I looked over at David and he flashed me the thumbs-up. I couldn’t have imagined being at the starting line of a race several months ago. A lot had happened since I walked into the gym, three sizes bigger, wearing large sweats and a baggy shirt.
I touched my racing bib. Number 1084. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. For the past few days, I’d worried. Would I be able to finish the race? Had I trained hard enough? David told me not to panic, that pre-racing nerves were normal. He said he still got them and he’d run more than a dozen races.
“Remember, Mom…” David whispered. “There’ll always be runners who start too fast. Don’t worry about them. Go your planned pace and you’ll be fine.”
I knew David was right. I definitely didn’t want to go out too fast and expend too much energy in the first few miles and crash and burn toward the end.
The starting buzzer sounded and the runners took off, leaving me in the back of the pack. And while a part of me wanted to go faster, I reminded myself that this was not a 5K but a 10K. I focused on my breathing and keeping my head, neck and shoulders relaxed. I reminded myself to swing my arms like a pendulum from my shoulders. I could no longer see David and I was sure he was probably a mile ahead, but I just kept going, my feet striking the asphalt with short, quick strides.
The route was lined with people shouting.
“Keep going!”
“You’re doing great!”
“Don’t give up!”
“You’re almost there!”
“Good job, runners!”
I smiled. I hadn’t considered myself a runner. But here I was, in a sea of others, racing toward the finish line. I saw it ahead and I could hear David’s voice coming from the side. “Go, Mom! You’re almost there! You’re going to make it!”
As I crossed the finish line, tears filled my eyes. I’d done it. I’d accomplished something I never thought I could and was one step closer to my ultimate goal of completing a marathon.
I saw Peter emerge from the crowd gathered at the finish line and my hand flew to my heart. I’d mentioned the race a time or two, but I never expected him to remember, let alone come.
“Congratulations, Scarlett! You did it!” Peter smiled.
“Thanks.”
David walked over and handed me a bottle of water. “You did great, Mom.”
I introduced Peter and David and they walked with me as I cooled down, stretching my muscles. Calves, quads, hamstrings.
“Would you like to join Mom and me tonight for a celebration dinner?” David asked Peter.
Peter looked at me and I knew he wouldn’t accept David’s invite if I didn’t give him a sign of approval.
“Are you sure I won’t be intruding?”
“No, we’d love to have you. In fact, I’m taking David to Bella’s. I’m sure I can add another to the reservation.”
Shonna called when I got home from the race. “How was it?”
“I finished!”
“YAY, you! I knew you would.”
“And guess who was waiting for me at the end of the race?”
“David.”
“Besides him.”
“Peter.”
“Yes. And I had no idea he was coming. David invited him to our celebration dinner tonight.”
“I can’t wait to meet this guy,” Shonna said.
“I think you’ll like him.”
“I think so, too.”
That afternoon, I felt exhausted. After talking to Tory and Mom and Dad, I lay down while David went to visit Mike. Mike was in the middle of another round of chemo and, as expected, Angela hadn’t lasted a week. I felt sorry for Mike about Angela, but I was pretty sure he’d known that’s how it would end up. I reached out to him about staying with me, but he refused.
I slept until my cell phone alarm went off two hours later, just as David was returning home. I walked downstairs. “How’s your dad?”
David sighed. “Man, Mom. He looks so tired and old. And he seems even thinner than he was yesterday.”
I listened as David told me about his visit.
“Do you think he’ll get better, Mom?”
“I do, David. His prognosis is good.”
Dinner at the restaurant was just as great as the time before. We drank a couple bottles of wine and fell into easy conversation. I was happy Peter and David got along so well. They had a lot in common. They both loved history and baseball and a good craft beer.
“So what’s next on your list, Mom?” David asked.
I sipped my wine. “It’s a secret.”
“Oh, come on,” David said. “How can I help you if I don’t know what’s next?”
“It’s not something you can help me with,” I said.
David nodded. “Okay then, but if you succeed, you’ll let me know, right?”
“Absolutely. You’ll be among the first to know.”