Jim Fortner [Bib # 9812], Pasadena, MD

I'm sorry this report is so late, but I've had trouble getting my thoughts together to write it because this MCM weekend was one of such extreme highs and one very deep low.

The Team Runnersworld.com experience was unbelievably wonderful! Spending an afternoon with Billy and another full day with him and Jussara earlier in the week. Meeting the other marvelous members of the Team over the weekend. The resoundingly successful pizza party on Friday. The short run on Saturday with several Forum friends. An afternoon of sightseeing with Tim and Marianne. The Penguin dinner. The race. And, finally the after-race camaraderie at the hotel Sunday. It all added up to the most wonderful experience of my 15-year running life. It is still hard for me to believe that a group of such diverse people could come together and bond as readily and as rapidly as we did in such a short period of time. Of course, we weren't complete strangers, thanks to the RW Forums. We shared a common interest and mutual respect. But, this weekend we discovered so much more within each other. And we bonded friendships that will last a lifetime. We all owe Tim a huge ``Thank You'' for making it all happen for us.

I included the race as a ``high''light. But, as you know from the posts of others, it was a bittersweet experience.

The "bitter" part was that I failed $\ldots$ I didn't get Sarah to the finish. It was the only goal I set for the race as we stood in the starting area. Bob told me that he could not try to go all the way and entrusted Sarah to me. I tried. But we didn't make it. We would have $\ldots$ if the race had started on time. The delayed start left us with approximately 5 hours to clear the 14th street bridge instead of 5-1/2 hours. We approached the buses parked at the last blind turn leading to the 22 mile marker and the bridge just beyond it as the first runners, who had been turned around at the bridge, were walking back to the buses. We were within 5 minutes of reaching the bridge when it closed to runners. I doubt that we would have made it if we had tried to pick up the pace earlier than we did. We probably would have just slowed more in the later miles. We will never know since we didn't try. That was my mistake. I have missed goals in races before, including in three other MCM's, but none ever hurt like this one did. Sarah deserved better. From the race organizers and from me. We both failed her.

The ``sweet'' part of the race was running with Bob and Sarah. Bob set the race goal, started the race with us and ran as far as he could $\ldots$ it was as long as he has run in 5 months. He was a trooper.

Sarah was amazing. She ran an excellent race $\ldots$ despite the effects of jet lag and a five hour time change $\ldots$ despite weather conditions that JC described as among the worst for a race that he has seen $\ldots$ despite anxiety concerning what she was about to undertake. She ran a determined, courageous race. And she would have finished, if not stopped by circumstances beyond her control. She should not have experienced the disappointment and hurt that she did.

I learned a lot yesterday about the runner and person who is called ``Lady Sarah'' by her friends on the Forum. Not only is she a sweet lady, but is also of very strong character. During the bus ride to finish area at the memorial, she quickly determined that she will reach her goal. She will complete a marathon $\ldots$ and, preferably, MCM. She is a winner. Mikey recognized that by presenting her with his MCM finisher's medal $\ldots$ a class act, Mikey.

In a post a few weeks ago, Sarah called running ``The Dance of Life Itself.'' Yesterday, I learned the true meaning of her very poetic analogy. Thank you, Sarah, for the honor of dancing with you for 5 hours and 4 minutes. We were forced to leave our dance unfinished. We will dance together again in MCM 99 $\ldots$ and we will complete the dance.