Has Heather Turned Into A Hippie?

As previously stated on this blog...I am slow as sh*t when it comes to running.  What was not previously stated on this blog is that there is a reason I am slow.  That reason cannot really be impacted by hard and continuous training, more miles, or speed workouts.  It is actually a physical issue I have dealt with since I was a teenager.

What I have not had since I was a teenager though, that I finally got yesterday is a name for this issue.  I have Lymphodema Praecox.  This is a cronic and congenital condition that I was basically born with, but that didn't present itself until I was a teenager.  What that means is that my lymph nodes do not process lymph adequately.  Additionally, the channels in which the lymphatic system moves lymph have valves to that do not work either.  So my legs, ankles and to some extent my hands swell.  Things like heat, humidity and sodium can make it worse.  So when I run, my legs feel and are heavier than most people my size, therefore I can't turn them over as quickly and therefore I am really slow.  Running with the swelling I get in my legs and ankles is like running with weights around your ankles.

Having a name for the condition is somewhat of a relief even though that seems kind of silly.  I read an article by a shrink once that explained that human nature makes us like to "put things in boxes", meaning we like things to have a name, we like to know where things or people are even if we have no intention of using or contacting them.  It makes sense.  Something with a name is easier to wrap your head around.

The lymphatic system gathers and processes all the waste and garbage so to speak that your body cannot or doesn't need to use.  What that means for me is that the more waste, garbage and things my body doesn't need that are put into my body, the more my already failing system has to process.  NOT GOOD.

So I am making some big changes in my life.
And although it is going to sound like I am becoming one of those annoying, crunchy, granola, hippie types...that is not it at all (no insult intended toward any crunchy, granola, hippie types that read my blog...I don't dislike you...I just don't have any intention of being anything like you.  I like to shave my legs!).

First, I am completely changing my diet.  And by completely, I mean completely.  I am eliminating all foods that contain artifical colors, flavors or preservatives.  My body doesn't need it and they will over tax my lymphatic system.  So I am going to only all natural foods.

Second, I am eliminating all animal protein.  Not to the vegan level where I wouldn't eat bread because it has trace amounts of egg in it...but I am mostly eliminating animal protein.  I will eat fish, tofu and beans as my main sources of protein, and will basically not eat chicken, pork, beef, milk, eggs, etc.  Trace amounts in things like bread, cereal, etc I do not have the time nor desire to eliminate.  I do have a life you know.

Third, I used to be really good about severely limiting the sodium in my diet and then I got lazy.  That has been a huge drain on my system and is one of the worst causes of swelling for me.  So I am going back to low and no sodium food.

Fourth, I am seeing a lymphatic drainage massage therapist.  It sounded like voodoo, but a vascluar surgeon I saw yesterday confirmed that it really does help.  This very specific type of massage procedure stimulates the lymphatic system to work better and helps to channel the lymph to where it needs to go and reduce swelling.

Fifth, I saw a vascular surgeon yesterday.  There is no cure for what I have and no surgery to correct it (that was hard to hear...I cried in the car after my appointment).  He did however say there is a sleeve I can wear on my legs for 1 hour every night that will help my lymphatic system move things along to where it needs to, which will improve the swelling considerably.  He has written the referral to get the process started for insurance to approve this device that I can use at home.

So what this means is that I will now be that annoying person who brings my own food and condiments everywhere I go.  This weekend I will put together my kit that I can bring along anywhere with my salad dressing, seasoning, rice milk, all natural sweetener, etc.  It will take some getting used to to remember all of this everywhere I go.  It will take a lot of planning and organization to ensure I shop ahead, and pack ahead and plan for my entire day.  Good thing I am a "boyscout" as Pauly likes to say, and organization is my middle name.

This issue with my legs has haunted me since I was a teenager.  I haven't worn shorts or a skirt since I was 16 because of the way my legs look because of the swelling.  I run in pants even when it is 100 degrees out.  I wear compression socks if I am going to be on my feet for longer than a few hours or I am running.  To say that it breaks my heart on a daily basis, shakes my confidence, impacts my everyday with discomfort and my lack of ability to run faster than a 12-13 minute mile is an understatment.

I finally feel like I am taking some steps to take control of this issue I have lived with for over 20 years.  I will never have normal legs.  I will never be without this issue...but I can improve it with some hard work.  If I can help the swelling enough that I would be comfortable to run in shorts...that would be HUGE!!!

So if I come to your house and bring some of my own stuff...please don't be offended.  You are a great cook, I swear.  If we go out to dinner at a restaurant you love, and I bring my own salad dressing...I am not insulting your choice in dining establishments.  If I am going to take control of this, I am throwing everything AND the kitchen sink at it to see what results I can get.  Fingers crossed it works even a little bit.

Where The Hell Did My Groove Go?

 Oh GROOVE...Where are you?  I had it...about 2-3 weeks ago.  My groove that is.  I was feeling really good on all my runs, was looking forward to all my runs!  I had even lightened up that little voice in my head that says: "you aren't hydrated enough to run", "I had a long day and I'm tired"...no voice...I just wanted to run.
Where the hell did that go?  I don't remember letting it go.  I don't remember putting it down somewhere or leaving in the bottom of some purse I won't use for months.  So...I don't know where it went.

I am feeling BLAH!!!

I missed my long run last weekend for a REALLY good reason.  Paul's 20 in 24 race where he ran 101 miles.  I was really freaking tired too from crewing for 30+ hours...so I thought it was a good thing.

Then the heat and humidity started last week.  Running 3 miles felt like swimming through hot soup.  It sucked and it wasn't at ALL fun.

Then I skipped my long run this weekend too.  NOT for a really good reason.  I mean, we had houseguests all weekend, and Hsin-Hua's big birthday bash...so lots of stuff going on.  Our house has also gotten insanely out of control since we haven't been home any weekend since about May for more than a few hours.  I felt like it was caving in on me.  So I skipped my run to get stuff done around the house.  Felt good to get all that done, and the house looks great , but also felt really bad and guilty about my run.  I ended up doing a 3 mile treadmill run that night to salvage my mental state at least.

This 100 degree + heat and horrid humidity make me want to run about as much as I want to set my hair on fire.  THIS SUCKS!!!

I also have on my schedule to do my longest run to date.  My training run for the last 2 weekends was supposed to be my first distance longer than a half.  I am not intentionally or consciously psyching myself out about it...but maybe my sub-conscious is?  I mean, I know it will feel really good to break that barrier, but it is also a little scary.  The unknown.  The "can I do it"?  I mean, I can run a half marathon (slow as sh*t) with no problem.  Seriously...piece of cake.  I don't know why 15, 16 or 17 miles would feel so scary.  Its only a few more miles.  Who knows, maybe that isn't my problem. 

I don't know what the hell my problem is, but I need to pull myself out of it.

10 weeks until Steamtown...10 weeks until 26.2 miles.
I gotta get moving. 

Recommendations are welcome for getting re-motivated to run my longest distance, get over the sluggish feeling of the heat and humidity and get my a** in gear?  I HAVE to do a 16 mile run this weekend no matter what or I am really off schedule for my marathon!  HELP!!!!!

"I Told You That B*tch Was Crazy"

Yeah...the crazy b*tch would be my husband...he ran 101 miles in 24 hours this past weekend.  I guess you could also call me a crazy b*tch since I crewed for him for over 30 hours, slept in the middle of Philadelphia in a cot and allowed him to run 101 miles in 24 hours...but whatever.

Before I commence with the pictures...let me just say that this was a FREAKING cool event.  The event itself and the fact that hundreds of people come out to run alone, or in the relays for 24 hours is amazing.  The charity it raises funds for, Back on My Feet which gets homeless people out running to help them build self esteem and confidence is amazing.  The people who came by to offer support and company while we were there for 30+ hours are amazing.  My Dad and Step-Mom who kept us company, helped pack and crew, and helped with Hsin are amazing.  The pacers who ran with Paul for HOURS, some in the middle of the night, and are the reason that he was able to push himself and reach the goal of 100 miles are amazing.  And most of all, my husband, who never took a break longer than 10 minutes, and RAN for 24 hours straight for a total of over 100 miles...IS F*CKING AMAZING!!!

I thought about telling some crazy a** stories from the day, like the relay guy who came over by my tent and did the most intense ab workout I have ever seen, on the grass before going out for his loop (WTF)...but I really don't want to distract from what the day really was about.  The HUGE accomplishment that my Pauly P, the love of my life had this weekend.  He has crossed that threshold into the club of people who have and can run 100 miles all at once.  I am beyond proud and that is all this post should be about.  Please...if you read this...leave a comment for Pauly P!!!

(BTW...I know I said in the previous post leading up to this race that I was going to pace Paul for 17 miles...I didn't.  We thought his pace would be such that my pace would be perfect to keep him going.  Somehow he was super human this weekend and his pace for 24 hours was actually still too fast for me to keep up with.  Had I paced him, I would have slowed him down, and he wouldn't have reached 100 miles...so I stepped out and let the faster guys that were able and willing to run with him take him to his goal!  My contribution to the goal was as crew only, not as pacer.)

Here are the pictures that cronicle the day.



 View from our tent at about 6am on Saturday.  We were right near all the sponsors and within only a few feet of the start/loop/finish.  I am no f*cking joke when I crew.  I got downright beligerent with peeps to secure this prime spot.

 This was our tent and Paul's pit stop for the next 30 hours.  It seriously was pretty sweet for a tent.  We had 2 coolers with fruit salad, sandwiches, pasta salad, candy, chips, granola bars, soda, water, gatorade, a full first aid, shower stuff, changes of clothes, comfy chairs, ice, a cot and blankets, privacy and a great view of the river.

 We were right on the Schyukill River at Boat House Row in Philly.

 If you ignored all the goose poop...it was lovely.

 Down river a ways...what we referred to as "tent city".  Compared to the sardines those folks were...we had prime real estate.

 Pauly P chillin before the start.

 Right before heading out for the start.  Looks nice and fresh huh?  I wish I took time lapse pictures :-)

 Lead bike at the start

 Pauly P all smiles, heading out on the first of many 8.4 mile loops over the next 24 hours.

 Runners would check in at every loop and could step off the course to hit their tent for food, water, changes of clothes and rest.

 Coming into base camp after the first loop.

 Hsin-Hua eating chips and anxiously awaiting Daddy's next loop to come through.  Her shirt says "someday I'll run with Daddy".

 What a little stinker.

 Wait...who brought the naked baby?  Real classy!!! (Hsin had decided it was a good idea to up-end an entire bottle of bubbles onto her body...so she was naked while her clothing dried in the sun).

 Coming in after another loop.

 Rob...kick a** pacer #1...stuck it out for 3 loops with Paul that started in day light and ended in the dark of night!!!  Rob's kick a** wife and two boys hung at the tent with me for the whole time too!!!  Out on the course, Paul and Rob were called "the green team".  Totally not even planned.

 After the first loop with Rob...this is about 8 or so hours into the run...shoes are off so we can ice his feet between loops.  Surprisingly that was the only thing that really caused him pain.

 View from my cot at about 1am...I was trying to sleep but it just wasn't happening.  Thanks to Derek who kept me company...he was sleeping on the ground right in front of this shot :-)

 Lou...kick a** pacer #2...took over after Rob and ran 3 loops with Paul until about 3:30am.  Pauly P looks pretty tired here...he is about 17 hours into the run.

 Sunday morning.  One last stretch before heading out for the final loop that will get him to 101 miles in 24 hours.

 Hsin, my Dad and step-Mom came back for the finish.  This is about 20 minutes before Pauly finished.  Hsin was eating (of course, she never stops) and waiting for Daddy to "runny fast".  Her shirt says "when I grow up I want to be a marathoner".

 Playing with Derek our "ultra" friend.  Hsin kept telling him there were bugs on him :-)

 Pauly P approaching the finish with kick a** pacer #3, Stephan.  Stephan ran with Paul from about 4am until 9:30 when they finished!!!

 Getting closer...

 Almost.....

 Big grin on Stephan's face...he knows that the finish is feet away and Paul has DONE IT!!!

 Crossing the finish line!!!

 Stephan and Pauly P.  101.4 miles in 23.5 hours.  Un-f*cking believable!!!

 Back off ladies...that stud is MY HUSBAND!!!

Finally sitting down for good!

Love you Pauly P...with all my heart.  You inspire me, support me, and make me want to try harder every single day!!!  You (and that crazy Asian kid) are the light of my life and I couldn't imagine doing ANY of this without the two of you!!!  Hugs and grape drink.

101 MILES

HOLY SH*T people...Pauly ran 101 miles in just under 24 hours.  Un- freaking believable!!!
He is sleeping on the couch now, and after 30+ hours of crewing for him...I am wiped out.
Stay tuned for pics and stories sometime tomorrow after I have had a good nights sleep in my own bed :-)

ULTRA!

Paul is running for 24 hours starting at 10am tomorrow and commencing at 10am on Sunday.
He is running the 20 in 24 Ultra in Philadelphia.
8.4 mile loops, one at a time, as many as he can complete in 24 hours. 
The goal is anything farther than 75 miles.
HOLY SH*T!

And I am staff!  My father, step-Mom and Hsin will join me as crew during the day.  Various pacers are scheduled to stop by to run laps with Paul and keep him company.  A few people are stopping by to keep me company.  I will be crew until we pack up our tired butts and head home on Sunday.

And I...SLOW AS SH*T runner that I am will be running my FIRST EVER distance longer than a half marathon...I am pacing Paul after the sun goes down for 2 laps, or approximately 17 miles.

HOLY SH*T again.

My slow pace will help Paul to take it easy so he can keep going throughout the night, but I am SH*TTING myself I am so nervous about this distance.  My legs are still tired from Vermont I swear, and my hip has been aching a bit all week.  13.1 miles feels like "only a little bit further than 10"...but 17 miles is "like almost 20 miles".  I also need to be support for Paul WHILE I hit this milestone AFTER crewing for over 12 hours AND at like 10pm.

Wish us luck.  Paul in his race...that he has the health, stamina and inner fortitude to run for 24 hours straight, and for me to have the health, stamina and inner fortitude to crew for 30+ hours and run 17 miles in the middle.

Check you later :-)

You Have To Be MAD To Do The Mad Marathon

We just got back from the Mad Marathon in Waitsville, VT...this post will probably be a little scattered and all over the place as that is what life feels like right now...

We hit the road for my sisters at about 10am Thursday.  We had a few stops to make first then we would get on the highway.  One stop was to be the bank.  We started a savings account when we started the adoption process for Hsin that was meant to “pay” me while I was on unpaid FMLA leave when she got home.  Well, we learned how to live without the money that is automatically taken from my check each pay and put in this account, so it is now the “vacation/travel/marathon” account.  But since it is a savings account, it kinda makes it hard to pay for stuff from it.  We wanted to switch it to a checking account so we can put trips on the “points” card, then pay off that card from this account.  So we arrive at the bank and Hsin keeps talking about lollipops.  I swear this kid can remember something like a lollipop from a bank she has been to once about 9 months ago, but can’t remember to not pee her pants J  Anyway, we wait our turn, sit down in front of the nice TD Bank lady and ask her to switch the account from savings to checking, and she asks for my license.  Well, THANK FREAKING GOD we made this stop, because I DIDN’T HAVE MY FREAKING WALLET.  Yeah, that would have sucked when we arrived at the airport at 5am the next morning.  So…

We head back home to locate my wallet.  Switching purses and diaper bags has to be one of the sh*ttiest parts of being a woman!

Wallet located, back in the car, and back to the bank.  All goes smoothly and we hit the road for my sisters.  We arrive around dinner time, all pack into their Tahoe and head out for some spaghetti dinner.  Carb load later, bring the kiddo’s back to the sis’s house, pee one last time and we hit the road for our hotel.  We planned to stay closer to the airport since we had a 7am flight and didn’t want to have to worry about traffic in the morning.

Ok…so arriving at the hotel was a WEIRD experience.  We got off an exit and seriously, we were IN Taipei, Taiwan.  The streets were packed with people at 10pm, scooters were everywhere, and all the stores and restaurants were strictly signed in Chinese.    There was one weird sighting too, an older Chinese woman, maybe about 60’s or 70’s, pushing a stroller (remember it is at 10pm) with a little girl with a blond ponytail in it.  I mean, I am used to seeing blond people with little Asian girls, I mean heck, other than the fact I am a brunette, that is me every day of my life…but when do you see the opposite.  An Asian woman, in an ALL Asian neighborhood with a little blond girl at 10pm.  All I can say is there has to be a story there…I just don’t know what that story is.

We check into our hotel and proceed to the closet that they call our room.  The hotel from the staff to the lobby to the hallways ALL feel like being in Taiwan again.  It is flippin weird.  The room is clearly a deathtrap.  The ironing board won’t stay open (yes we iron t-shirts for an early morning flight…don’t judge us and our OCD ways), the closet hanging bar collapses as soon as we breathe on it and all those little hook thingys come crashing down on the floor and our suitcases won’t even fit through the section between the TV stand and the wall.  Oh well, in a few hours we will be up and leaving anyway.

3:30am comes and we are up, dressed and to the airport in minutes.  Check in, through security and sitting at our gate with like 3 hours to spare.  The flight leaves on time and we land in Vermont.

HOLY CRAP is Vermont beautiful.  As we drive down the highway, beautiful mountain views, farms and forests are everywhere.  The air even smells cleaner.  We arrive at our “bed & breakfast” or lodge and a stately woman greets us.  She asks us “can I help you” with a strange attitude.  I can tell by his body language that Paul is thinking the same thing as me…”uh lady, it is July in Vermont, there is a marathon in your town with a total population of like 300 people in 2 days…who the F*CK do you think we are and what do you think we are here for”.  That is not however what he says. 

My lovely, polite husband says: “we are here to check in, we are here for the marathon”. 

Lodge Lady:  “well check in isn’t until 3.  It isn’t 3”.

My inner voice:  “Are you f*ing serious.  I got up at 3:30 this morning in freaking Taiwan, flew here, drove like an hour…I don’t even know what country I am in right now let alone what time it is…all I know is that I need a shower and I am really hungry.

Paul:  Is there any chance our room is ready?

Lodge Lady (huffing and puffing): uh, well, I don’t know, I will have to check but you know…industry standard is check in at 3pm.

Mine AND Paul’s inner voice:  ”industry standard…seriously.  Did you just say that?  I am not in the industry, but I did PAY YOU FOR A ROOM, and during your off season.  Just check if it’s ready”.

Lodge Lady:  walks off to check if our inconvenient arrival can be accommodated.

Ends up…our room was just fine.  OK lady, cool it.  Really?  Again, its July in Vermont.  It’s not like somebody just checked out this morning and you needed time to get the room ready.  We are the only people you have been expecting for the last few months so get off your damn high horse.

Anywho…we shower and  get a nice relaxed lunch, pick up our packets and explore the town a bit.  We put in a reservation for kayaks for the next day, chill in the room and find a good Italian restaurant for dinner.  Lovely.

Saturday morning we wake up, and eat breakfast at our lodge with some of the other runners who have arrived throughout the day and night.  We then head out to go kayaking.  My city boy husband is a freaking RIOT when we first get in the boats.  In his defense, I have had a little bit of experience with kayaks since my Dad has one, and we used to go canoeing a lot as a kid.  I also was a dancer for most of my childhood, so balance is kinda my thing (speed however is not).  I get in my boat, dry as can be and shove off the landing into the lake.  Paul actually makes fun of me for getting in the boat with most of it on the ground and only a little in the water.  He then finds out why I did that.  You can “stand” on ground.  You cannot however “stand” on water.  Who knew?  So his boat pitches sideways and he lands in the water.  He spends the next 5 minutes draining the boat of all the water that is now in it, and try number two is successful.  We are on the lake.  And Paul is NOT comfortable.  Let me just tell you how nice it was to be BETTER than him at something athletic.  I’m not trying to be jerk off here…but Paul runs a 3ish hour marathon, and my PR for a half is 2 ½ hours.  So I pretty much SUCK next to him when it comes to running and that is something we do like EVERYDAY.  This one experience of kayaking was my one moment to shine.  And I ROCKED it.  I was bone dry from start to finish of our 4 hour or so lake excursion.  The lake was beautiful, surrounded on all sides my mountains and dense forests.  We saw a buzzard on a cliff checking us out, and we ate PBJ sandwiches on our own private lake beach and I peed in the woods or just about in public about 6 times (I really need to teach Hsin how to pee in the woods).

Dinner that night was at our lodge and with all the other guests who were running the race the next morning.  Talk started as most conversations with runners….Where have you run, what races have you done, what was your favorite, least favorite, farthest distance, how long have you been running, etc.  Then someone said they had driven the course.  They said that the elevation chart posted on the races website was not even close to accurate.  They said that one of the roads had a posted sign that the incline was so steep that trucks of a certain size were not permitted to climb it.  Well that is just what a slow as sh*t runner wants to hear now isn’t it?  Awesome.  Now I could go to bed, bell full of spaghetti knowing that I was going to be even SLOWER than my usual slow self in the morning’s race.

Sunday morning we wake up at the crack of dawn.  Shower, get all our gear together and head over at an obscenely early hour at the start line.  Paul has this thing with being VERY early to everything.  I get it, but it is a little annoying sometime.  We did get a great parking spot, and I was able to pee in an actual porta potty twice before the line got crazy.  Then I just peed in some nice person’s driveway.

Not a mile into the race I had to pee again.  I used to not pee at all during races and I swear I am now a gold medalist at peeing on sides of roads and trails.  Right after my pee stop and the race turns straight uphill.  Hundreds of people around and in front of me immediately slow to a walk.  Not even a speed walk, but a WALK walk.  This was where I decided what my goal for the race was going to be.  I know my time would suck.  There was no reason to even have a time goal at all.  So I chose to RUN the whole race, no walking even with all the hills.  That would be my accomplishment.  So I ran, although I am sure to anyone actually WATCHING me it looked more like some strange, bouncy walk…but to me, I was running.  And HOLY SH*T was it painful and tiring.

The race ended up being about 85% steep and long uphill, 10% steep and long downhill and 5% flat.  The uphills were so long you usually couldn’t see the top.  I believe that miles 4.5-8 were one continuous uphill.  The grade of the hills was so steep going up and down that it was almost difficult to keep balance from either leaning forward or backwards.  Quads and knees burning, it was a torture course.  I heard a few runners lamenting that they thought the race director was into S&M because only that type of person could have picked this course AND pegged it as “rolling hills”.  I encountered this poor soul on the almost 4 mile uphill after mile 5 and he begged me to tell him when the course would stop going uphill.  I said “sorry honey, but I’m right here with you”.  He said he was from Vegas.  Poor thing…God bless him he didn’t know what an incline was let alone “rolling hills” in the mountains of Vermont.  He was signed up for the full too…so he had a LONG way to go.

Paul described people he passed along the course for the full as in a “death march”, “dragging” and some that just plain “broke his heart”.  There were people who had picked this as their first marathon or first half.  Yeah, I am pretty sure that will also be there last!!!

The course was beautiful as they promised.  Just hard as hell!

Finish time 2:49…only 8 minutes slower than my previous worst.  Given the conditions, I was actually pretty pleased with my finish.

Slow as sh*t runner signing off.  Preparing for the hubs 24 hour ultra this weekend.  I will be pacing him for 2 laps which will be my first ever distance longer than a half.  I will be pacing him at night so that my slow pace is actually an asset to him J  Only time that will ever happen!!!

When The Hell Will It Be Fall?

OMG there is nothing like a hotter than hell run at freaking noon to make you feel slower than a herd of turtles.

GOOD GRAVY!

I need to get some things done tonight after work and don't have time to run so I planned to run during lunch today.  My super cool company put in a locker room with a shower, closet, etc. so I don't have to be a sweaty, stinky mess for the rest of the day.  Very convenient.

Yeah...except it is 95 and humid as hell out.  There were parts of this 3 mile run today that felt like I was running backwards.  I think I probably could've walked faster, but I was stubborn and still ran even though it was pathetic. 

I know it was just me being paranoid, but I swear everyone I ran past was looking at me with judging eyes thinking "HOLY CRAP she is running slow.  Wait...is she running, or is she standing still?".

It was bad.  I know that really they were just thinking "sh*t, I am standing here smoking a cigarette while waiting on line for a cheesteak from a cart and this chick is RUNNING...IN THIS HEAT"...but that is not how it felt.  I felt judged...it is what it is.

For a slow as sh*t runner the heat and humidy is like adding insult to injury.  It is scientifically proven that heat hinders performance.  Well I don't have much of a buffer in the "performance" department...I have none to spare.  A 6 minute mile person can drop to 8 minute miles and still be OK.  But when you are a 12 minute mile person, slowing from there is called WALKING.

All my best times are in the fall and early spring.  All my best FEELING runs are in fall and spring.  I even prefer running in 20 and 30 degree weather to running in the heat and humidity. 

When the F will fall be here so I can feel at least a LITTLE bit faster?

Be There!

Monday morning, Fourth of July, I head over to my favorite shady bike trail to do my long run of the week.  This week it was 12 miles I was aiming for.

The run went uneventfully.  It was hot, humid and I had to pee in the woods twice, but that is pretty normal.

When I had about 3 miles left to go, I ran by one of those SUPER friendly runners.  I give a nod or a wave or a "hey" to most runners I pass, but this guy was one of those "hey, have a great run" to everyone type of guys.  I give those types credit.  It takes balls to be that friendly, and to exert all that energy when you are already running in 90+ degree weather...good for you putting "friendly" first.  I'm usually just trying to not pass out.

So as I pass him he says "hey...have a great run...I had to bail on mine".  I replied "thanks, and sorry about your run...hope you feel better".  Now, I run slowly, so I was within earshot and speaking distance for a little bit.  He says back "I think it was all the miles I did here last weekend", so I replied "did you do the 1/2 Sauer?" and he said "no" and then decided to jog up so he could keep talking to me.  I didn't mind.  I was 2 hours into my run, bored with my music, and like I said, he was one of those balls of energy, and I figured he would at least make the end of my run feel a little quicker.

We were chatting about races, times, when we started running, his injury, my hip bothering me, etc.  It was kinda nice just idol chit chat about running.  I mentioned Paul and his running and the fact that he is crazy fast and very competitive.  It was funny cause the guy kept saying that Paul was a "stud".  It made me giggle.  Not that Paul isn't a stud...just was a funny choice of words for this guy.

BTW...I never got the guy's name...so he is just "the guy".  Sorry guy...but in all our chatting, we never exchanged names :-)

Anyway, the guy ends up saying that his recent ex-girlfriend was not at all supportive of his running and its part of why she is now an ex.  He used the word "jealous" when saying he wished things were more like Paul and I where we run races together, or go to watch each other race.  He sadly told me that she didn't come to his first ever half marathon and that it was a huge moment in his life.  A big accomplishment that she didn't think it was important to be there for.  He told me how disappointed he was that he didn't have her there cheering for him, saying that she was proud and celebrating this accomplishment with him.

I bring this up because this is not the first time that I have heard this from other runners, and Paul has heard it a lot too.  In fact, at a number of races we have been at together, we have ended up talking to someone who says "man I wish my _____ was here and was supportive of my running and racing".

It makes me sad.

We are very lucky that I have gotten into running and really like it.  We are lucky that we have a shared interest and passion around the same hobby.  In some ways, that makes it easy.  In all honesty though, in some ways it makes it hard.  It is easy because we both love hanging out at a race, talking with other runners, celebrating the triumphs of finishers at the finish line.  Neither of us wants to stay home and skip a race even if we aren't running it.  BUT, we have to fit 2 people's runs into each week and we have a kid that can't stay home alone.  Only one person can run at a time, which is usually at night.  Long runs which can take close to half a day have to be done seperately so basically we lose 1 full day of the weekend when you add up the hours.  Unless we hire a babysitter, we can't both run a race unless its a 5K and I run with Hsin in the stroller.  So we either go broke on babysitters, or one of us always has to watch and cheer.

But the thing is, even if I didn't run...I would watch and cheer.
Running is Paul's passion.  It is more than a hobby, it is a way of life for him.
If I didn't run, would we be at races every weekend?  Probably not.  But we would be at a bunch.
And I say WE.  WE would be there.  How could I miss his marathons?  How could I miss his 50 mile race?  How could I miss these huge accomplishments in his life and miss moments that are so important to him?

This goes for all things in life.  You may not love everything your spouse or significant other is in to.  You don't have to.  You don't have to sign up and start doing everything your spouse does.  But support what they desire and what they are passionate about.  Support it by not giving them grief everytime they want to go out and do whatever it is they do.  Support it by going along and giving it a shot yourself before deciding it isn't for you.  Support it by showing up and being a cheerleader for the person you love at something that matters to them.

Be proud, be supportive and mostly BE THERE for someone you love.
Who knows...you just might end up with a hobby and a passion yourself.
What you WILL end up with is a happy and healthy relationship.