Stories from Rotterdam

Success in Rotterdam. I ran the marathon in 5:30. It was a fabulous experience. I was quite exhausted last night and spent the evening rolled in a blanket on the couch with my kids.


I will write more about the experience and post it. But I'm back at work this morning, hobbling around. Good news is no blisters or black toe nails. My right hip flexors are a little painful, and when standing I can feel a symphony of muscles, tendons and what not that hold my skeleton upright. Quite interesting to become acquainted with the miraculous body.

Running in the memory of Elham Mahdi got me through the most difficult parts of the run. I wondered if she played with dolls, if her mother dressed her for her wedding, what dreams she held - I asked her to see the Rotterdam marathon through my eyes. I thought of the three days of her suffering before she finally died of her injuries. With that in mind, the aches and pains and challenges of running a marathon were greatly diminished. I felt her anguish or what I could imagine of it. And when I had the opportunity for the TV news interviewing the last runners on the course, I explained that I wanted to raise awareness of the danger to children when they are forced into marriage -that was why I was wearing the yellow shoe lace around my neck decorated with a dozen colorful tiny plastic rabbits.

So, there's one of the many stories from Sunday. There are so many more!