Community Corner
LIFE IN THE SANDWICH: A Race to Remember
Weeks of training has led to the big show this weekend.
A tense excitement for this weekend’s athletic activity is overflowing the streets of St. Louis. Many have trained for years to reach this goal. Praise, accolades and fanfare will greet the winners, because that’s what it feels like to cross the finish line of a marathon – a big win.
Yes, the inaugural Solutia Rock and Roll Marathon and Half Marathon will run on the streets of downtown St. Louis Sunday. Is there some other exciting athletic event taking place this weekend too? Oh, right, the World Series - Go Cards - blah, blah, blah.
Of course the World Series is exciting too, but I haven’t been training 12 weeks to win the World Series, so I’m rather less excited and nervous about that event than my own. I know I can complete the half marathon on Sunday; I have finished one before and I have trained my butt off – literally. My butt is definitely smaller after walking over 150 miles preparing for this race.
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Many other Kirkwoodians will be participating this weekend too. I know of at least four other women who will run the half. They will run right past me, but that’s okay, I know walking it is still a huge accomplishment. I’ve seen many other running and walking enthusiasts on the streets of Kirkwood – I assume they are training for my race too.
Funny to call it my race. After all, I’m hardly racing. I’m not trying to beat anyone, just my own self-doubt. Because I walk a slow and steady 19-minute mile, I very likely will be bringing up the rear of the half marathoners, but I don’t care as long as I finish.
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My girlfriends and I will be carbo loading on Saturday night at Lombardo’s down near Union Station. I’ve been carbo loading all week, enjoying a cupcake from Sara’s Cupcake Truck, a slice of artichoke parmesan bread from and half of a calzone from – and that was all on Thursday. Might explain why I haven’t lost a stinking pound of weight these last 12 weeks.
Best of luck to all the marathoners and half marathoners on Sunday. Enjoy the sights and sounds of the race, a different rock band every mile should help keep our spirits up and our feet moving toward the finish. Oh yeah, best of luck to the Cardinals in that other sporting event they’re participating in this weekend.