Yay, Cindy!

Today, I started my 18-miler at 7:30. At 10:30, I had finished a 15-mile romp through the hills of Arlington & Winchester, and met my family, friend Cindy, and her trainer, Judith at the starting line of the Ras na hEireann in Davis Square. Today was Cindy's first 5-K, and Jesse & I promised that if she registered, we'd run with her, even if we had to "poke her with sharp sticks all the way" (her words). It has been an honor training with her and seeing her progress from running a few seconds at a time to completing a 5-K. She is a true runner, who when her doctor said, "You know, you'd get the same benefit from walking," asked, "Why would I want to do that?!" And, where most of us finish our first race at a new distance thinking, "I don't know if I ever want to do that again..." (and then blessed amnesia kicks in and we do), she called Jesse this afternoon for a list of summer 5-K's to train for. My hero.

Yoni came with us in the running stroller, ringing a cowbell and giving us pep talks in a pirate voice all the way. (If you haven't read How I Became a Pirate, you're never too old to catch up!) He hopped out to run the last 1/10th of a mile, and was very "dis'pointed" that they had run out of medals when he came through the shoot.