"It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it's only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn't. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something."
Pain. OMG, did my feet HURT. The pain I was ignoring in the last few miles of the bike was still there, I must have blocked it out? I couldn't walk! But I bit it back and focused.
I handed Frea off to a catcher, but not before I thanked her for a good ride and gave a light pat on the aerobars. Now off to T2.
Limp, limp, limp. I couldn't put pressure on the balls of my feet! How was I going to run?!? I hobbled off to T2, was handed my bag, and gimped to a chair. It felt so good to sit down, but I kept in mind what PS had advised me: T2 is a negative place, don't stay there too long. So I got moving again. What did I need?
All bike gear off. More than happy to remove the shoes, helmet, and gloves. Change shorts for a fresher feeling. Put the club singlet on. Grab my ziplock bag of goodies. Get some water. Pull on the Brooks. I was moving through a well-rehearsed routine.
I looked to my right, only to see a fellow athlete who had crashed on the bike. Road rash all down one side. And she was going back out. Focus on me, don't worry about her.
Soon enough I was on my feet again, and surprisingly they were feeling good. I stopped at the sunscreen station, hell yeah I wanted sunscreen! Then a bathroom break. Then ... my family!! Right outside bathrooms, with signs and hats and cheers. There is a picture of me and dad at this point, I love this pict!
I kept moving, there was so much I wanted to say but I had to keep moving. My feet felt great all the sudden, no pain at all! I rounded a left turn, passed under the arch, and took in a beautiful visual of the state capital.
Time to RUN!
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