A Weekend of Champions!

I don't consider myself to by sporty, athletic, or a follower of any particular team, or season, or sport, or athlete. I rarely care about PRs or statistics, rosters or ubber athletes (except Lance, of course.) I can't talk the talk to the level of some of my other 'sportier' friends, but I can enjoy a good game of baseball, football, soccer, or basketball with the best of them. All that aside, I had a heck of a sporty weekend. Now, granted, it was a four-day weekend so I had a bit of time to fill up, but this was NUTS.

SATURDAY was spent at a track meet - coaching our boys and girls to some fantastic performances. Our boys 4x100 relay is unbeatable - truly amazing to watch. There is talk of them going all the way to states, which is remarkable! Three of the four relay team members ran their 100m and came in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd - fantastic, really. We have an athlete who is undefeated in the 100, 200, 4x100 relay and long jump. Sectionals should be something to witness!



SUNDAY MORNING - I dragged the whole family out of bed on Sunday morning so we could drive the 50 minutes to Buffalo to cheer on the 1,000 people running the Buffalo Marathon. Luckily for my kids, the route ran directly past the zoo - bonus!! They went and watched the Baboons mate as I posted myself at mile 18 and clapped, cheered, sang, yelled, hooted and hollered for those folks who passed by. My main purpose was to cheer on my friend, Mary Karen, who began training for her first marathon after we spent an hour or so at Christmas time talking about Kari and My desires to run in Paris. I didn't know it at the time, but she was inspired by our decision and decided to set her sights on Buffalo Marathon. Her mother and I sychronized our watches, planned our stations, armed ourselves with Jelly-beans and Blue G2 (special request by MK.) I recieved word that Mary Karen had passed mile 16 and was on the way. As she approached, I knew immediately that mile 17 had her way with my dear friend, Mary Karen. There were, I dare say, tears of pain and clear signs of some serious wall-hitting. I kicked into hyper-you-got-this overdrive. If I could have picked her up and carried her, I would have- trust me, I would have. The ankles were sore, the hands were swollen, the spring in the step was gone gone gone. NOW, had I remembered, had I thought, had I gone through my own personal checklist, I would have pulled out the MARS BAR!!! But, I failed her, I failed her, I failed her. Instead, I said - "YOU GOT THIS. I'll be at mile 21 and I'll talk you through this." And away she hobbled. I knew she would finish, I just wasn't sure if it would be at a run, walk or crawl. So, as I approached mile 21, I decided that I would walk back toward mile 20 and split the distance with her. I would run with her if I needed to. Over the hill, I could see her and I was soooooo elated to see Mary Karen's spring had returned to her step and she had kicked that damn mile 17's BAD ATTITUDE in the ass. I felt much better as I sent MK on her way toward her mother and husband who were waiting for her at mile 23....much better. She'd make it, she'd make it (and she did in just over 5hours and 30 minutes!) Welcome to the marathoner club.



NEXT - SUNDAY NIGHT: Belgian Championship Soccer Match between rivals Liege Standard and Anderlecht. I couldn't find a website that would allow me to watch the match, so I was reduced to reading the minute-by-minute details on a website (it felt a bit like deciphering morse code during a war, but it worked for all of us!) Les Rouches ont célébré leur 10e titre de champion de Belgique dimanche soir à Liège, le deuxième d'affilée acquis face au rival anderlechtois. In other words, they won the championship and now have bragging rights in all of Belgium (however small it may seem, it is a big deal.) When I was visiting Liege last month, I had the opportunity to go to one of their matches (which is also a big deal, because I understand that it is very very very difficult to get tickets to their matches. I don't know how we ended up with these coveted tickets, I didn't ask, I can just assure you that it was something that I will not soon forget.) So, anyway, Liege is currently celebrating their second title is two years - way to go Liege Standard! I wish I were there celebrating with them... don't belive me? Check out the videos of what le Carre and Place St. Lambert is like - I'd be there in a heartbeat!



AGAIN, SUNDAY NIGHT -I graduated from the College of Wooster, a small liberal arts college in the middle of rural Ohio. The four years that I spent there were collectively four of the best years of my life. While I was there, I worked as an athletic trainer for all of the teams. Consequently, it is really super to see that the baseball team from this very small college (still being coached by the same Coach P as when I was there) is ONE GAME AWAY from winning the NCAA small college national championship. Again, this is a very big deal! Tuesday is a very big day for them - GO SCOTS!



FINALLY - I ran today! Felt great - do I need to say more about that? I feel like a champion.