The power of 2

I ran like a gazelle, now I walk like a Fox...Redd Fox. The Seattle Marathon was on Sunday Nov. 28th. I toed the line in front of the EMP for the fifth time. Seattle was my first half, then my first full Marathon, so it has a certain charm and allure which makes up for it's lack of good weather or flatness.
     The day started cold and wet but not raining, not quite above 40 degrees but not bad for running. I wore my neon yellow Brooks ID singlet over a long sleeve running shirt and my Hardrock arm warmers. I tend to overdress by elite standards. Shorts, hat and Brooks Launch shoes and I was ready to rock. I also snuck on my spybelt secret fanny pack filled with S-caps, Gu chomps a Gu Roktaine and car keys. At least I didn't bring a sandwich! Still, I felt secretly dorky but I really didn't want to drink Gatoraid and knew I wouldn't need to if I brought my own electrolytes.
     I sauntered about and worked my way up to the front of the crowd. I was psyched to see various Ultra friends slipped in about the marathoners. Owen, Gwen Scott, Joe Creighton, Heidi and Caroline, Van, and my friends Jeason Murphy and Annie Farris. I've known Annie since Kindergarten in Aspen and I met Jeason exactly one year ago at this very race.
     I am a chatty runner. Anyone who has run with me will attest to this. I love to pass the time running both my legs and mouth. If I don't have a friend to talk to during a run, I'll make one. Last year Jeason was running my pace and therefore got sucked into my chat vortex. I told him about running marathons and mostly about running Ultras and how awesome they were, he was really fun to hang out with and we kept it up until somewhere along Lake Washington Blvd where I lost him. Fortunately, we met back up at the finish and later on Facebook and have had a friendship ever since.
     From last year to this, Jeason has improved dramatically as a runner. This we both knew as the gun went off and Jeason, Joe and I hustled down 5th avenue at the head of a 2500 person Conga line. It was nice to have friends to chat with as we started ticking off miles, at about mile 4 or 5 Joe took off and that was the last we heard from him. Jeason and I , however, stuck together and passed the time and miles pleasantly chatting away, occasionally involving another runner then we'd be on our own again. I would tell him,"feel free to drop me if you've got it in you." He'd say, "I'm fine." and on we'd go.