26.2 - The National Marathon

"There will come a day when I can no longer to this, but today was not that day!"

Although today seemed pretty close to that day. But then, as they say in the Marine Corps, "Pain is weakness leaving the body."

We began the day at 4:45 a.m. in order to catch the 5:30 train from Alexandria to the starting line at RFK Stadium. It was a very cold morning - in the mid-30s. So cold, in fact, that I went out last night and purchased some long pants and a warm hat, and was glad I did. The runners included Holly, Rob and Ann and about 8,000 others, most of them running the half-marathon.

Things got underway right on time at 7:00 a.m. We were in the 10 minute/mile starting corral, and it took us about 10 minutes just to cross the starting line. The first 13 miles went past the Capitol and along the Mall, then north through the neighborhoods and looped back around to the Stadium - a nice route. The half-marathoners finished back at the Stadium, but the long-distance folks looped down around the stadium, then back past the Capitol and along the Mall for a little ways until turning South and running back East along (and across) the river.

My nemisis returned at about Mile 20 - I could feel my calves on the verge of seizing up, so I slowed down considerably (probably walking 5 of the last 6 miles) and took several breaks to stretch the muscles, but to little avail. I did prevent a major seize-up until I was about a 1/2 mile from the finish line, when my right calf knotted up. I worked out the painful cramp and pretty much limped my way in to the finish.

But finish I did. Nine of the ten grandchildren, Kathleen, Holly, Rob, Lizzie, JT, Ada were all there waiting with the announcer and Bart Yasso. As I came within sight, the announcer hollered, "Pops is in the house!" and several of the kiddos came out and crossed the finish line with me! This was clearly a long awaited event.

Having completed my third marathon in three years, I now go on an official three-year break: there will no marathons in Spain beyond the three-year endurance test of presiding over the mission!