the rules of dating (over Mexican food)

Yesterday I went to the run, but didn't run. Instead, I took a nice walk with Cici and Celisse while the team ran. Afterwards, we went to La Pinata in Alameda for lunch.

Getting to know the team has been a little difficult because the team is so big. With over 30 runners and coaches, it's hard to keep up with and get to know everyone. So this lunch with about nine people was nice. Over piping hot Mexican food, we got into the age-old discussion of dating. If I'm not mistaken, everyone at the table was currently single, so having a group of 20-30 somethings bitching about dating is always a fun thing. I was glad that my failed dating life was the norm as opposed to the exception. (As great as the conversation was, I still didn't get my question answered: Why are men such complicated creatures?!)

As we were all sharing and getting to know each other, a part of me became sad. The marathon is about two weeks away. The team has been training together for six months now and after the marathon, it will all be over. No more training Saturdays, no more bitching about injuries, not more post-run pigging out. I'm finding that the last few weeks of training are crucial, not just because of the marathon preparation and the injuries we have to nurse, but because we have to treasure each other's company. This is why I'm totally bummed about missing the last run next week (I have to work in order to pay for the trip).

In my pace group, there's just me and Tzel. After the marathon, she's moving to the Philippines for a year. Running with her has been so much fun because considering the amount of hours we spend on the long runs, we always manage to keep conversation going. Tzel amazes me because she's had to battle so much at such a young age. Despite that, she manages to keep her spirits high and is unwilling to compromise who she is in order to accomplish what she wants. Very few people are this gutsy. I'm going to miss the inspiration. I'm also going to miss the silly, girlie conversations with Coach Angie, Coach Cici and Tina. Of course, there's Rickey's sarcastic’ comments, Mark's chanting in his bright red tights, Coach Herb's Pinoy-esque jokes and funny dancing... these are just a few things that come to mind when I think about the group. I don't have to worry about missing Coach Alex and Coach Rex because I always see them and know where to find them.

Although I am frantically preparing for the marathon, I know the more important thing, and the thing that will count in the long run, is remembering these moments with everyone. I'll forget the mileage, the routes we took, the injuries I had to nurse. But the things I will remember are the conversations we had, the silly comments that were made, and all the funny dancing.