Jumpin' Off the Edge

Me! Running a marathon! Who would have ever thought?! Certainly not me, let alone anyone else that knew me back in my 20s and 30s. Yet, here I am. All dressed out in my special running clothes waiting to head to the starting line of the Marine Corps Marathon. Last night was a night of little sleep. I went to bed early and sleep came almost immediately. Yet, every half hour I was awake looking at the clock. I was sure I would oversleep. Today will be a day I will run. I will do as my sister suggests and Be sad. Run Happy. This race is where the baggage along the way gets left behind and the transformation from runner to marathoner to strong, independent woman happens in a tangible way. Watch out world. Here I come!

The weekend of the Marine Corps Marathon is here! I was feeling pretty much ready, but there was still a bit of doubt. Today, all that doubt was erased with a simple visit to Walter Reed Medical Center.   I wasn’t sure what to expect. I have volunteered several times in the psych ward in the VA hospital close to home. I was pretty sure this visit would be nothing like that. And it wasn’t. I met three incredible men who will be the ones carrying me when I hit my wall.  Right from the time I met him, the easy-going cheerful nature of Douglas or Charles depending on what I preferred, kept me smiling. He brightens up whatever room he is in. The discussion of the best costumes for amputees had me in stitches. They all took advantage of their lack of legs. His plan is to be Yoda. (Anybody know where he can get a costume in the next couple of days.) There is nothing that will stop him. He is currently in the market for legs that can be worn with waders.  When that wa

  As the day of the big race draws closer, I am overcome with emotion. Upon looking at the picture above (thanks Deb), I realized the Marine Corps Marathon has become more than a race to me. It is not about the race, it is about the transformation into the woman I am becoming. It is about believing in the woman I am. It is about me. When I signed up for the race back in March, I was mired in loneliness and the desperation of wanting companionship. In the three months before the training began, I bought Layla (my motorcycle), moved into my own place, and spent a lot of time alone – the way I have done the majority of my training. In the past, when training for a longer race, I frequently ran my long runs with running partners. This time, it was all me with the exception of one long run. (That was the 14 mile run I pulled my hamstring. I was so thankful to have Rebecca with me to give guidance on what to do so I could continue the run.) My runs were done without m

This one goes out to all the men and women who are willing to sacrifice their lives, peace of mind, and whatever else is asked of them to maintain our way of life. Walking up to the state capitol today, I could tell it was going to be different from the other times I attended the reading of the names to remember the men from North Carolina still unaccounted for from the war in Southeast Asia (better known to us as the Vietnam War).  A crowd of veterans was gathering on the lawn of the capitol as the area around the Vietnam War Memorial was prepared. Flags for the US, NC, NCVVI, and each of the military branches were placed in the ground. The sound system put in place. And the missing man table set for another month of remembrance. The lawn was abuzz with men and women sporting the patches of Rolling Thunder, American Legion Riders, and Combat Veterans.  All here to remember the 41 from North Carolina who have yet to come home. The past few months I have attended, spectators stood