New Friends XXXIV

We took a picture together with our medals and exchanged contact information then she went to find her friends while I decided if I was going to walk the extra half mile to get my things on Cherry Hill. I found a young woman that was volunteering and asked if I could grab them the next day otherwise they could keep whatever was in the bag...I barely remember. She was great. she flashed me a sideways smile and told me to sit tight while she ran to get them for me. I could feel every muscle in my body tighten and I don't remember it feeling this bad last year but perhaps that's because I spent an extra 25 minutes pounding the pavement this time. After I had my bag I had to climb two long flights of stairs then cross over and come down the other side and walk out Central Park West and it almost feels like a cruel joke to have stairs and hills at the end of the 26.2 miles and I was feeling less amused with each step. Thank goodness Joseph is picking me up and even he had to park on Amsterdam so there was another two to three blocks...I couldn't wait to take off my shoes and throw them in the garbage. I grabbed my phone out of my sports bra and texted Dan and my son, I became a touch emotional thinking about how I finished last year with my son cheering me over the finish line and I missed them. I had a text message from the woman who was supposed to run with us, she dropped out at mile eight and took the bus back to her hotel. I felt bad that she didn't finish but instantly happy that I didn't wait or stay with her because I would have likely hopped on the bus too knowing I was so far behind and feeling discouraged with each street opening.

Joseph was waiting on the corner for me and literally had to lift me into the truck, I had nothing left in me and was wondering how I was going to climb all the stairs to get into his house. Monica and her family were in the back seat and I was happy to see her and know that she crossed the finish line too. Joseph brought me chocolate milk and sweet treats; I was hungry and weak sharing the bag between Monica and myself...she didn't even look tired...wtf? We drove them to Chelsea and dropped them at their hotel. Last year we waited hours for a cab on the upper west side and I immediately felt grateful for Joseph and his kindness...he's a great man. The east side was almost all cleaned up and back to fully functioning by the time we hit the midtown tunnel. Gluten free can kiss my ass...I'm going to eat some NY pizza...