Vu Runs Chicago

Oh what a tease. My dear friend Tina came into town this weekend, yet only for two nights. Entirely too short if you ask me. She ran in the Chicago Marathon this Sunday with much success. I am not a runner and in general, I don't advocate it. However, in watching the marathon, I can see how one could be tempted to give it a go. The adrenaline, the cheering, the enthusiasm. I must take my hat off to Tina. She has always been an ambitious exerciser. When I say this, I don't mean she exercises her ass off, but she always has the intention and interest to be exercising. Whether that always happens is a different story (I know when she was in Evanston, my invitations to eat a burrito and sit on the couch sometimes won out). So I know she put a lot of work into preparing for this race. Obviously, 26.2 miles is not something anyone can do, and especially without training. At each mile I saw her (miles 2, 8, 18, and 23) she looked phenomenal. She was never walking, always smiling, and always under the 5 hour pace. Her boyfriend, Matt, who also came to support her commented on how she wasn't even out of breathe when she finished. Just thinking of doing anything that requires physical exertion for five hours is a real turn off for me. Not only would it be painful, I think that I would be bored. Especially running. I succeeded in not taking one picture of her while she was actually running, but I got some sweaty after shots to prove she actually participated and I was actually there. The other runners were pretty fun to watch too. Skinny, fat, old, young, big breasted and not were all out there moving it. It really takes all kinds. At mile 18 Matt left me to run with Tina until the end of the race (really, what is 8 miles to someone who regularly runs for 24 hours up hill). I was walking briskly to the car so I could get to the next mile marker when a blind man starts asking me something. I draw up closer to him and he says, " I need to get to Roosevelt and Ashland and I'm not sure where I am." I say, " Well, you're already on Ashland and Roosevelt is one street north, ok?" I turn to walk away. I have seen the blind people around this area (the medical district) and they are more self sufficient that I am. I was sure he could get there and know when he was there. Yet, he started talking again and it was clear he was turned around. The cab had dropped him off at the wrong corner because of the marathon. I asked him where he needed to be. He said, "The north east corner of Ashland and Roosevelt." Well shit. That just so happened to be directly on the other side of where the runners were. I tried to explain this to him, and that he might have to wait until they passed to get to him apartment. However, he was about 100 and waiting wasn't really an option. I saw a police car and decided they needed to help in this. Silly Jenny. Police officers don't actually help. They said, "Well, looks like you'll have to take him through. I'm not sure if they just didn't see the 3 step per minute pace this man was walking at, or they thought this would be enjoyable to watch, but I think it was probably the worst suggestion ever. So I let this gentleman know of the plan, tell him to pick up his feeler stick so as to not trip anyone more than I thought we were sure to do already, and geared up to go. I grabbed his arm tight, told him we would have to walk fast. Have you ever played frogger? Just imagine that, but instead of a frogger imagine me and a 100 year old blind man and instead of cars, imagine runners who are angry because they are tired, not prepared (this was the last group of the race), in pain and being cut off by a blind man and his seeing eye woman. Thankfully, I had a Moses parting the red sea effect on the crowd and we made it through without too many dirty looks. I escorted my friend to his apartment building and I was on my way. I wonder if he had any idea of what he just walked through. The police officers gave he a little chuckle and a wave and I made it to mile 23 in time to see Tina. I did my good deed made even better becauseYom Kippur is coming up and brownie points never hurt in a time of atoning.
So Tina is gone until God knows when. It was a great weekend to say the least, but next weekend I will be looking forward to a tearful reunion with my couch and Tivo.