A Half to Remember (a week late)

The alarm sounds at 6am. Must get out of bed, Must get ready. It is a Sunday morning; all I want to do is sleep. Must eat before I run. Must bring everything I need.

7:03am start time (who starts a race that early???). The gun goes off and we begin. I'm feeling good. The course loops around at around mile 1.5 and I see Chet. I run over to him scream " I love you" and keep running.

Miles 3: My knee starts to hurt. I've been nursing an injury for a few weeks and it seems to have acted up. I am supposed to be doing a run/walk, but I am instead just running. I decide at that point to walk for at least a minute when I see each mile marker.

Mile 5.5: I stop to go to the bathroom. I've had to pee since the beginning of the race and the lines at the port-o-potties before mile 5.5 were too long. I start running again and then I get my sign. I hear this woman saying, "We are going to start running again in thirty seconds". I catch up to this group and realize I NEED to join them. The only way that I am going to get through this race is if I follow Jack's instructions and do a run/walk plan. We start chatting and I meet Vickie and Amy (and a few guys whose name I don't remember). They ask my name (Marcy) and where I am from (Boston). All of a sudden they get really excited, "We have a Marcy from Boston running with us also!!! I can't wait for her to meet you."

The miles fly by...I chat with the woman about their lives, about training, being part of Team In Training, and life. I find out the Vickie just celebrated her 50th birthday (I can only hope I look that good at 50), Amy is a pediatrician, and the other Marcy from Boston moved down to Birmingham 1.5 years ago and loves it.

Somewhere around mile 8, we say good-bye to Vickie and Amy. I wish them well on the marathon. Vickie tells me to stick around after the race so we can all get a picture together and swap email addresses. I realize at this moment that I've found these new friends for a reason. I truly believe that my Dad was watching over me on Sunday, February 10, 2008. It is at this point we start discussing why they are all running for charities. I share why I will be running Boston this year with DFMC. I also tell them that I believe that my Dad brought them to me (or me to them) that day. Smiles of understanding fill everyone's faces and we continue running.

I hear the other Marcy telling me how close we are to the finish. I start to sprint around the corner. I see Chet and scream his name. I see him fumbling with the camera and I run past. I see the clock ticking down around 2:21. They call out the other Marcy's name (she later says to me that she wished they had called out mine as well). And then it is over.

I'm excited by my run. I feel great and I've made great new friends. Sadly, I never see Vickie or Amy again. I run into other Marcy once at the post-race bash. Yet, I am completely indebted to these amazing people for helping me run my second half ever...and.....I finished in 2:19:01!!! That is walking and injured!!!

It gave me new hope for Boston. It gave me the reassurance that I can do this. It reminded me why I am doing this in the first place.