Thinking too much

Ran (hah!!! pun there) into the s.o.s. this year @ LI Marathon. TOO many options!!!

Awoke with serious rain. What to do, what to do? Be smart n' do the 10k? Be less smart n' do the half? Be a total fool n' do the full???

Get to Eisenhower, rain stopped. Hmmmmm. Ask around, general consensus-no more rain. 880 says showers passed, sun this pm-just about when I expect to finish. OK, head out.

Sweatshirt, shorts. Check. Chip, check-last year headed to the start w/that nagging feeling, PUTZ!!! Forgot yo' chip mon. Not this year. @ last minute, exit the truck, head to the start. See some green peeps, most doing the half. Laughlin has bib 26059-mine 26058, hmmmmm.

And away we go, high five Jose Lopez n' Tom Suozzi-can a white guy look more white? No rain, so far so good. Pass the half/full split. Shit, committed now. Actually felt good, wow. After doing the 5k yesterday fully expected to limp along. Lost the sweatshirt @ mile 5, t-shirt n' shorts. Nice running weather. @ the end, actually a bit too warm. Last thing I expected as of this am. Passed Long Beach dentist doc, big bird Michael Ogazon-funny, he expected ME to encourage HIM-should be the other way around, Trudy Hodas-volunteered, her hub Andy. Nice. Also, Anthony-he came in @ 3:17-his first marathon-a sprinter really. Impressive. ALMOST passed Elik, he was 400m away when we entered Eisenhower. Took our picture together @ the end.

Did much better than I'd planned. Expected to come in @ 5, did my best LI ever. Thanks G. Thanks peeps, you carried me.

Nice swag too! Tech shirt, gym bag, after the finish you're handed a jacket. Quite cost effective.

REALLY nice to hear from my peeps. Tom called, was heading over to volunteer. Lisa left voicemail-she was on my shoulder the whole way, couple of other nice messages. Spoke with Tom after. Really felt wrapped in green. And, you ready for this kiddies, my chest swelled with pride (my chest, dirtbag) when Terry "the voice" announced my name @ the finish as "President of the Alley Pond Striders, from Hicksville New York, Gerard Ruiz." REALLY made my year. Pity Shebitch is who she is. This would've been a stellar day for family. F 'em, make my own.

I never thought I'd do a marathon, I've done several. Never thought I'd get this far in life. I have. Never thought I'd love again. I did. Marathons REALLY put everything in perspective.

.....to touch the night without the one you love............................