Here I sit at my apartment, eagerly watching the flight status of a Delta flight coming out of LaGuardia Airport. Why? Because that flight will be carrying one of my dearest friends from high school. And I haven’t seen her since high school either. And that was 15 years ago. You see, the Eastern sea board is currently getting the crap kicked out of it by Tropical Storm Andrea and her flight has been delayed.
Already her flight wasn’t getting in until 11:16 p.m…which is fine, but it means an early, early morning without much sleep. Because…it’s been 15 years. We’ll have lots to catch up on.
The reason for her visit…aside from seeing me, of course, is to run The Color Run with me.
Yes…THE COLOR RUN! Billed as “the happiest 5K on Earth” because participants get powdered paint thrown all over them as they run or walk the course.
I was actually signed up to run this last year…and then the torn plantar fascia happened. I was still on crutches at that point so the race was out. I still went to pick up my packet…and ended up crying. It was my first ever DNS and it was a hard pill to swallow.
I’m glad, now, that I didn’t get the opportunity to run it. Because this means this year I get to experience my first Color Run with one of my friends from high school. And that…just seems right. It just makes sense. And she is as excited as I am.
Expect to see many a color-splattered picture of the two of us as we get drenched in color tomorrow morning. We might make it to the race tired…but we’re going to live it up, have a great time, and just enjoy it. Marisa, my friend who is currently wondering if she should come this way by boat, is just as excited as I am about her visit and the race. We are going to have a blast.
And, as she is new to running…I told her I wouldn’t ditch her at the start of this race. She and I were going to run it together. And if that meant we needed to walk some of it…then we would. Because…we’re old friends getting coated in paint at a race. It doesn’t get much better than that, right? Besides…these races are meant to run for enjoyment, not competition. And these tired legs of mine actually will welcome the break of running them into the ground for yet another race.
Marisa just called with an update on her flight status. If they don’t get delayed again…she should be here by midnight. I’m watching that flight carefully. We WILL run this together. I am determined.
I just hope the weather lets up enough to get her here.
I often don’t get to run with my friends…and this friend goes all the way back to my time in New York…which makes this super important, super special, and just…super exciting. We’re going to have a blast…even if we do it on a couple hours of sleep. Who needs sleep when you have good friends, a race, and lots of paint?
Louisville Color Run…it happens…tomorrow! Marisa and I are ready!
The Celiathlete 