Why Yes I AM walking funny !!

Thanks for noticing, my gait is a little off today. And yes you might think I'm waddling. And NO I am NOT pregnant.

So why the silly stride? Yesterday my bruddy [that's brother + buddy = bruddy....] Flash and I did THIS!

Yeah that's right, we ran the Va Beach 1/2 marathon together! Now some of you may know that I have indeed run a marathon (my photos)...the Marine Corps Marathon (my story)... nearly 3 years ago. 3 years? That's a long time when you are..ahem..over 40.

My bruddy has been facing some 40+ health challenges - you know, weight, blood pressure, getting old and I-still-want-to-eat-like-I'm-17 crap. So about a year ago he started "running." As in, around the block. Because that? Was all he could do.

Fast forward about 9 months and he says, "I'm running the Va Beach 1/2 marathon."

Me: "WTF?"

Him: "YEP Running it."

So we start talking about training. And of course being the A.D.D. master and a busy man, he gets side tracked. And he starts all, "I can't run it. I won't be ready. Blah blah blah." So I say, "No really, all you have to do is X and Y and Z and you are so there. You have come so far. JUST DO IT."

And he says, "Want to run with me?" and in a moment of insanity or - nay - in complete clarity - I say, "SURE!" I go online, fork over the WHOPPING registration fee (damned those bands better be worth it! And I want a cool t-shirt, not another ugly one like my other races!) and do it.

About 4 weeks ago, Bruddy hurts his back. Badly. And stops running. For 3 weeks.

About 4 weeks ago, I break or severly injure my Big Toe and...keep running b/c I am an idiot.

So I show up to Va Beach, not really having trained well. I expect him to tell me his back hurts and he can't run. Instead? He says, "Well I ran 6 miles the other day. So let's do this thing."

And I'm thinking, "6 miles? You ran only 6? And you're going to Run 13.1? Well....ok" But I don't say anything. Because this is his dream. And if he thinks he can do it? I'll drag his butt over that finish line.

So Saturday we get up early and go to the race expo and pick up our numbers and shirts. And we buy the place out of t-shirts that are funny. Like this one for me:

Yes, indeed, it also says "Does this shirt make my butt look FAST" on the backside of the tshirt. How funny is that??

he bought a number of shirts like "This seemed like a good idea 3 months ago" and "The older I get the faster I was."

We spend the day drinking Gatorade and water - and we shared a beer (or two) at one of the beach concerts. Hey we had to carb up!

5a.m. came early. We got up, bageled and bananed ourselves, drank some cytomax running crap and off we went. Names on shirts for cheering crowd purposes. Psyched to the max. I played him my psyched tape on the way over: "Feels like Today" by Rascall Flatts, "How Bad do you want it" by Tim McGraw, "Make a Man out of You" from Mulan and "ready to run" by Dixie Chicks (from the Runaway Bride Movie). He laughed and got psyched.

We took off strong - averaged under 10 minutes the first 6 miles. But he knows 8 miles is his personal wall because of some health issues. So at 6 we walked a couple "poles" and had some sports beans and salted/sugared/carbed up. And ran some more. We walked/ran for a while. Then the cramps started for him. We stopped and stretched. And rubbed. And ran some more. I told stories and laughed with him.

We hit the bridge after mile 11 and sang from the christmas movie, "Put one foot in front of the other...ba-da-ba-da-bump...and soon you'll be walkin cross the floo--oo--ooor! Put one foot in front of the other... ba-da-ba-da-bump ,...and soon you'll be walkin out the door!"' Everyone laughed.

Mile 12 was hard. Really hard. I got worried. He didn't look so good. He had cramps you could see in his thigh and his calves. I asked him, "You ok?" and he said, "Yep let's do it." And still we went on.

At Mile 13 I was crazed. We had our names on our shirts and people were shouting, "Go Greg Go Mellie Go Greg Go Mellie." IT was crazy!! We were still jogging! He grabbed my hand and we crossed that finish line hand in hand, wooting and so psyched. The announcer lady saw us coming and said, "Here come Greg and Mellie!!" WOOT!

And so today? My legs are a bit tight. My calves are sore and I'm limping a bit. But my Brother? He ran 13.1 miles yesterday. This from a man who couldn't run 1/2 mile just a year ago.

Yes, PICTURES from his Wife when she gets a chance to email them!

Brother, I am proud of you! Really proud! Love YOU!!