08/30/10 - 09/05/10 - Week Total: 29 miles
Got from work on Monday to find out that my college mate Victor Ferreira had tragically died. His death was shocking to all. The following day, Tuesday, we would celebrate Luis' birthday making it now a more emotional week. I laced my shoes with sorrow and went for a long run, a 14-miler. At mile 5.7 I decided to quit. My legs could not go any longer, and I felt physically and emotionally shattered. Started to go back home when, after walking a bit, I chose to continue. Dragging my feet but moving forward.
It was a very tough run with those life's questions coming and going. Victor had changed his Facebook profile picture just one week before he passed. A beautiful picture of the Caribbean sea at sunset. A lonely sailboat in the body of water, now looking lonesome. The horizon at the distance. How come Victor is not here any more? How come Luis is not here anymore? How come these tragedies happened?
It was hard to cope with the events. Though it took me forever I finished my 14-miler.
On Tuesday I went with my son and daughter in law to dinner to commemorate Luis' birthday and to have in his memory his favorite dessert: flan. We started last year this tradition of eating flan on his birthday and has become a wonderful experience.
The rest of the week went by with the scheduled intervals on Wednesday and a 10-miler race on Saturday. The race, Over the Narrows, was a perfectly organized race in Gig Harbor, though tough, very hilly and very windy. While crossing the beautiful Tacoma Narrows bridge I was pushed by a south to north wind towards the concrete barrier that separates the walk path from the bridge. Almost hit the barrier as there was nobody to draft. I ran the race by heart rate instead of pace. Avg HR was 172.
Dedicated the race to Victor. After I got to the finish line and received my gorgeous medallion, I sat on a sidewalk and broke into tears. Thought of Victor. Thought of Luis. Thought of life.
It was an emotional week. Too Emotional.
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| Victor's profile picture posted one week before he passed. A lonesome boat, the sunset, the horizon, the Caribbean sea. |
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| Tacoma Narrows Bridge |
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| Over the Narrows 10-miler |
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| A lot of bananas for me, por favor |
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| A nice reward |
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| A gorgeous medallion |
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