Posing at Split Rock

Me at the halfway mark down the 171 stairs following the path of the old tramway at Split Rock lighthouse. Os said I HAD to post one of them. My hair looks like crap, I'm wearing a hot pink bracelet to prove we paid for wandering around the park, and the shadows are really bad. But it was a beautiful day, the hike was great, company was good.

The weekend was a good time all around. I still can't comprehend why anyone would want to run 26.2 miles for fun. I talked to Ashlea and Eric today at work, both finished the race and both are walking like they are a 100 years old and both told me how literally crappy they felt through the majority of the race. Now, what is so fun about that. On the flip side, taking care of the runners was a real ego boost. Absolutely everyone who came to my cots was appreciative of the care they received. Even the previously mentioned poor guy whose body temp was so high it led to an induced psychosis...once he cooled down to a mere feverish range he began apologizing for getting sick on us (yuppers, puked on) and thanking us for taking care of him. Quite a few pointed out we were volunteering for this and yes, we were. But it is so different than work. My usual patients come to us due to accidents and acts lacking common sense. Then they turn it around and blame me, the provider for making them unable to walk for 3 months. Like it is my fault! Anyway...

I took care of runner' from Minnesota, Cleveland, Kenya, just to name a few. 9600 runners participated in the event. Something like 4000 people volunteered to help as timer's, water boy's, drop bag picker-uppers, you name it. Overall a great experience for everyone.

As I have mentioned, or you should have at least picked up on...no way in hell would I ever run 26.2 miles. Something damn big and awful fast would have to be chasing me. So why do I WORK the marathon? In the fall of 2001, just after I started P.A. school my good friend Luke Roach died at the finish line of the Chicago Marathon. He was in his early 20's. Died of a massive heart attack when he stopped running. Sudden death happens in 1 in 50,000 marathon runners. Luke was an amazing individual and I guess I am doing this now for him. There isn't much you can do for those individuals who die of sudden death, but to know I can be there and help in some way means something. Not sure what, but it feels right. So, I'll keep going back to Grandma's for as long as I'm here. Having my sister and aunt there with me was extra special. I'll be back next year.