The long hot spell that went through the whole month of June and into the first days for July broke the day before the Peachtree 10K Road Race, giving 55,000 relieved runners one of the coolest starts in the race's history. Combined with a new starting format that eliminated the shoulder-to-shoulder crowding in past races, this was easily the most comfortable of the 14 Peachtrees I've ever done. And running 45 pounds lighter than in 2008 helped a lot!
Two weeks before the race I figured I had no chance of running the whole distance, and was OK with a plan to maybe walk a mile or more of the course. Then, nine days before the race, I did a practice run on the whole Peachtree course with my running partner, Jeff Rupp, in miserably hot and humid weather. To my surprise I walked only a very small part of it, and knew then I had a chance to run the whole distance come July 4th.
I got a little emotional as my right foot hit the starting line and activated the timing loop tied to my shoe. As I reflected on that for the first few minutes of the run, I realized that the emotions came from knowing I had gotten back yet another part of life that cancer had taken away for a year. I had not realized how much I had missed running the Peachtree last year until that moment--and I was going to enjoy every step of the way, especially knowing that there was no question I could finish, and run the entire distance. I was pumped, and even had the nerve to tell Jeff not to let me run too fast for his pace (This is a guy who has run the Peachtree 20+ times and did a half marathon last November).
The biggest challenge on the Peachtree course is called "Cardiac Hill", a long steady incline that has earned that nickname a few times over the years. Near the top of Cardiac Hill is Piedmont Hospital, where I got all of my radiation treatments and most of my chemo treatments last year. At the top of Cardiac Hill, I raised my hands and made one clap--as a kind of 'atta boy,' knowing that most of the remaining course was downhill from there. Another small wave of emotion came and went quickly because I really knew then that nothing could stop me from finishing.
My wife, Terry, and Jeff's wife Deb were waiting for us about 200 yards before the finish line, where Deb took the picture above. We hugged after that, and Jeff and I did the last few yards of the course, got our t-shirts (mixed reviews on the design), found the car and opened up the coldest, best tasting beers ever, and went to the Rupp's house for the traditional post-race orange rolls.
Later than day, Terry and I found a quiet spot in the midst of a family barbeque and commented just how normal it had all felt. It had been a very long time since we could say that, and in the end it was more appropriate to down play the significance of the day's event, and just go back to living day to day. If "Living well is the best revenge" (in this case against cancer), then that's what we'll do every day for the rest of our lives.
I hope your July 4th was as good as ours.
mike
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