Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Thanks Be to You

Ken, my husband, completed his first triathlon this weekend. It was local, here in Longmont, CO. His wave started at 7:05 a.m. The kids and I wanted to cheer him on from the start, but that meant a very early morning for all of us.

He's a stud

Later in the day I was yawning and jokingly said to him, "I'm tired from getting up to watch your ass swim/bike/run at 7:00 a.m."

His response?

"Oh yeah, I remember back in January when I watched your ass run a marathon for four hours. Oh yeah and I flew to another state to watch you. That's right, then I drove around with two whiny kids for four hours in a city I didn't know in a car that wasn't mine looking for you along the marathon route so we could cheer you for three seconds while you ran by. Then it was back in the car, taking out the map of this city I didn't know, to go to the next place trying to find a place to park to watch you run by for three seconds again. Then when it was all over, you felt sick for the rest of the day and we rubbed your feet, looked at your blisters and black toenails and ordered you room service. Now that's dedication."

Well, he wasn't quite that sarcastic, but it put me in my place.

We runners demand a lot of those around us. Months of training that includes hours away from our loved ones. Injuries, illnesses. Getting lost on our runs and calling home for directions or to be picked up because we were caught in a thunderstorm/blizzard or we were just too tired to keep on. Hundreds of dollars spent on shoes, Garmins, gels, Gus, blocks, beans, socks, fuel belts, sports drinks, post run sandwiches, coffees. Hundreds more dollars spent on race entries and massages for that tight hamstring or IT band. Memberships to health clubs so we can balance our running with yoga or so we can supplement our outdoor running with dreadmill training. Early morning outings to train. Endless talk about which race is next, how we will PR, what training plan we will use. Shoulders to cry on when we DNF or don't meet our PRs. And the list goes on.

When we train and run our races, we think it's all about us because we are the tired ones, the ones doing all the work, putting in the time. But what I realized on Sunday is that it takes a lot of fortitude, patience and energy to be the fan club, the cheer team the sideline supporters. So this blog goes out to my husband, parents, friends, children and other family members who have graciously and selflessly supported me along the way. Your time and love does not go unnoticed.

So take time today to thank those who put in the time to be your fan club.

22 comments:

  1. Thankfully, my wife loves supporting me. Of course, she's not hauling around a bunch of snot nosed kids who are hungry, have to pee and whatever else.

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  2. First of all, congrats to your hubs!

    Great post and excellent reminder to be grateful for our supporters - you're right, we ask a lot of them and they don't even complain (too much).

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  3. You are so right. It means a lot to have supportive people around us. Nice reminder to appreciate what they do!

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  4. Awesome post! Congrats to your husband on his first tri. And his response was so hilarious! I already feel guilty about all the time I am going to spend running this summer w/o my husband.

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  5. Congratulations to your husband! You make an excellent point that we need to remember those who support us while we are running & training.

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  6. Congrats to your hub!!

    I'm absolutely high-maintenance come training time, & my husband/kids/in-laws all bear the brunt of it :)

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  7. Great Post!!! I know that my running would not be possible without the help and support of my husband, kids and their grandparents (who watch them every long run Sunday morning). It does really take a village!!

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  8. OMG, how true this is! I once had a 12 mile run, so I had Rick drive me to a trail that was aproximately 12 miles from downtown, meet me halfway to refill my water and bring me extra clothes (it was raining)and then pick me up at the REI downtown when I was done. Now that's support!
    Congrats to your hubby!

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  9. Congrats to your husband! Mine doesn't come out and watch me run as often as I'd like, but he supports me in so many other ways.

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  10. Congratulations to Ken!

    There is no doubt that being the spouse of an endurance athlete is not the most glamourous job in the world. But don't worry, when you have to stand around out in the sun for the entire day when he does his first Ironman, you can tell him that you are even. ;-)

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  11. Congrats to your husband! If it weren't for my mom and my husband, there's no way I would be able to run races. Especially my mom . . . she manages to make watching a toddler and taking pictures look easy.

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  12. It sounds like you are a very lucky woman to have such a supportive hubby!!! I think I am too. There is no way I could train without the support of my family :)

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  13. Well said. We are both very lucky to have such dedicated husbands.

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  14. Beth, I love your posts. They are always so witty and honest. I literally chuckle every single time I come to your blog. Love it!

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  15. What a great pic of your husband in action. :)

    You are so right. My husband is wonderful about hanging out at home while I am out running. My 6-year-old always tells me how proud she is of me after races...they keep me going. :)

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  16. Brilliantly written, wonderfully expressed, REAL post. I love it. Ken looks wonderful. I can't wait to see you guys. Awesome for him. I love this post and will forward it to my husband. Thanks for the inspiration to express deserved thanks to our families.

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  17. I couldnt run or train the way I do without my super supportive spouse... how she puts up with my running madness is sometimes really beyond me (not that I would not do the same for her)

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  18. Your husband's "riff" made me laugh. Chris [my husband - same name as me] has supported me with a baby strapped to his chest, a kid or two in a jogger, and I KNOW his experience has been like Ken's. Good men...sweet kids... we're fortunate.

    Congratulations Ken!

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  19. Sounds like you have an absolutely wonderful husband! He really supports you!

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  20. Congrats to your husband! Love this post... our loved ones really make it happen for us!

    I just decided to do my first triathlon in the end of July... CAN'T WAIT!

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  21. Congrats to the hubby!! Family and friends really do make a world of difference; probably much more than they realize!

    I left a little something Lovely for you on my blog ;) hope wednesday is goin well over there!

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  22. what a great post! its true - being a runner affects so much of our lives, and whether we like it or not, it affects those around us. thank goodness some of them are up to the job!

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