In all the time we spent together on Saturday, I cleverly made sure never to ask Dianna what she'd be wearing. I guessed something orange (she is the running chick with the ORANGE hat, after all).
More fail.
I climbed up out of Smithsonian Metro station just past mile marker 19, hoping I hadn't missed her, and taking a wild guess that she'd be wearing something orange. At least I had the foresight to ask her what pace she'd be running: 8:30s.
As the crowd streamed by I asked a few marathoners what pace they were running, and pretty much every one of them looked at me like I was nuts and said, "Don't know." (I guess I forgot that you can't answer questions while running a marathon.)
I asked the spectators if they knew what pace these folks were at. No one knew. But on one of those occasions as I was busily chatting up spectators, my back turned to the streaming crow of marathoners someone yelled out, "There goes the 3:30 pacer!"
Dianna was on track for 3:40.
Sure enough, like clockwork, a few seconds later, she saw me.
Yes, she saw ME, and called my name!
We rushed toward each other, gave a quick hug and she was off. And
More fail.I hurried back onto the Metro, joined the throng and headed for the finish. It took forever to get there, but I fought my way through with minutes to spare. I took up my post at what I thought was around 25.5, and decided to start taking pix to test my readiness,
I am so ready!
Very soon, Dianna approached. I tried the old running backwards—at an 8:30 min mile—while talking and snapping photos. I think you can guess what happened. But just in case you are in ANY doubt...
Sigh.
Turns out I was much closer to the finish, a brutal bit just past mile 26 that is straight uphill. I heard the announcer call Dianna's name. We soon caught up with each other and I asked her if she made Boston. She had! But she was in a world of pain. You can read all about it here.
I took some more crappy photos at the end. Unless you were a stranger and then? Perfection!
If you'd like to contribute to my camera fund, or maybe to the send the photographer to photogaphy school fund, you know where to find me!
It was a fabulous weekend, and I don't know how I manage to know so many fast runners. I enjoy basking in reflected glory, I guess!
4 comments:
I'm disappointed. Way too many non-fuzzy pictures in that post. But kudos for the head chop off. Ha ha!
Spectating is such a difficult job!!
I don't know how my hubby takes the pictures he does. Great job out there even finding Dianna and getting, well, at least most of her face into the frame.
Good or bad those pictures will forever remind you of the details of a great day.
Better luck at Boston!
Dianna was the first blogger I ever read (yes, even before reading)you. I stopped following her when she started doing triathlons, though. Couldn't understand phrases like "T3". It's cool you got to meet her.
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