Lower Potomac River Marathon

Maryland
Sunday March 9, 2014
48th marathon, 41st state
This is the first state that took two tries to finish. One of my favorite running quotes is, "The miracle isn't that I finished the race, the miracle is that I had the courage to begin." An addendum to this is it takes as much energy, God's grace, and support from loved ones to make it to the start as it does to finish. I impose my quixotic journey on my friends and family and they are my angels and champions.
I was signed up to run the George Washington Birthday Marathon. We had Presidents Weekend off of school and I was so excited to spend the four days with my cousin Clark and Elisa and their girls Makala and Tori. It was going to be even more amazing because his brother Brian was going to be in town and I haven't seen him in years. I am between them in age and Brian spent a summer helping my father build a house and we hung out and bonded. We were close enough that when my son was born I gave him my strong cousins name.
As adults we have not found the time and space to be together, but one of the luxuries of shared genetics is when we are together the moments of uncomfortable distance seems to disappear and the energy that resonates with our souls wash the unfamiliar discomfort away and all we feel is the deep and grateful love that goes beyond understanding.
I woke up at 3:00 a.m. ready for a snowy drive to the airport. I grabbed the phone off of the charger right when a text popped up. It was Delta saying that my flight was cancelled! Shnikies! I got on the phone with the airline and by 4:30 a.m I had booked another flight for Saturday. There was no need to try to go back to bed so I decided to see what was going on in the world and the weather in Maryland. It was going to be fairly warm by Sunday but it was snowing there. This year has been defined by cancelled marathons so I decided to check the website to see if they might have posted something. Sure enough! In bold red letters, the race was cancelled! Argh! Now I had to see if I could cancel my flights, reregister for another Maryland marathon and rebook flights, and ask for a day off. By bedtime I was wired, but all set to run the Lower Potomac River Marathon, March 9.
Clark and Elisa welcomed me. I didn't get to see Brian, but if you see this Bubba it will happen.
It is so interesting to find yourself looking at your little cousin all grown up and marvelously successful. Clark and Elisa are such a blessed couple. Being in their house with their girls for just two days was like salve on wounds of confusion. As children our families are extensions of our identity and family get-togethers are love filled affairs with little ones sharing baths, sleds, touch football and baseball. Never any sign of drama or discord. Then as an adult you begin to sense misunderstanding, distrust, and dysfunction under the silver lining of love. Being in the Risner home rekindled that childlike hope in harmony and love.
I was tired from travel and went to bed at 9:30. When I went downstairs to get my prerace bagel, I saw that the girls had made me signs for me on the race course. My heart was filled with happiness!
So much acceptance I still can't stop smiling. I brought each of them a Snow Angel Snowshoe Race shirt and they all wore them to dinner. Lovely Tori had her shirt on until I left. Both girls impressed me so much! Kayla at 18 is a manager of a Chic Filet. Very vivacious and outgoing. Tori is more introspective and at 16 is showing the graceful serious spirit that with the confidence that will blossom slowly into an awesome young woman. They truly reflect the beautiful parents that they are blessed with.
I had the luxury of long car rides with Clark. Like I mentioned above as teenagers I spent a lot of time with Brian, but Clark and I didn't have enough time then to bond. Now that I am all grown up, ha, ha... I feel so excited that I have had that chance. I hope there will be more opportunities to get our family members together. I have always been proud of my Uncle Richard's sons, and felt sad that we weren't able to raise our children to have the same blissful times, but perhaps our grandchildren will be enriched with family time.