I want to start with an apology to everyone that saw me on race day that I failed to see in the eyes. To those that were there for me when I wasn’t there for myself. And to those that showed up big time.

I am super happy you showed up!!! And grateful for the support you brought.

I had big ideas about a spring Marathon. Not just that I was going to run but I was going to run right. Put big (I guess little?) numbers on the board, and pave the way for next springs races. This involved a lot of training, a lot of early mornings, a lot of evening snacking, and a lot of nervous nail biting (my poor cuticles!!!).

Things just kept getting in the way, fuck!!!

Regardless I had not lost faith in my plan.

But come race day it was not meant to be.
I went out too hot (when everyone told me I would), I didn’t fuel enough (when I thought I had it all figured out), and I lost faith around 25km when I walked for the first time. My calves turning from fleshy warriors of immense possibility to two pieces of driftwood I apparently picked up off the Spanish Banks beside me.

But

At 15km I felt the love of home street hollering
Come 26km I could hear the reverb of friends.
Come 30km I could hear the cheering/costumes from miles away.
Post 32km John and Lydia wouldn’t leave my side unless I threw myself in the ocean (which was not that far from what I wanted to do….)
When Andrew passed me at 39km I was walking pretty slowly with my head down and tears in my eyes at having to try and pick my legs up again and again and again. But he cheered me on there too (albeit he said “I’ll wait for you at the finish”….. ANDREW!!!)

To those countless people I had seen on course I wasn’t really failing, though they knew it wasn’t going according to my plan. To those people I wasn’t putting on the class “Running a BQ: 101” I had wanted to but I was still crushing the race.

I couldn’t have done it without any of you there.

And I want to shout out to everyone on that course in May that crushed that race. We had fun!!!

And I challenge that this is the true spirit of November Project Vancouver. Meeting you where you are and celebrating the shit out of it. Holding you accountable and loving you for it. And helping you achieve your A or B (and sometimes Q….) goals with smiles, screams, and solid high fives.

I may not feel ecstatic about my race on that day but honestly I felt a lot of love. And there was a lot of it on that course thanks to everyone that showed up. And keeps showing up. And with those smiles, and screams you convince those around you that “This shit is good”.

So fuck yeah. On to the next one…..

I’m blessed if we’re both there too.

V