Today I woke up with my knee in pain, it was also kind of cold outside. Here is something I can count on...when it's cold , my knee starts to hurt. It usually goes away with a dose of advil, a hot shower and some icy hot. My husband swears by icy hot, kind of like the dad swore by Windex in the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding. If you have icy hot and vicks in your house, you are good to go!
One day a while back my husband tells me he is going to run in the LA Marathon. I signed him up and waited for him to train. He is pretty fit to begin with and stays in shape walking a lot and refereeing. Still I thought that at least he would run a few miles each night or something , but no. That first year was a learning experience for us all. We ventured to the LA Convention Center after checking into our hotel in downtown LA. There were hundreds of people picking up their registration packet and goodie bags. The next day before 8:00 am a gun was shot in the air with the song I Love LA playing in the background and thousands of runners began their goal of running 26.2 miles and crossing the finish line. It was exciting on the sidelines as well. Me and the kids were cheering people on and it was a lot of good fun. We waited near the end and about five hours later my husband finished.
We met up with him after he got his medal and it was all he talked about on the way home. He told us all about the camaraderie amongst the runners and how all the supporters along the marathon route were so generous. He said it was amazing how people came together for this one day to support so many people. Then for about two years after that he ran every year and finished.
Something crazy inside of me decided that I wanted to have the glory and pride of finishing a marathon. I wanted to witness people coming together when usually we are all so divided. So....I signed up. I was so excited. I did everything I thought would be sufficient for running a marathon which is approximately 26.2 miles. Then before I knew it it was time, the 2008 LA Marathon was here. I was sad that my kids were not going to be there to share it with me but I knew that they would be proud of me when I got home.
My Husband and I checked into our normal hotel and we went shopping the day before the big day. We had a lot of fun but I could not stop thinking about the next day. For some reason I thought I was going to die, and I began to get scared. Bright and early the next morning I woke up, I think it was way before five. I could not sleep and I stood there in our hotel room looking out the window. My husband told me I needed all the sleep I could get, but I couldn't sleep, I was about to kill myself on some LA street.
After we loaded up the car we made our way to the subway and took our ride to Universal Studios with all the others. There was a lot of adrenaline on that train and I was energized. As I looked around and saw all the different kinds of people I knew I could do this, at least that's what I told myself. There were short not twig skinny people with curves like me, yes, I could do this! My husband knew exactly where to go and told me what to expect in the beginning when everyone is just pushing their way forward. I was excited to hear Mayor Villaraigosa shoot the starting gun and then we were told that he wasn't going to be there, I was sad, but still ready as ever. I LOVE LA blasted on the radio and then the moment I waited for...the gunshot!
It was all downhill and seemed easy enough at first. As he had promised once the crazy people moved forward and left us behind things were going ok. I remember all these men just running to some bushes on the side of the road and urinating anywhere they could find a spot. They had a finishing goal and no porta potty line was going to stop them. After running for what seemed like an eternity with no mile one sign in sight I wondered what in the hell I had gotten myself into. No! I had to push those thoughts out of my mind, I could do this.
One thing was for sure, the energy of the crowds and runners made me feel like I was the energizer bunny and I could last forever...not to mention there were free cups of gatorade! There was music and happy people all around. People were walking and people were running. I was switching off and my husband was nice enough to wait for me. I ran with landmarks ahead of me in mind. I would tell myself..."Ok, run to that signal light and then you can walk for a while". This worked for quite some time. Then somewhere along the way around mile 12 my knee turned against me and decided that my occupation could not be a runner! We went into El Pollo Loco got some ice and took a little break. That is one thing that people don't realize. People take breaks, go into restaurants, use restrooms as long as they stay on the marathon route.
I tried to run but after aboiut mile 14 I knew I was going to have to walk the rest of the way. I told my husband to go ahead of me, get his time in and come back for me. He stayed with me and I knew he was worried about my knee and about me. When I came to about mile 16 by USC I got a text message from my BFF Frankie that said "You are my hero". I think if it had not been for that inspiration that I needed so much from someone at home I might have given up. I was at mile 16, there was no way I was coming this far to give up now, so I kept going. I knew it was getting late because people started to pack up and there was not any cute little gatorade filled cups along the route.
I knew once we went over the LA River bridge that we were almost there. I felt so happy and I pushed myself harder. Every few minutes I would take out the jar of Icy Hot and rub it on my knee...mile 22, mile 23, mile 24. Around mile 25 I was in extreme pain and I thought my legs were going to give out because they felt like noodles. When I saw the finish line I took out my phone and took a picture. When I crossed the finish line the time it had taken me to get there was a few minutes over eight hours. Eight hours, yes, that is a lot of time, but I didn't care. I had my medal around my neck and I did it. I was so proud of myself. I wished my mom was there to see me but I knew she was rooting for me from Texas. I wished my dad was there too, but you all know he was there because I told you that he lives in my heart now, remember?
My husband left me to go get the car and he drove us home to go pick up our kids and share our accomplishment with them. By the time we got home that night I couldn't walk to the front door from my driveway. My husband carried me in and layed me on the couch which is where I stayed for two days. I even had to call my boss and request a few extra days off, there was no way I could even drive.
A few days later I was back to my old self again, with a cane of course. The doctor said I had just injured my meniscus and they sent me away with a prescription and a brace. I wore my medal around my neck for about a week and though I don't have a bucket list of things I want to do before I die, I know that if I did I can say that I ran and completed the long, grueling but very rewarding 26.2 mile race.
Oh by the way, don't worry about my knee, I wear my pain proudly and it reminds me that there is nothing I cannot achieve.
No comments:
Post a Comment