't think I will be able to do that, so I am giving myself two months. If I finish early, I will visit Paris." The smile that crossed her face envisioning it was stunning! We left Patti to finish her marathon with her quiet thoughts and dreams.
I went home thinking how lucky I was to have crossed paths with Patti that day in Starbucks. She lifted my spirits throughout my run and will inspire me as I move towards my dreams.
The next week I ran the NYC marathon, my third, but the last one was a lifetime ago. The run did not go as I had envisioned. The cold, windy morning got the best of me. I finished, which I know is an accomplishment regardless of the time, but the run and the experience fell far short of my expectation. I left the Big Apple with a sense of disappointment. Returning home, I kept in the back of my mind the idea to run the Seattle marathon the Sunday following Thanksgiving. I figured it was going to be a long time, if ever that I would be able to run that distance again…so I might as well. I ran a few times but did not commit. The fall weather had set in and I knew I wouldn't run the marathon if the forecast was rain. The holiday week started with torrential rain. Nope, not going to run, I thought. On Thanksgiving, I opened the forecast app on my phone and saw the full sun icon for Sunday...race day…there went my out. So, without giving it much more thought, I registered for another 26.2.
Saturday I spent questioning my stupidity. The forecast was showing temps hovering around freezing level. Well, I thought, I can start and always bail out. Home is just a cab ride away this time. What was I thinking??!! I tormented myself all day thinking of my stupidity in signing up. That evening, while I was ruminating out loud, Cooper, my 11 year old son said, "Mom, all that matters is that you finish. I just want you to finish…" His words ran non-stop through my head as I went to sleep until I emerged from my warm SUV at 7:45am into 27 degree Seattle morning to walk to the start line. "Just finish…"
The marathon run started at 8:15. The walkers started an hour earlier…in the dark. It must have been even colder. As I was heading up a gradual incline on the I-90 bridge between mile 5 and 6, I saw a walker with a backpack and walking sticks. Seeing Patti heading up the same incline made my day. I ran past her saying hello and that we had met at Starbucks. She looked perplexed and then the memory emerged from our meeting and she lit up with a smile. The marathon doubled back on itself twice, so I got to see Patti two more times times during my run. Seeing her smile truly made my day and I thought if Patti can do this, I can do this…just finish…that is enough ran through my head. At mile 23, Cooper met me to run to the finish line. It was one of the best experiences I have had with him. He loved running into the stadium and holding my hand as we crossed the finish line. He was so proud of me. I reminded him that I ran walked the last 9 miles and he said, "Mom, that doesn't matter. There is only one real winner and you were not running to win, right? So it doesn't matter how you finished but that you finished…"
After a long bath and resting at home for a few hours, I realized Patti was probably still walking. Mile 23 is very close to my home so my mom and I jumped in the car, to see if we could find Patti. She was just blocks away. I rolled down my window and gave her a big cheer. Her head lifted and she gave us a big smile. We drove further ahead, jumped out of our car and cheered her on as she crossed over the highway and rounded a corner. We ended up walking her 23rd mile with her and learned she started walking the week after she was cancer free. "I had spent a year living in fear. A full year in contraction. I decided my next year would be lived expanding!"
Her next goal is to the Camino de Santiago in Spain from April to June. It will be a 450 mile pilgrimage. "People walk 15 miles per day for 33 days. I don't think I will be able to do that, so I am giving myself two months. If I finish early, I will visit Paris." The smile that crossed her face envisioning it was stunning! We left Patti to finish her marathon with her quiet thoughts and dreams.
I went home thinking how lucky I was to have crossed paths with Patti that day in Starbucks. She lifted my spirits throughout my run and will inspire me as I move towards my dreams.
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