Grandma's - The Wife's Perspective

I've already explained that my husband is insane. And based on the fact that he has (1) run a couple of marathons on little to no training, (2) ridden his motorcycle 180+ miles after work to Indianapolis just to run a race the next morning and then drive home, (3) run 2 marathons in a single weekend, and (4) run 4 marathons in just over 6 consecutive weeks, I think I have also proven that fact. So when he told me he wanted to take an extended motorcycle trip incorporating the Duluth marathon and as much camping as possible, I shrugged and started packing my bags. I knew it wouldn't do any good to ask him whether he wouldn't be uncomfortable riding that long/far and then racing, and then riding some more, not to mention sleeping on the ground. I know better than to do anything but just go with it.

Besides, I was eager to take the trip myself! I just bought my "big girl" bike last October, and as of this spring had managed to put maybe 600 miles total on it. It was just begging to be ridden for real, and I was ready for the challenge. Even when we were delayed leaving our house by almost 2 hours after we planned due to rain and my husband asked whether I wouldn't rather take the car, I insisted on the bikes.

And the first two days were so, so lovely. Lots of sunshine (once that initial rain passed), decent temperatures, a few good brewery stops, and the freedom of being so unplugged from work (though I had my iPhone with me, we had nowhere to lock a laptop so I had to leave that – and any serious possibility of doing work – behind), all the way to Duluth. And then the rain and cold truly made itself known. I worried for the marathon. I already knew it would be unpleasant, since my husband had done nothing but eat and drink for the 2 weeks prior (when in Belgium…), even despite our best intentions to spend some time running through Brussels. And by all accounts it was difficult. He finished sub 3-hours, but other than this race I have never known him to be tired or sore afterward. He was definitely feeling it. 

For my part, because this race was a point to point and I didn't have transportation (we had dropped off my bike with the uber-capable folks at Harley for some service and there was no way I was going to chance taking my husband's baby out alone in the rain and on the hilly streets), this was the only race so far where I've gotten to sleep in. I went back to bed for a couple of hours, then woke up, walked to the local farmers' market for coffee and a muffin and strolled toward the finish line (it was about a 3 1/2 mile walk downhill which was great on the way there, but TERRIBLE for both of us on the way back!). I was able to see him about 1 ½ miles from the finish, then take a shortcut right to the end while those silly runners kept running down the street. Good thing he had had me bring a whole bag of dry clothes with him – he was soaked and starting to turn a bit blue by the time I met up with him again. Nothing cures that like beer and burgers, so to lunch we headed!

The rest of our trip was uneventful (if you count lightning storms, pelting rain and wearing 3 wool layers + leathers + rain gear and still feeling cold "uneventful"), and totally awesome. We never did manage to camp, preferring dry, warm hole-in-the-wall motels to setting up and breaking down camp in the rain, but I put in a lot of good riding time and feel like I can actually control my bike now (gone are the days of having my husband park it or make U-turns for me!) and am comfortable riding it through any kind of weather. Plus, I kept getting out of showering by telling my husband that real biker chicks don't shower every day. He slept on the other side of the room most nights, but he didn't try to argue!

He hasn't run a single mile since we got back, but he's planning to run in Missouri on Labor Day Weekend. He has also said that he'll be running this one in Vibram's Five Fingers to see what the fuss of minimalist running is all about… can't wait to report how it goes!