6.2 miles

I found this fun little ditty on the blog Run Faster Mommy.

You get to run the last six miles of your next marathon with 6 different people. They can be dead or alive; famous or not famous. Who are these people and why did you pick them? Furthermore, why did you pick them for the specific mile you did? Remember, you get an extra .2 miles with runner #6.

It was the perfect activity to occupy my mind as I ran a twenty miler yesterday. Here's what I came up with:

Okay. Mile 20-21: My friend Ker - uh, I mean Merith. If it weren't for her, I wouldn't be running in the dang race in the first place. A few years ago I tried running on my own. The result was an injured ankle and a vow to never run again. Then Merith presented me with a typed, color-coded training plan for a half-marathon. We started out slow and steady and stuck to the plan. It worked! We finished a half-marathon. So the next summer, we trained together again, that time for the Columbus marathon. And lo and behold, we finished that race, too. We're both running the Chicago marathon this year and we're both going to finish and we're both going to love it. Right, Mer?



Mile 21-22: My friend Caroline. We ran the Pittsburgh half-marathon together and the miles went by in a flash. Caroline kindly pointed out all the sights as we raced past them. "Oh, that's where you can get the best sub in Pittsburgh. And under that bridge is the perfect spot to dump a body." Even though she's not from Chicago, I trust she'd make up stuff about the landmarks to keep me entertained.

Mile 22-23: This guy.

No, seriously. Around mile 4 of our first race, Merith and I came around a corner and saw him. I said to her, "What kind of idiot would wear that outfi-ohmygodit'smybrother-in-law." He ran along with us and cheered us on and took photos of us. I laughed so hard I could barely run. His comic relief made the race fun for us and for many other runners. I think I'll be in need of some laughs around mile 22. Sorry, Wes, but I'll probably still say, "Who was that guy?" very loudly after you stop running with me.

And once he stops, I'll be at mile 23-24: This is where I'd like to invite all my friends who say "I can't even run a mile" to join me (Lisa? Shelley?) I'd like to show them that they can, indeed run a mile. Especially with thousands of people cheering them on and the promise of a cold beer at the end of it. I figure these non-runners would probably want to take it slow, and I'd gladly use them as an excuse to slow down at this point.

Mile 24-25: This one's kind of hokey, but I'd want to run with my 25 year-old self. She was insecure and puny. She made some dumb choices and, although she toyed with the idea of running, she was too scared to actually run. I'd like to drag that sad little lady along for a mile to show her what she's capable of.

And now, the final mile: No question - my mom. For a couple reasons. First, she's my biggest fan. Last year she happened to be working in Columbus when I ran the marathon there. The night before the run, she and Merith's mom plotted their approach to waching us. They told us to expect to see them at two points along the course. But then, during the race, they just kept popping up and surprising us. At mile 19, Merith and I took a bathroom break and when we came out of the port-o-johns, there were our moms, smiling and waving.

The second reason I want my mom to run the last 1.2 miles with me is because she can't. At least not right now. She was recently diagnosed with a rare form of myopathy. Her muscles have degenerated in the last few months and she can no longer go up and down stairs. She often needs a cane to walk or get up from a chair. As I'm running, I often think of her and the fact that she simply couldn't run if she wanted to. And I think I'm running for her. But, she's going to receive treatments soon that will hopefully restore her strength. So she may not be able to actually join me this year, but there's always 2010!

I realize I haven't included my husband. He's not a runner, and I doubt he'd be all that cheery or inspirational if I forced this mile on him. He can best motivate me by waiting for me at the finish line and by graciously accepting the big, sweaty hug I give him.