Surf, Smoke, & Smurfs

Sept. 5, 2010 Ahhh, September. Smells like race season to me. Well, actually, it smells like cigarettes, as I am standing in the sand on Virginia Beach, the second-hand smoke capital of the East Coast. You wouldn't think it would be possible to experience second-hand smoke on the beach, with the steady offshore breeze, but somehow, I've been stuck in a cloud of it since my arrival here on Friday evening. Whatever happened to relaxing on the beach with a Corona and lime? Didn't everyone in VA Beach get the memo about lung cancer? Clearly not.

I'm in town for the Virginia Beach Rock n' Roll half marathon, my first race of the fall, and I and am looking forward to revisiting the souvenir shops and salt water taffy stands I loved so much as a kid. Not much has changed in VA beach since I came here years ago, including the carpet in my hotel room, which has obviously been there since the beginning of time. But I don't mind the smell. (Cough, sneeze) It reminds me of vacations of the past, when I would run full-speed into the ocean the minute my parents turned me loose on the sand. Never mind that I was fresh out of the car and still wearing my shoes, clothes, and one dry sweatshirt that my mom bothered to pack for vacation. My wet clothes definitely contributed to that musty hotel room smell. Mom always had to go out and buy me a new set of dry clothes the next day. My last vacation shirt from VA Beach was a vintage blue ringer tee with surfing Smurfs on it. Man, I am starting to feel old. Speaking of vintage, the performers for this year's event are Pat Benatar and REO Speedwagon...two more blasts from the past. Just hearing their songs will take me back to roller rinks and 7th grade dances. Looks like this race will be a trip down memory lane.

But for now, it's time to make some new memories. My sister-in-law Kim kindly agreed to run the race with me, even though she's a new mom, still recovering from sleepless nights and diaper changes. She's the original marathoner of the family, and the one who convinced me that I could actually finish a race if I put my mind to it. So together, we head to the race expo to do what sisters do best: SHOP! Yeah, it was a free-for-all at the race expo. Two moms who both ditched their husbands and kids for a weekend of me-time? A 13.1 mile run is a small price to pay for 3 days of sweet freedom. Let's just say the Brooks corporate earnings should be pretty strong this quarter. We spent hours walking around the expo and left with long sleeve performance shirts, short sleeve logo t's, marathon magnets, racing stickers, one pair of shoes, a bumper sticker, no less that 12 packs of GU gel and Jelly Belly sport beans, a stylish sports bra, 2 pairs of Injinji toe socks, plus I scored an extra-long full leg massage from The Stick salesperson just by asking as many questions as I could think of in order to stall. I waivered at the Garmin booth, because I've been stalking the foot pod for quite a while, but I decided to put down the credit card and walk away. Damage to the credit limit was epic. Just like the race itself, sometimes it takes time to recover from the race expo.

This race was quite an accomplishment for me. Besides being my sixth half marathon of the year, and my first Rock n Roll event, it was my best executed race since I embarked on my marathon madness. I had one magic trick in my pocket this time, and I didn't buy it at the race expo. This summer I stumbled upon a running coach, an old high school friend who has been kicking my butt in shape since early August. Her name is Jenny, and she is my secret weapon. I worship the ground Jenny runs on, and religiously follow every workout she sends me. My husband has started calling me Forrest Gump, because I just keep on running, running for Jenny. For once, I started the race with a plan involving more than just what songs I would have on my playlist. In fact, Jenny made me ditch my iPod, hydration belt, and iPhone so I wouldn't have to run like a pack mule anymore. Instead it was just me, a few GU gels, plus my faithful Garmin watch, and all of her race notes scribbled on the back of my hand in Sharpie marker. I followed her plan as closely as I could, and for once, I didn't feel like crying at mile 12. I finished strong, with my second fastest time of the year. If you are trying to decide between that new iPod touch or a running coach, I highly recommend the coach, unless you're not a fan of hard work and accountability!

After the race, Kim and I settled into our beach chairs for some hard earned lounging. As I stared out over the ocean, I thought about how far I had come so far this year, how many people have supported me, and how much I have accomplished, both for myself, and for my autism charity. I smiled up at the sun, took a deep breath, coughed on the second-hand smoke, and thought, "Life is good".