running to the starting line

we left home at five to give ourselves plenty of time to get into b-town. but then we needed gasoline and a power bar. and then i realized i'd forgotten my racing number on the kitchen table. so by the time we left the second time we were running late, and it was rush hour. up to the tobin bridge was fine. but from there it was two feet of pavement behind you every forty-five seconds. there was this light at the end of the bridge that would turn green for about four seconds, and two cars would rush through and then it was red again. cars from the left were pushing their way into the line in front of the cars coming from the bridge, and it took what seemed to be hours to get to government center. then we hit every stop light up to the block before park street church, at which point i took my phone and my racing number and jumped out of the car. "if nothing else--if i lose you--meet me at park street church at eight," i told j.

then i started running. i felt like the stress of the day and the rush hour traffic was pounding out through my feet and i could run forever. i ran to the park. i ran to the frog pond. i ran to the crowds of people with company t-shirts and racing numbers and running shoes. i tried to find Anyone with a t-shirt matching mine, and then i ran to the back of the line of people at the starting banner and began weaving my way through. at some point before the start people started running. i did too. at first there was just momentum: everyone was running, so everyone ran. then there was adrenalin. then there was ecstacy and will power and chills and exhaustion and stamina. and by the end of the race i had run 3.5 miles without stopping: 39 minutes.

j. was at the finish line. i saw him and threw my hands up in the air.