Team Puss 'n' Boots

Where would we all be if we didn't have someone to support us and to rely on.  Obviously there are all aspects of life in which this important.  Today I ran my 74th marathon in Miami.  I planned to use this as a long training run in warmth and humidity.  That didn't disappoint as the temperature and humidity at the start was 73 degree an 87% respectively.  The is a typical big city marathon with corral starts.  It's awful standing in the corral for 30 minutes prior to the start.  But I had my teammate, Puss, to keep me company but she had to stand just as much.  Finally, corral F got to start.  The first 5-6 miles are run at predawn mostly across the causeway past the cruise ships.  The sun broke the horizon in South Beach shining its rays on the eclectic South beach Hotels.  I fell into a 10:07 pace with a terrible half-marathon pacer that just left everybody behind and weaved his way through the crowds.  with the half-marathon and marathon starting at the same time, you basically have about 20,000 runners on the course, even with the corral start.  It takes some energy to sort through all the different paces.  I guess the same could be said of me.  I hit the half in 2:14.  The half was right in front of our hotel so my teammate could provide me a banana and much needed ice wrapped in a towel.  The ice was a life-saver.  I tucked it around my neck and let it melt slowly over the next 6 miles.  The temperature got close to 80 but was tempered in the second half by a welcomed rain shower and some clouds.  I was already soaked from sweat and pouring water over my head.  I definitely slowed in the second half but managed the run well with the heat.  Cynthia, and really, many of the others who support their runners, their fans if you will, have challenges of their own.  They need to get to all the areas, many that are fenced off, and then stand and wait and today endure a rain shower.  I've never done this but know how tiring it can be.  Maybe fans should train also!  One of the most interesting areas that we ran through was Coconut Grove.  So interesting, that we drove back for lunch and had some great Latin American food.  Speaking of Latin America, this marathon is a destination race for South and Central America.  It's such an international crowd.  The most touching moment that Cindy saw was when a runner slipped and went down just 100 meters from he finish.  Two other runners, not caring about their own finish time went back, picked up the runner and arm-in-arm helped him to the finish.  That is what running is about.  Some people might see us a egotistical, selfish people, but we will always go back and help a fellow runner.  There were also so many charities represented at this marathon that they had a charity village.  Its a special community - support teams and all.  Overall, I ran 4:50:39, a Puss 'n' Boots team effort!

Today Day 33: 26.2 miles; 2014: 202 miles