Monday, October 19, 2009

173,942 (Now What?)

I'm having PMS. Post-marathon Syndrome.

Otherwise known as the "now whatism".

For the 3-Day event, I trained for over eight months. I raised a lot of money (no where near the amount that one woman did... she got the taj matent... $24,000... impressive.) and basically had one driving goal for most of a year.

In the process of meeting that goal, I also lost another 22 pounds, worked my endurance up, whittled myself down to a tiny size 4 - I'm still astonished by that, just so you know - did 200 squats, 100 pushups, 200 situps. Walked countless miles. Wore through three pairs of shoes. Bought a sleeping bag, ground pad, and a crapton of gear for the event.

At the event, I met a bunch of really wonderful women (and a few pretty cool guys, too...). I felt strong, impressive, happy, sad, angry, frustrated, empowered, triumphant. I walked all 58.5 of the route miles, plus quite a bit more wandering around camp, crossing the pit stop stations multiple times to go pee, get food and drink, and stretch. My total steps for the weekend were 173,942. As my stride length says it takes me ~2200 steps to get a mile, that's ALMOST 80 miles over the course of a weekend.

I got to see my mother for the first time since right after her surgery. I carried a dozen or more rally flags. I met survivors, both of breast cancer and losing someone they loved to the disease. I danced on street corners. I made the same two jokes about 40 times each. ("I spy with my little eye... something that is pink!" and "I live in a swamp! I'm not used to hills. Where I live, the only hills are the man-made ones that are on the golf course, and oddly enough, they don't let me walk there!")

And now I'm home again.

And I've been here for two weeks.

And I don't really know what to do with myself.

I mean, seriously. How do I top this?

Some of my friends are being a little funny about it. "Why do you have to top it?" Me, "Well, because I'm only 37 years old... if this is the pinacle... wow..."

My husband was more like, "Well, what was the really big part of it for you? The endurance training, the fund raising, or the emotional aspect? If you can figure that out, you'll know which direction you want to head next."

I've been considering doing Hershey's Tour de Pink next year, if I can get a bike.

I don't know. I just feel a little... down.

It's hard to go back to doing the dishes after you've spent the weekend feeling like a goddess...

9 comments:

Jeanne said...

I have to ask... "taj matent"?a

Lynn said...

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?tab=2#/photo.php?pid=9340182&id=19213555391

The Taj Matent

Jeanne said...

...
Taj... Ma-TENT. *GROAN*
Ow. Ow. Ow.

Liz Brooks said...

"Have you ever considered piracy? You'd make a wonderful Dread Pirate Roberts."

Sorry, couldn't resist... :D

Summer said...

Your husband is really smart. Of course, it's totally annoying to be offered a solution when actually all you want to do is whine about the problem (or get someone to volunteer to do the dishes), but he summed up the issue quite neatly.

Your next challenge will be out there when you're ready for it. In the meantime, I think you deserve something pretty to reward yourself for your amazing accomplishments.

Rachel said...

Hey let me know if you decide to do the Tour de Pink. I am interested in it. It would be fun to do with you :)

Hanlie said...

I think you're having a very natural and normal reaction... I don't have any advice, but I know you'll figure out what comes next. You did a great thing!

Anonymous said...

So...I'm really behind. But this made one of my favorite quotes/Zen sayings spring to mind: "After the ecstasy, the laundry."

Which means, to me, that we have to balance the metaphysical bliss with the mundane reality of everyday life, which I think sort of sucks. It's like the after-Christmas letdown, writ very large...

But still. You are a goddess. Not only then, but now, and tomorrow, and every day from now till forever. Not only because of what you did, but what you do every single day...every single right choice you make, every hard thing you do, every time a word you say or an action you take has a positive impact on someone's life. You are a goddess, whether it feels like it or not.

Love you mountains, Twin!

V.

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