10 mile taper run in Ogunquit...and now only a week to go

This weekend was the LAST LONG(ish) RUN BEFORE THE MARATHON...and oh, am I getting nervous. I had managed to sucker my newest running buddy Jared into banging out a 10-miler in Ogunquit, Maine. See above for how that conversation could have gone (but didn't--he was actually thrilled to try a longer run).

We arrived in Maine with plans to run along the coastline. After hurdling a fence, then hurdling another fence, we ran a couple hundred yards. We then clambored down a beach area "in construction", through the crumbling dirt along its edges, and popped up over the other side, where I ducked the orange barricade, while Jared tried to move it to the side...and broke it. As the local cop idled 5 feet away, Jared quickly put it back together. We got back into our running stride just as the cop drove by yelling "I've got that on camera..."

Though we got a little lost at first, and the hills in the first 5 miles were many, the last 5 were a fairly flat shot home (see our circuitous route at left). The majority of the loop was lazy and delightful, with occasional pauses to walk, stretch, or simply to absorb the gorgeous terrain. Scenic vistas abounded, with waves crashing on the rocky shoreline, piles of seashells along one strip of road, a deep and sea-fragrant mist at every turn, the occasional lycra-clad biker zooming by (have you SEEN the quads on those guys?!), a tiny shack with hundreds of brightly colored birdhouses displayed outside, and before we knew it, we were passing Bourne Lane, marking the end of the run. We motored our way up a last hill, then decided to walk a bit. The run ended with a truly delightful decision to stop for a mocha (me) and latte (Jared).

These are the kinds of runs that I love to do--there is no pressure to achieve a certain distance or speed. These runs, whether they be taper runs, or a lazy weekend run, are what ground me and remind me of just how enjoyable the long miles can be.

And extra props to the Hitman must be given. At 10 miles, this is not only the longest run he's ever done, but is the longest run by 5 miles. :)

SIDENOTE:
Sad news last. Throughout this journey of mile after mile, one of my favorite running buddies, Caitlin Andrews, has been running in support of a good friend of hers, Frankie O'Day. Frankie had been a patient of Dana Farber for some time, and had Hodgkins Disease. At each week's long run, Caitlin would give us an update on how Frankie was doing, and we'd come up with a plan to send him a photo of the three of us at the marathon with "For Frankie" written on us somewhere, as from all accounts, he would have enjoyed a photo of three women wearing his name. :) Unfortunately, Frankie didn't make it. He passed away last week, after having proved his doctors wrong several times already. To read his story, please go to http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/story?id=4637708&page=1. He was only 29.

For me at least, cancer is a bit removed. Though my grandmother and uncle passed away due to cancer, it was so long ago, and feels as though it is a safe and faded distance from my life today. But the truth is that we are still losing people to this disease every day--every single day. I can't imagine how Frankie's family is feeling right now.

I admit that when I started training for the marathon, the cause was important to me (incredibly important), but so was the running, perhaps the latter more so--it was more immediate in my own consciousness. But it becomes more and more clear every moment, with every mile, what exactly we are trying to eradicate. We're doing this, we're running, yes. But we're also fighting something greater, something crueler, than a couple of hard hills could even be comparable to--so that people don't have to lose their parents, their friends, or god forbid, their children.