about getting from point A to point B in the most interesting ways possible

If you're a large woman in America, your whole life is an opportunity to feel self-conscious, embarrassed, resentful and way too big. You can hide in the corner or on the couch, you can go to therapy, or you can put on your lycra bike shorts and get out there and move.
—Jayne Williams, Slow Fat Triathlete

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March 26, 2005

aid station at the ultra permalink

Hey you guys, thank you. I don't know what was going on, but I think it's just been a rough little-over-a-week, what with the drama with Mom and drama with my best pal and not enough downtime. Anyways, after some chocolate and some time with my baby, it seems like this was really more about bigger things than whether I fit into the assistant coach culture.

Midafternoon, Mela came by so we could go volunteer at the ultra race. It was pouring, still, and neither of us really dressed to be out in the pouring rain for three hours. So after about an hour of it when we were thoroughly drenched and shivering, we moved the car so it was conveniently near the aid station, and sat in it. When a runner would come through, we'd just jump outta the car, bound over the giant log, and try to be helpful.

When we got there, there was no sign of the previous volunteers. Food had been left out in bowls, and it was soaking in rain water. We had bagels, bananas, pretzels, and chips, and of course, the favorite of all ultra runners, off-brand cola. So we tried to tidy up, and prepare the table for participants.

Every single one would grab the cup of cola which was diluted with rain water, and drink it. No one grabbed a new cup, as I had expected, or asked us for a new cup. They would also grab a handful of potato chips, a big handful, and then try to squeeze them all into their mouths. This was the only sign, in most cases, other than having a fine coating of mud from the waist down, that they were doing an ultra—the loss of motor skills.

Everyone, with one exception, looked like they were out for a jog. They were filthy, but they looked like they could run another 15 miles easy (our aid station was about 5 miles from the finish). They all stopped to chat, were superfriendly, thanked us for being there.

It was really rather impressive. Everyone had such good attitudes. Damn, I wanna do that!

Afterwards, we did the only reasonable thing. We went out for pho, vietnamese beef noodle soup, a big bowl studded with meatballs and eye-of-round and jalapeno. A little pho, and I'm human again.

Posted at March 26, 2005

Comments

I'm glad things are better VJ. I'm sure it was about bigger things, but it doesn't necessarily make it easier. Glad you are on the upswing and feeling like the strong woman you are.

Posted by: susan at March 27, 2005 3:59 AM

Step away from the ultra slowwwllllyyy. Don't go there. It's an illness. ;)

Seriously, congrats on volunteering and sticking it out under adverse circumstances. I know the runners appreciated it a great deal.

Posted by: Nancy Toby at March 27, 2005 3:41 PM

I'm glad that you're feeling better. Everything that I've read on this site demonstrates how strong and brave you are. And it's only brave if it's tough, right?

Mmmm, there's nothing like pho on a rainy day. :)

Posted by: Tricia at March 28, 2005 9:01 AM