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Like I said, I had this crazy notion last
summer to "run a marathon". So I looked up USA fit
and got the info. I tried, unsuccessfully, to recruit a partner
or two. I just kept getting that same reaction,"...you're
crazy!" Then a niece's 5th birthday party I see a shy,
smiling face. Her name is Cassandra. We had never met before,
yet hit it off like long-lost sisters. And, best of all, she
said "Yes!" to the invitation to run the race of
our lives.
Cassandra and I started that Saturday morning of the Time
Trials, and never quit. We shared stories of unusual aches
and pains and lots of high-fives after the longer and longer,
"long runs". :) She ended up being much faster than
I. I didn't care. I just wanted her and I to be there at the
start and most importantly at the finish. We took on our race
names: She was/is "The Gazelle" and I am "de
Leon Got it Goin' On" . We ran. I was so excited. I decided
to carry a disposable camera (to capture the fun) in lieu
of the water bottle I had trained with for so long. (no worries
with all the water stops) I ran with a wonderful partner I
met while running the 19 mile training run. Sherry. Ten years
my senior and all kinds of determination. She made it look
easy. We talked and then decided not to talk between mile
18 and 19. Whoa-kind of tired!
Then we're on First Street and can see the finish line and
hear all the cheering, clear across town lake. Oh my gosh...there
is an end to this. The crowd is starting to pick up again.
The signs are bent by the wind, smudged in the corners, but
the enthusiasm is undeniable. We take pictures. Good ones
at miles 10, 15 and 20. I guess I was too delirious to take
anymore after that. We kept telling each other that it's all
"down-hill" after Longhorn Dam. Downhill was right.
She got calf cramps and I got stomach cramps. While we were
complaining, Sherry got a last minute visit by family. A happy,
lime-green poster sporting a polaroid of her that morning
before she headed out the door. They were shouting and hopping
sideways to keep up with us. Oh hey, we were still running!
We walked the corner to Lakeshore and then I ran to that port-a-potty
at mile 24. Saving Grace!!
She stretched while I...and we both dug in deep for the finish.
We both decided we were NOT going to walk from that point
on. It hurt too much to start back up again. Ugh! Over IH35,
the crowd is so happy for us! I see familiar faces. I want
to run faster, but the legs are laughing at me at this point.
RunTex! I see RunTex! Time Clock! I see the Time Clock! I
manage to remember the camera. I took a slightly blurry picture
of the finish line. Coming down the shoot, I'm screaming "...Can
I get a whoo-whoo!?" My 11yr. old son dashes out to cross
the line with me. I'm whooping and hollering as the 'the guy
with the medals' looks me straight in the eye and says, "Here's
yours!" then runs to find the next Finisher. I'm hugging
everyone and frantically looking for Cassandra. I get a great
hug from her identical twin sister and thought,"...she's
already dressed?!" Then I see a sweaty Cassandra, draped
in her medal and good luck beads heading my way. We hugged
ever so tightly and cried. We made it. Six months of hard
work. One week of nervous anticipation. A few under 5hrs for
her. A little over 5hrs for me. We couldn't stop crying and
laughing at the same time. We broke and all our friends were
standing misty-eyed and smiling. It Will go down on my list
of One of the Best Days of My Life!!!
Thank You, God...My Friends...And the OUSTANDING coaches
at Austin Fit.
P.S. I am currently injury-free and planning to do the Dallas
White Rock come this March 24th. Tah for now...Melissa de
Leon.
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