Have you ever had a day so chock full of excitement, anticipation, emotion and physical exertion such that when it ends it seems so surreal, like it never really happened?
That’s how I feel about yesterday.
After waking at 4:30 a.m. and dragging the kids into the car for the three hour drive, to Buena Vista, Colorado, a surprising calm set in. For the last three weeks I had been anxiously excited about this day – getting to run Stage One of the TransRockies Run with Dean Karnazes. There were so many unknowns at play here: could I go the distance given the hot temperatures, terrain and elevation? How would it be running with Dean? Would I get sick, hurt, etc? I’m the queen of psyching myself out and questioning my abilities. Sometimes it makes me work harder!
As is the case with the big life experiences, once you are finally knocking at the door – there is no turning back. Fear sits in your belly, but there is nowhere to go but forward. You realize you’ve been through tough things before and you know you can draw on your internal strength again. Most of all, moving out of your comfort zone is what makes you feel alive.
The scenery on the drive calmed me too:
Hope I’m not running over that (Mt. Princeton: 14,000+ feet)
And it helped that the kids were quiet:
As the miles to Buena Vista kept ticking down, my nerves started ticking up. We entered the city limits and Ken started laughing, saying, “You are running with Dean Karnazes!” No shit. Oh, shit!!
We got to the start. I couldn't find my Gore-Tex host or Dean anywhere. Only 15 minutes until the gun and I still had no race bib and no partner. I had them paged, and we quickly got me ready to roll.
This is perhaps my favorite picture of the day. Dean putting on my race bib! I mean, are you kidding me?
The Gore-Tex folks snapped a quick picture:
We ran to the back of the starting line, making small talk. The gun sounded and just like that we were off on the journey:
More to come….
awww...way to leave us hanging!
ReplyDeletegreat pics!
Fun, fun, fun! Hey, you got an almost identical photo dropping into BV from the car that we took. Two things though - no skirt???? and are you wearing ROAD shoes???!!! Woman!!!
ReplyDeleteYeah - did not have time to break in trail shoes. I thought it made me stand out as a rookie.
ReplyDeleteThis is so freaking excited!
ReplyDeleteSo did Dean touch your boob?? J/K, J/K!!
Really, that's all you are going to give us...do you want us to go take a #2 and come back? Come on...I'm dying to hear the rest of the story!
ReplyDeleteThis is so exciting. Marelene's question is hillarious...but did he?
Dean seems like such a nice guys...what an amazing oppurtunity to be able to do this. Amazing what running can do in our lives...the events that it makes happen.
WOW, WOW an WOW!!! Cannot wait to hear all about it! that close to the super human himself!!! Exciting!!!
ReplyDeletewhat a teaser...where is the rest of it???
ReplyDeleteyou are soooooooooooooooo my hero.
ReplyDeleteYou rock.
Holy hell - really? That's it? Jeesh!
ReplyDeleteNice work though ;)
Looks like a great start!
ReplyDeleteso awesome...cant wait to read more...
ReplyDeletewow, dean skipped base 1 and went straight for base 2...;)
Yipee!!! I am LOVING this and the photos! I cannot believe you ran with Dean! So freaking cool!!!
ReplyDelete"moving out of your comfort zone is what makes you feel alive." - best Motto, ever.
ReplyDeleteI have goosebumps, seriously. Ready for part 2!!
way to leave us hanging! can't wait to read the next part.
ReplyDeletethat picture of him pinning on your race bib is a classic. You should frame that one!
ReplyDeleteWhat a tease!
ReplyDeleteAmazing so far! The view is sooo breathtaking.
ReplyDeleteAnd Dean putting on your bib. That got your heart racing?!?!
I can't believe you leave us hanging! Can't wait to read the rest.
ReplyDeleteomg i think i would die if dean pinned a bib on me!! lucky :)
ReplyDeleteWait! Where's the rest?!
ReplyDeleteI gotta know!
Wow..... I'm trippin'.
I'm *so* happy for you!
Wow... you left us hangin!!!
ReplyDeleteSO SO SO very cool!!!! :) :) :) :)
ReplyDeleteThat bib-pinning ceremony is more exciting than the prom, sororities,maybe even marriage? No, not that - but close!
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures.
Wow, can't wait to read the rest. I love how he pinned you!
ReplyDeleteOh man! I've been out on vacation, so I'm just catching up now - GREAT JOB!!!
ReplyDeleteI didn't realize that the race ran through Buena Vista - I used to work at a summer camp there and we peaked Mt. Princeton on a day off! :)
And if you find yourself in that area of CO again, looking to run something a wee bit shorter...check out the Denny Creek run - one of my all time favorites!
http://eatrunread.blogspot.com/2010/05/places-ive-run-denny-creek-co.html
This post would have been better with more poop stories.
ReplyDeletePS - THAT IS AWESEOME!!!!!!!!!!