Run Life's Course: A Win for Destiny

Monday, February 4, 2013

A Win for Destiny

Now that I am leaving the Big Easy, here are eight reasons the Ravens win was so special inside the Superdome that housed Katrina victims years ago:

Three 75+ yr women walked out of the bathroom behind me and started telling me they cried when Ray Lewis announced his retirement because they did not know what Baltimore would do without his generosity to the children and senior citizens community. I assured him that I thought he would still be a pillar in the community. Tears starting forming in their eyes as two said "I hope so baby".
In the Superdome store, four women that reminded me of my aunt and grandmother asked me to help them pick out some souvenirs. Oh yeah, two of them had walking canes and said they would never miss this moment. They saved for this day.
In a sea of red of 49ers fans of which it was nothing to pay for the high priced tickets (and they wore that arrogance too), Ravens fans were a pretty humble bunch that reminded me of my family (personal and extended church) and middle class hard working Americans.
When the lights at the top of the dome went out on the 49ers side only (no there was no blackout), Ravens fans were proclaiming that it was the trick of the devil to change the momentum of the game and get the Ravens off-course. (And we know that happens in real life!)
When the momentum of the game shifted towards the 49ers, I stood up and tuned everything out and started professing quietly, "God, you did not put everything in order for me to get here to see a Ravens loss and Ray not get another ring. This was ordained. This trip is about how you are going to come through for me too. This is about the testimony I am going to have when this trial is over."
While the 49ers fans were cheering loudly at the end of the game, the Ravens fans in the three sections next to us were quiet on the last defensive play and put one hand up and said "no weapon formed".
The emotions - The tears some of the Ravens fans and me too wiped away at 5 seconds to the end of the game. The cheer when Ray Lewis said "What God has for you!". The cry out that Torrey Smith did for his brother Tevin when he ran through our section. The tears rolling from Michael's adopted parents. The kisses to the crowd from the player's moms before going in the tunnel as she said "Thanks for the years supporting my baby!"
And the excitement of Ray's win after a torn tricep was supposed to put him out for the season and all the HATERS that tried to tear down his spirit but he kept believing.

So shout out to the Ravens fans and may Baltimore celebrate harder than ever because this was another win for destiny - something I needed to witness as my change is coming!

Marathon Results and Snippets

Too Many More To Add
05.15.11 - Pasadena (5:30:27) - The ultimate challenge is to run another marathon the day after a PR. But in the rain? It rained the first 11 miles. (I thought it did not rain in Southern California.) I should have returned to the car and driven back to the hotel. Here we go again with the half marathoners and the marathoners running together until mile 10. I was running but my legs couldn't sustain it after mile 10. I walked for 2.5 miles and ran every 3 minutes for the race during the hills. No electrolyte drinks for almost 5 mile stretches. No pretzels, salt, or other "push you through" food. Shout out to the neighborhood family that gave us Vanilla Wafers and Jolly Ranchers in a Ziploc bag. Nothing like running with a Vanilla Wafers bag but this was my "electrolyte". I had to stop at a local store to get a Mountain Dew to finish the race. The nerve of one of the race coordinators to ask where I got my Mountain Dew when they had no Gatorade on the course. Paramedics were plentiful and not Kaiser Permanente. Thank goodness. Overall not well organized.
05.14.11 - Palos Verdes (4:33:31 PR) - Community marathon it is but for a great charitable cause. You can register the morning of the race. The views of the Pacific Ocean are the only high point outside of the HILLS HILLS HILLS and more HILLS. A little drizzle during the marathon was bearable. Mental toughness is required as you past the finish line three times before it is actually your finish. Running back through the original starting line is no fun. It felt more like a long run around some neighborhoods rather than a marathon. Water stops has minimal water and even less electrolyte drinks. They use the old school chips. Less than 1 foot after crossing the finish line, you are expected to stop suddenly so they can collect the chips. A practice long run at best.
03.26.11 - National (4:46:05) - The marathon that couldn't end soon enough! Cheap bootleg expo across from RFK Stadium. 29 degrees at the start and 33 at the finish. The host hotel offered one shuttle to the start every hour. Half marathoners started the same time as the marathoners and there was NO split. The first mile marker we saw was at mile 10. The streets could not hold the number of runners with the parked cars. Get this! Half marathoners were being encouraged that they only had 100 feet to go to the finish as we had to a) run past their finish line, b) run around RFK stadium as they are going to their parked cars, and c) run back through the original starting line. THE WORST!!! I am not into crowd support but if you are, don't run this marathon. They did have water and electrolyte stops at every mile after mile 15. Lo and behold, there were mile markers too after mile 15. I can't forget the loop around the bucket at mile 22. There was a long stretch to the finish that had no "glory" that you were anywhere near the finish line - no signage, no cheers, no "you're almost there", no NOTHING! After experiencing the longest marathon ever, I had no way of getting back to the hotel. The police said "take a subway". REALLY? NOT! S I waited 20 minutes to hail the only taxi to go to the hotel. I had the taxi stop to pick up three other marathoners to take them to their cars. Disgusted!
03.20.11 - Georgia (4:54:49) - A great challenge for a flat course runner with 18 miles of hills and 6 miles of near flat terrain. Half marathoners started at the same time but split at mile 6. Plenty of room in the streets to handle the crowds. If you're into crowd support, don't be! I must have been delusional to think Atlanta was flat in all my business travel. The last hill ended around mile 25. The finish was the best. Within 20 feet of the medal was the photo area and the post-race food and two blocks to the hotel. Perfectly organized non-major marathon with volunteers exemplifying the best Southern Hospitality.

Run Life's Course

Monday, February 4, 2013

A Win for Destiny

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