26.2 for the Seventh Time

Vermont City Marathon is the greatest!  I've run 7 marathons in 4 different locations and this is by far the best.  I can't imagine anything better.  There are tons of volunteers, it is super-well organized and the whole city comes out to cheer on the runners.  I don't quite know why, but when you are battling the darkest places of fatigue and pain, total strangers telling you that you can do it really helps.  At mile 20 a family was handing runners freeze-pops.  A guy handed me a purple grape freeze pop and I actually got welled-up.  The kindness of the gesture in that moment is hard to describe.  In the same neighborhood some people were handing out watermelons.  To paraphrase co-marathoner and amazing cousin Netdahe, "Watermelon is not cheap!  I wouldn't buy watermelon for 8,000 people!  I don't care how fuckin' bourgeois that neighborhood is.  I love those people:"  I love my cousin.

I really wasn't that psyched to run this marathon, feeling jaded and a bit burnt out.  But as Alan and I waited at the crowded start line together, goosebumps appeared on my arms and legs, and it wasn't cold.  Marathons are exciting.  Alan was so cheerful and pumped and I'm grateful for his enthusiasm.  He's faster than me, but ran with me for the first nine miles for the company and so our family could see us together.  Dahe was way out ahead of us, injured but doing it anyway and his results were really incredible by any standards, despite his need to walk a lot in the later miles (3:47!!).  My time was not my best, not my worst (4:20).  The knee acted up around mile 14 due to lots of turns in that part of the route.  But a fellow runner gave me a baggie with some ibuprofen (and an immodium, which she warned me off of and I handed to a spectator to safely dispose of) and things got better.  Running up Battery Street with the Taiko Drummers and the intense crowds of cheering spectators at mile 15 is my favorite part and the bum knee didn't change that. What a thrill!  But after that I felt discouraged and nervous about the knee until I talked myself into something different, the first clue of the day that what's going on in my head is as important as how I feel physically. More on that later.

Seeing my kids, Neil and my parents (and this year Kayla, Brook, Henekis and Losada) at various points and the Finish is more than enough to keep me going.  They look so proud.  Momma cries.  It's not easy for arthritic Dad to stand there waiting for a glimpse of me.  Patrick would rather go to the Aquarium.  They put a lot of time and energy into supporting me, including navigating throngs of people, hot sun, and hours on their feet.  I guess it's partly symbolic, but it means a lot to me that they do that.  And it helps me keep running when I want to stop, because I can't wait to see their faces and be embraced by them when it's all over.  My incredible, strong, athletic teenage daughter brags about my marathoning on facebook.  I half joke with her that I run marathons so she'll think I'm cool.  It means so much that I can do something that impresses her.

I learned from this race and its ups and downs and from talking to Netdahe about how he runs so fast (man, that kid is FAST!) that the thing that holds me back and prevents me from being faster is my mind.  I'm going to take some time off before training for another marathon, but something clicked for me and I now understand that I really could run faster if I could just train my brain harder.  Yes, it hurts and I want with all my body to stop sometimes, but the thing that prevents me from actually stopping can grow and strengthen like any of my other muscles to make me run faster, even when it hurts.  I don't mean running through the pain of an injury, but just running through the pain of fatigue and exhaustion.  This is what I need to figure out to be a faster marathoner.  And I think I can work on this by mountain biking with my super-skilled family this summer.  I want to try to keep up with them on the trails, to push myself to the limits of brain comfort and beyond.

The only other thing I must say about race day is that the chocolate milk someone handed me at the finish was the most delicious thing I've ever tasted.  Wow.  Who knew?

Oh, and PPS.  Harper and I decided our little family should do a 4-person relay next year.  What should we call our team?  Three Favreaus and a Gascon?  Whoever comes up with the most clever name wins a prize. You have almost a year.

Below are some pictures from the day, in reverse order:

After the finish with the people who love me best.  Thanks to Wayne, who also loves me best, for snapping the photo.

Gee whiz.  I love them so much

My fellow marathoners.  Alan's second marathon and Netdahe's 3rd.  A joy to have people I'm close to to talk with about running.  I'm so proud of both of these guys.

Seeing my family just before crossing the finish line.

Harper took this picture of Netdahe somewhere along the course.  He looks so strong and capable.  A great runner and an even better man/father/husband/brother, etc.

Fresh as daisies before leaving the house for the race.

And this is my time breakdown:

Checkpoint	Time of Day	Chip Time	Chip Pace	Gun Time	Gun Pace
Start	8:03:25.21AM
10K	9:01:59.34AM	00:58:35	00:09:26	00:59:56	00:09:39
10 MILE	9:38:28.72AM	01:35:04	00:09:31	01:36:25	00:09:39
Half	10:08:34.25AM	02:05:10	00:09:33	02:06:31	00:09:39
20 Mile	11:19:14.64AM	03:15:50	00:09:48	03:17:11	00:09:52
Finish	12:23:31.94PM	04:20:07	00:09:56	04:21:28	00:09:59

My Son

My wonderful son who drives me crazy with his forgetfulness and lack of impulse control but is brilliant and sweet and kind will be 13 in one month and one week.  That little pale baby we brought home without knowing how long he'd be ours.  That funny little fellow I dared to call mine before I should have and who came back to us full of smiles and brought us joy.  He will be a wonderful man someday.  In him, we're giving the world something good and important.  I love you Patrick.

"For (the sake of) Old Times"

I love New Year's Eve.  I don't know what people mean when they say it's overrated.  I think it's wonderful.  For years now we've made a tradition of always getting together with our oldest group of friends.  That's what it's all about, right?  Auld Lang Syne, after all! In these busy, hectic times, it is reassuring to have a tradition that brings us all together, no matter what.  And a time to be completely ridiculous and wear hats and wigs.  This is me:

Can you hear Benjie laughing?  Because we are having so much friggin' fun wearing hats!

The kids stayed up until midnight this year (well, all but Nina and Shea, who are still too little).  They have Noelle to thank as she lobbied hard for them last year, making it a sure thing for this year.

Look at these women!   I love them and I love KJs serious face.  She looks like her daughters here, when they just stare you down.  Nina, in particular.  That stare intimidated me a little in 7th grade, but now I love it. This was during the dance party.

 When the event is at Jen's there is always fondue with just a little too much kirsch.  It's delicious though, and Benjie makes the best, homemade bread to dip.  Bryan loves all the late night snacks.  Sometimes it is a wonder there is any food left in the house the next day.

Jen's mixing a drink for Peter.  His one drink of the year. I love her smile.

Me and Maria McGee...So grateful that Maria and Peter drove all the way from Pennsylvania once again to be with us.  Such commitment to the friendships!  Such good kinship work!

(I'm waiting with baited breath for a picture of Peter in the band leader hat.  As soon as someone sends me one, I'll post it here!)

Ah, earlier in the night there was arm wrestling and then leg wrestling.  I can't beat anyone at arm wrestling.  But I beat Harper and Maria at leg wrestling.  Here Noelle and Harper are at a standoff.

 Patrick and Nina, ringing it in!

The ubiquitous picture of a crowd around the fire.  This could be any year, really.  We write things we want to be done with on shims and throw them in the fire.

These here are some super awesome kids as midnight.  They've grown up together and we wonder how much longer they'll be celebrating NYE with us.  My theory is that they will venture out on their own for a few years in their 20s, but then they'll realize there's no party more fun than this one and come hang with us again.  Eventually they'll be in charge of building the fire and making breakfast the next day. This is my fantasy.

Bryan met his traditional obligation of throwing the dried tree on the fire at midnight and Baxter helped keep things under control.

The next morning after eggs and "just one meat!" we enjoyed head scratching...

 


and book reading.  (Look closely and you can see Noelle's husband Pete still crashed out on the futon! What a nice, easy-going fella.)

The nineteen of us gathered for less than twenty four hours, but man, did we pack in some fun.  Peter says, "If every day had even a smidgin of that much laughter, I'd be doing good."  Being with these folks, especially for this particular celebration, is the kind of easy going, good time that really feeds your soul.  I love you all so very, very much.  

 **all of these pictures were taken by Mr. Peter Ammirati.

I LOVE YOU MOMMA!

And you read my blog.  Not sure anyone else does, but who cares.  You're the best and I miss you.

What I Really Love About Marathoning

As my regular peeps know, last Sunday's MDI Marathon turned out to be a big disappointment thanks to a left knee that blew out at around mile 12.  I dragged along and finished in my slowest time ever: :4 hours and 45 minutes.  At the time, I was frustrated and had a few moments where I wanted to cry.  But overall, I really don't give a damn.  There will be more marathons and I made an appointment with the highly esteemed local physical therapist who is a runner.  I feel confident the knee will get stronger and I will kick some marathon ass in the spring.  I'm planning on the Vermont City Marathon, 2012.

So I got up early Sunday morning and got ready.  Neil and Pat drove me to Bar Harbor, where the race began.  It was about 20 minutes away from where we were staying in Southwest Harbor, close to the finish line. I was pretty psyched about getting to the municipal bathroom in Bar Harbor because my tummy had gotten a bit nervous.  The bathroom was warm and occupied just enough so that flushing toilets and hand dryers let me relax.  After that I sat in the car with Neil and Patrick.  We saw a sister and her younger brother, close to Harper and Pat's age.  The sister was holding the brother in her lap, hugging him.  Pat said, "I wish Harper would do that with me."  It was so forlorn and sweet.  We continued to chat in the car until Pat burst out, "Now she's playing Patty-cake with him!!"  Sure enough, the siblings were engaged in one of those hand-clapping games.  My little son could hardly believe this other boy's luck; to have a sister that loving, fun and playful!

That's Patrick.  He's dear and sweet and kind and loves when people pay attention to him.  Later we told Harper about what we'd seen and she worked to be that big sister, though in a rougher way.  She loves her brother.  I'm lucky they still want to come to my races, cheer me on and be together.  The four of us took a sweet hike up Flying Mountain the next day.  Here are my favorite folks, not quite playing patty-cake.

What's the Plan, Zo?

I'm not going for a PR Sunday because of the hills.  I figure 4 hours and 20 minutes is a reasonably challenging goal.  I might write the splits on my arm with a sharpie.  Well, not every mile but every other or so, to stay on pace.  I am so PUMPED!!!

1 mile:	2 miles:	3 miles:
4 miles:	5 miles:	6 miles:
7 miles:	8 miles:	9 miles:
10 miles:	11 miles:	12 miles:
13 miles:	14 miles:	15 miles:
16 miles:	17 miles:	18 miles:
19 miles:	20 miles:	21 miles:
22 miles:	23 miles:	24 miles:

25 miles:

26 miles:

Half-marathon split:

Calculated overall time:

A Rare and Precious Moment