photo by AnnI've been wanting to tip my hat to a special someone, and why not now? I mean, the internet is always open.
My friend Bud, ultrarunner extraordinaire, wrote to me today (responding to a panicked email with the theme of: SHIT, AM I READY TO DO 100 MILES?!?!?!?) with:
This is a selfish endeavor. Dayle (his wife)
puts up with my long training hours and my being tired
afterwards, my many meals of carbohydrates - I owe her big time for putting up
with all this stuff.
I would like to take this moment to thank my girlfriend, Ann. Not only has she been patient with early weekend wakeups (we've delayed only 2 Sunday runs until late afternoon so we could actually have a weekend day together), and not only has she dealt with my bouts with irritability, aches, pains, and other nonsense due to overtraining, she has also joined me for nearly every weekend back-to-back long run I've done in the past 4 months.
This woman has also been there cheering me home for 2 ultras, snapping amazing photos along the way to document my idiocy.
She's trotted alongside me (and vomited alongside me) for many-a-run, is running with me for at least 13 of the final miles of the 100; nerds out about nutrition, hydration, pace, and what the online splits are for the Hardrock and Badwater races, talks me out of anxieties, freaks out with me about the unknowns of racing high mileage, pats my back when called for, and kicks my ass when needed.
Ann: You are an amazing woman and a dear and wonderful partner. I realize that what I'm putting myself through affects not only me but you and our relationship. Please know: I appreciate your patience, your understanding, your love for me AND your enthusiasm.
You believe in me and my dreams. Thank you.
So let's poop our shorts together at mile 96 in celebration. Whaddya say?
8 comments:
This made me tear up. Ann, you rock.
This is quite possibly the nicest thing anybody has said to me. And most romantic thing anyone has done for me.
Thank you Russ.
And I will glady puke with you at mile 96. I'll even hold back your hair:)
(And I totally teared up too. Damn you. Not you Renee. You're brother.)
You are a crazy family I have to say...crazy beautiful.
Nice one Rusty, way to pay tribute, it sounds like she deserves it!
3 cheers for Ann: hip, hip, hooray!
Having a supportive partner can really make or break your dreams. You sure sound like you lucked out with someone extra special. Not many people would run that much for ANYTHING let alone for free.
see, russ, it's guys like you that make the rest of us dudes look bad :)
I so want to stand at the mile 96 marker with a bucket and a homemade sign that says 'Russ and Ann's Poop 'n Puke Stop of Love'... And with a boom box blasting Asia tunes or something like that.
Well, gotta say, Ann's a lucky gal, and Russ, you're not doing too badly either. Crazy kids, you are...
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