Confiscated Peanut Butter

Marathon Weekend: Part One.
This is it. The training is done and the traveling has commenced. I write this from Oklahoma City, where 48 hours from now, I will have completed a marathon (cross your fingers!) From just the journey here, I sense there might be a lot of stories from this whole weekend.

I learned this morning that peanut butter constitutes a liquid or gel. Now, one of our running group just happens to be a science teacher and confirmed my initial assessment that peanut butter is a solid. What is interesting about this little scenario is that marshmallow fluff, apparently, IS a solid. I spread both on bread and turn them into a sandwich before I run. They seem about the same consistency to me, none of which is “liquid or gel” that’s banned by the airlines. But this morning, at 6 a.m. my peanut butter, in a sealed jar was confiscated by the TSA guy. Thank god he didn’t take the fluff. Peanut butter is easy to find in Oklahoma. Marshmallow Fluff is not always so easy. I texted one friend that I might have wound up in jail if they tried to take it! It’s important not to mess with a runner and her pre-race food!

So with a slightly lighter suitcase I headed, event free to Minneapolis. Half awake, I grabbed a bagel sandwich and coffee and headed for my gate. It would turn out that sandwich was a good decision. I had to board the plane twice and wait two hours past the initial departure time before we finally took off. In the midst of getting on and off the plane though, I met some other runners. Three new friends who are running the half on Sunday. The delays passed by unnoticed in the midst of “where are you froms,” “how long was your long runs” and “this is going to be so fun!” (okay, so the “this is going to be so funs were mostly from me!”) You could tell we’d all been tapering with the excitement in our voices, and enthusiastic promises of running fall marathons together in areas all over the country.

Finally I arrived in Oklahoma City (where it remains to be seen if I will encounter my new friends again, amidst the 21,000 people here for this). I anticipated a quick check in and lunch, and then plenty of resting and watching cable. I handed my ID to the front desk clerk and told him my name. “Have we got mail for you,” he said. I saw a woman come from the back with boxes and cards from people I work with. I was immediately overwhelmed. I didn’t even know you could send mail to a hotel for people! There is something about mail. It conveys love and support in everything from the stamps, to the script of the handwriting. Even the hotel people exclaimed how loved I must be.

I went to my room with the boxes in tow and a sense of joy. Soon my sister and our friends would be arriving. I was in a beautiful part of town and a comfortable hotel. I was connected to people I never even knew and in many ways, and I never felt more connected to the people I love that couldn’t be here with me. The truth is they are with me.

Ironic that this lonely journey is ending with such a profound experience of community. I am soaking in every moment of the joy and peace and laughter of all of it. And wherever that peanut butter is, I hope someone gets to enjoy it.