Boston Marathon Heartache

As I type, I'm a sweaty, tearful puddle. The sweat is from a run inspired by the Run for Boston hashtag of UMightBeaRunner. I ran in honor of the people who's hard-won moment was cut short today by two explosions near the Boston Marathon finish line. Which gets to why I'm tearful.
As Evan Gregory pointed out,  running a marathon is hard enough without hurricanes (Sandy) and explosions. Seriously, it's really f'ing hard.
If you've never run a marathon, here's the best analogy I can give you: imagine eating your favorite sorbet or ice cream. At first it's fun, a treat, you never want to stop because it's sooooo good. Now imagine eating that same flavor of ice cream for somewhere between 3 and 5 hours without stopping. What once was pleasurable is now detestable and downright painful. You think you might throw up. Or, worse, poo on yourself. Every muscle involved is tired. You can no longer feel key parts of your body. People keep shouting, "You're almost done!" But they are lying liars. You're not almost done. You have three more tubs to go which, by themselves might be manageable but you've already eaten 23 giant, Baskin-Robins commercial-size tubs of Rocky Road.
You get the point. It's an awesome accomplishment but hard. And finishing can be emotionally overwhelming. I cry at the end of my own races, while watching races on TV and when I ran the last two miles of a half marathon with my sister-in-law. I just want to shout at everyone around me, "You did it! I did it! We all did it!!!"
Today, those shouts would have been drowned out by the sound of an explosion that killed at least two people. That joyed would have been forever tarnished by terror. In the future, when today's racers tell people they've run the Boston Marathon, people will half jokingly ask, "You weren't at the one with the bombs, were you?" and they will have to buzz kill them with a somber, "Yes. And it wasn't just hard. It was a nightmare."

Tears of joy finishing Baltimore race w/ bro.

We don't need any new excuses to sit on the sofa. Don't let today ruin your runner's high. Breath in, breath out, tie your shoes and go for a run.

Ending a Relationship; breaking up with running

(Note, this post may be best enjoyed by playing The Manhattans in the background.)
I have been in a relationship with running for more than 15 years. Despite recently breaking it off, I can't help give one last, furtive, look back.

With Darren. I'm 2nd from left.

I started dating running when I was finishing college. It was casual - we barely were making it to 1st base (take that how you will). Things got a hot and heavy the summer of '95, when I added more miles and developed a regular training plan.
In 1996, running and I took things to the next level. I ran my first marathon and basked in the glow of love requited. In 1998, we affirmed our commitment with a second marathon.

After Chicago marathon '98

I kept spending time with running after I tore my knee skiing, the winter of 99/00. It was wrong. I wasn't ready but it made me happy.
Running was there for me when I moved to England and would have gained 15 pounds from eating cookies (they were in every meeting!). And, it was there for me when I got divorced, initially serving as a shoulder to cry and then, temporarily, becoming a crutch I relied on (which led to my 3rd and final marathon in 2007).

Post NYC 2007

My love for running knows no limits. When I can't do it, I dream about it and sigh with longing when I see people running on the street. No matter how much it has hurt me, I keep going back to it because so much about it is wonderful and pure and makes me feel good about myself.
Running doesn't mind if I try other sports. "Go ahead, cycle!" running laughs. "It won't make your heart race like I do." About yoga, running snorts at the lack of commitment. "You're not going anywhere," running comments. "Standing on a mat is not what I would call 'taking the next step.'" It's right, of course.

Me & Nathan. Baltimore

Running is willing to share me with other loves. My boyfriend and I ran together in New Zealand. My brother and I ran/walked a half marathon together in Baltimore. And I happily share running with everyone - I invite others to get to know running and even blog about what to wear to ensure the relationship grows.
But it's over. A year ago I told myself I had to stop. At first I said I would quit stepping out with running by my birthday but quickly I pushed back our break-up date to the end of the year. I thought about going out big - maybe one last marathon or even an Ultra. But running reminded me of why it had to go by hurting me again and again. First Achilles tendonitis, then issues with my piriformis muscle and, always, the aching knees. So, I let it slip away. We didn't go out with a bang or acrimony. We spent some quality time together over the winter break and then, on new year's eve, I laced up my shoes one last time and, as I wrapped up that last mile, said to myself and running, "Let's just kiss and say goodbye."
I'm gonna miss you.

What to Wear Runnin in 40 degrees & Rainy

Temp: 40, overcast
Wind: Little gusts
Precip./Humidity: Steady rain/moderately humid
Terrain: Flat
Distance: 3.5 miles

What I wore: Knit hat; Under Armour t-shirt (courtesy of the Baltimore Half Marathon); Nike dri-fit, heavy-weight running shirt and light-weight tights. I forgot my gloves!

Did it work: No. Learn from my mistake and look outside before deciding what to wear. Thanks to a delay in the weather report, I didn't know it was raining. Sounds silly, but I'm taking comfort from the fact that two runners on the trail told me they had done the same thing.

What should I have worn: 1) Gloves. 2) A brimmed cap to keep water out of my face and perhaps a headband or earmuffs to keep my ears warm. The knit cap got soggy. 3) A long-sleeve, mid-weight shirt with a rain-resistant shell over it.

Obvious but...: When running on a wet day, keep your feet as dry as possible by avoiding puddles. This seems like a given, but if you live in a friendly running community or run with a group, you might be too busy saying hello and chatting to keep an eye out for soakers.
Two years ago, I was caught running during a flash flood. It was pretty exhilarating but, needless to say, my shoes were drenched. If you're shoes do get very wet, do not put them in the dryer. This is a sure way to shorten their lifespan. Instead, fill each shoe with crumpled newspaper and place them near a heat source (the newspaper helps absorb water on the inside).