taper tantrums and triumphs

We're gathered in the football cave upstairs, decorated in fatheads, fridge full in beers, but we're good - we're sipping water and coffee, eating vegetables. The dogs are asleep there and there as Sunday football plays and fantasy league scores are updated on the devices in their palms. We've ordered sleeves and race shoes from Brooks. Let's break down this taper:

The I-don't-like-it parts - 

Half-fired - Balancing my training cycle with work and lapses in depression was not easy. I tried my best to communicate the difficulty of this balance prior to the training cycle, but find that you can't really make anyone feel sympathetic for you when they don't go through what you go through; oftentimes, the only sympathy you'll get is, "Check yourself at the door." I'm proud to say I made it to the finish; day 1 of taper and I got half-fired for lack of energy.

Pubic Meltdown - For a few weeks I've had my friend, the pubic bone flare up. I think it will go away once I land in Chicago. I've been really stretching it out, but I can't figure out how to pop it on my own. So, it's really interesting that one of the things I have to consider upon Chicago's imminent approach is who's going to help me pop my pube.

Root-hole - So, that one tooth that had extensive work - that one wants more - a grand finale, a root canal trapped under a crown which needs a specialist which is like buying a car when you don't have dental. I'm on antibiotics to try to diminish the pain for the marathon.

The good parts -

Rolfing - My friend & teammate, Ber got me in to see Brad Jones, rolfer, for an appt. last week as a gift. I've been feeling a lack of confidence these past few weeks, and it was a benefit to see Jones, who's like a touch-and-sports-psychologist mashup.

Food bank -Thanks to rich I've been incorporating the food bank as a supplement to my grocery shopping, and by doing so, have been encouraged to create more full-balanced meals. This was a great addition during marathon training. It made me feel many things at once: thankful to use what could've gone to waste, creative, and it allowed me to sit still for an hour or two, to read, think, watch.

A send off - Friends Maria Dalzot & Tad made Al, Ber & I dinner last evening to send us off. Maria is an amazing cook. The menu: cranberry chipotle cheese, salty cheese, bleu cheese, rustic salted bread, roasted garlic, butternut squash soup with a dollop of bleu, roasted brussel sprouts, pasta with garlic, tomatoes, basil and red wine. We invited ourselves over for a runner's sleepover sometime soon, which is something I'm really good at doing - inviting myself places. Meanwhile, we tried pressuring Al into drinking, like, all night long, working her like an unfortunate pledge into our system of boozy everythings-gunna-be-fiiiine. She is tough, so I drank her wine for her.

Wine Bar - The wine bar feels to me like a mother, and I am its first born (ego!) Buttt, it is welcoming whether I am grumpy, hungry, unsavvy about varietals, witty or incapable of words. It accepts me in all ways and in all styles, works around my races, training, toothaches and ailments. It thanks me often. I really feel like it appreciates me as a person and as an employee. There's a woman, a favorite patron of mine, who has come in a few times during this taper, asks how my body is feeling, walks up to the bar to get refills so that I don't have as much to walk, and always folds $10 into my hand with, "Here's for Chicago" as she leaves. There's another couple who walk by, but will only come in if I'm there. A handful of women from the wine tasting group who have offered suggestions about things to do in Chicago, and many well-wishes. A gent from Chi-town & I had a phonetically charged conversation on Giordano's (gee-or-don-o's), where he told me the specific topping, crust and size of pizza to get. It means a lot to me to be held so tenderly, even when I'm grumpy & tired.

Team BDP - This is why we created the Bellingham Distance Project - to feel a part of something. From Maria's savory send off, to Aly's gift bags of wine, dark chocolate, travel toiletries & notes, to Ber's gift of Brad and incessant positivity for Al & I, and Al's words of encouragement, steadfast belief, and, the fact that I can fall asleep on the leather sofa while the two of them geek out over their fantasy leagues without feeling lonely - I think that's huge. Bigger than the bad parts, bigger than the prize money, bigger than Chicago.This has been a tough taper, but it's almost over. And I'm going to eat soo many gourmet hot dogs and drink so much champagne.