We finished the 2nd of 6 trail races we have signed up for.
I started this race knowing it was going to be a slow one because Victoria was coming off her injury and I wasn’t going to leave her behind. No way, no how.  Unfortunately it turned into me sucking ass more than I have ever sucked ass in a race before.  I was great until mile 3 and then all the sudden it felt like I was having an asthma attack, but the thing is…I don’t have asthma. My shoulders started aching and my whole body started to shake.  My head was foggy and my arm started tingling.
“Victoria, what arm goes tingly when you are having a heart attack?”  She gave me the answer and I knew I was going to be alright.  The breathing all the sudden got impossible and I had to pull out some allergy medicine I had stashed in my hydration vest.  Then I started getting pissed. I was past my time from last year and I couldn’t find the joy in the day anymore. I just wanted to be finished, at the car, drinking my mimosa.
I ran it in even though I was hurting beyond words.
This was such a different race than last year.  I was coming off a calf injury (that likes to flare up at mile 3) and I was just happy that I wasn’t in a huge amount of pain. It was just Lester and I.
This year part of our running team came out to run it with us.  It made it so much fun to have everyone there in our shirts and cheering each other on.
As I neared the finish line the first person I heard was Debra yelling my name, then of course, Bitsy’s loud voice chimed in.  Then I could actually hear each one as they cheered.  I turned around at the finish and waited the 30 seconds for Victoria to come through.  We did it.

Just like last year my favorite part of the race was the big hug I got from Lester at the end of the race.  I sucked, I came in 13 minutes later than my last time and he still hugged me and was proud of me like I had run a full marathon and won the first place medal.  He has no idea how much his support means to me.
As Deb was leaving she said something to me as I was peeling off my shoes and calling myself names in my head,   “Thanks again, Kristine for getting us all out here and together to do another run.”
Fuck, I nearly cried.  It was the reminder of why I keep doing this.
These people are my friends. For the FIRST TIME in my life I have friends that aren’t out to get something from me, don’t treat me like I am a poor idiot or just keep me around so I can babysit for them or so they can compare how their life is so much better than mine because they have a fancy car, big house and husband that spoils them.
I wanted a running team for a long time and I finally have it.  It’s like the universe waited until I could have the best people beside me (okay, IN FRONT OF ME) before it would happen.

Again, I will not take it for granted.

Next weekend we do it all over again out at the Coloma River Run!