This year’s San Francisco Marathon marked the eighth time I have completed 26.2 miles and the first time I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. This is, in large part, thanks to my training partner, Lucie Spencer Murray. See, this was her race. As one of the select few Ambassadors of the SF Marathon, Lucie had serious VIP status, and she was pumped. I planned to tag along for moral support, basking in my good pal’s glory day while adding another notch on my marathon belt.
I usually run marathons solo. Sure, I have friends on the course. But when the gun goes off, I dive deep into my own world and swim in it for as long as it takes to complete the race. And transformative experiences have come from that. Meditative states achieved accidentally at first, and later, deliberately. But I have always had a time goal that hoards my focus. Not so, this time. Hill training took a back seat to yoga training during the last few months, and I was in no way prepped for a Personal Record.
It shouldn’t be that much of a surprise that releasing all expectation of a PR would lead to a kind of silly bliss, and ultimately freedom. But honestly, it was. . Instead of wearing blinders and pounding the pavement, I actually took in my surroundings. Yes! I have always loved San Francisco but now I understand why people write songs about it. Going over the Golden Gate Bridge was a surreal kind of rush. So was seeing Bison in Golden Gate Park (am I hallucinating?). And the architecture! The smell of the Haight! I ran past the Red Victorian Inn- the place where Brian and I took our first vacation nearly 19 years ago, and briefly flashed back to us jumping on the bed like a couple of kids. Snap! Here I am again, almost 40 now, running and smiling and free! Who the F cares if I am slow? I am just so happy to be here.
Yeah, yeah, if you are curious, the hills are steep and basically never ending. But I was focused on the present moment, which was rich with so much more than searing quad pain and a slight hitch in my giddyup. Rich in connection to my environment, to an uber joyful Lucie by my side, and to my breath. Richest of all, because I was really, truly THERE (And so was the San Francisco Chronicle, which is where this picture is from)!
I would love to hear about your racing experiences lately too. Feel free to post ‘em up here!
Wishing you joy, on the road and off~
Laurie
I usually run marathons solo. Sure, I have friends on the course. But when the gun goes off, I dive deep into my own world and swim in it for as long as it takes to complete the race. And transformative experiences have come from that. Meditative states achieved accidentally at first, and later, deliberately. But I have always had a time goal that hoards my focus. Not so, this time. Hill training took a back seat to yoga training during the last few months, and I was in no way prepped for a Personal Record.
It shouldn’t be that much of a surprise that releasing all expectation of a PR would lead to a kind of silly bliss, and ultimately freedom. But honestly, it was. . Instead of wearing blinders and pounding the pavement, I actually took in my surroundings. Yes! I have always loved San Francisco but now I understand why people write songs about it. Going over the Golden Gate Bridge was a surreal kind of rush. So was seeing Bison in Golden Gate Park (am I hallucinating?). And the architecture! The smell of the Haight! I ran past the Red Victorian Inn- the place where Brian and I took our first vacation nearly 19 years ago, and briefly flashed back to us jumping on the bed like a couple of kids. Snap! Here I am again, almost 40 now, running and smiling and free! Who the F cares if I am slow? I am just so happy to be here.
Yeah, yeah, if you are curious, the hills are steep and basically never ending. But I was focused on the present moment, which was rich with so much more than searing quad pain and a slight hitch in my giddyup. Rich in connection to my environment, to an uber joyful Lucie by my side, and to my breath. Richest of all, because I was really, truly THERE (And so was the San Francisco Chronicle, which is where this picture is from)!
I would love to hear about your racing experiences lately too. Feel free to post ‘em up here!
Wishing you joy, on the road and off~
Laurie
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