I Stood Among Giants

She sat on the side of the pool, shivering. At the tick of 7:30, she slid into the water, pulled on her black bathing cap,tugged the strap of the over sized goggles around the back of her head and positioned the tinted lens over her eyes. When she straightened up in the shallow end of the pool, her chin seemed barely above the water. At 4'11" she is petite, and while not fragile, she is not "ripped" or visibly muscular. So I was surprised the first time I watched her power through the water, arms windmilling, head swiveling and moving really, really fast.

After watching her swim, I wasn't surprised to find out she had run last year's Boston Marathon, nor that she had run the New York City Marathon in the fall, but I was surprised to find out that she had a beer after each - legally. I thought she was about 18, but I was wrong by a decade.

Last night she surprised me again, she being Christina, one of three sprites I share the pool with during Thursday nights' Stroke Improvement classes. While it was Thursday, and Coach Aaron was on the deck, and Christina, Jessica, Kelly, Mike and I were in the pool, there was no class, since it was school vacation week. We were all there because we had the hour blocked out in our schedules anyway, and because it sounded like a good idea.

Besides, it was really good to see everyone and catch up. Truth be told, even though Dodie was not there, there was more talking than swimming. During the chatting, Christina and Jess told us they wouldn't be participating in the March 30 indoor tri at the Guilderland Y because they would be in Washington, DC running in a marathon and half marathon respectively. Christina is "only" running a half, because she wants to peak at the Boston Marathon on April 21.

She ran a 3:58 there last year and I told her I was impressed. Christina poo-poo'd that time, and told me she was slow (slow?) because of the rotten conditions. Jess told me that she, Christina, was planning to run a 3:17 this year.

Kathy and I have wanted to see the Boston Marathon ever since Emily went to BC two years ago and described what it was like. This year we booked a hotel room on the 20th, a mile and a quarter from the course, and we plan to walk over on race day to the corner of Washington and Commonwealth and cheer for the runners as they start up the hills out of Newton - and especially for Christina.

Though taller than Christina, Jess is also petite. And strong. First time I saw her swim, I wondered what she was doing in class, because she seemed pretty good - and fast - in the water to me. Turns out that she had a flaw in her kick that was causing her leg to cramp up and fatigue as she started to pile up the laps, or the distance. Coach was able to spot the flaw and correct it. That's a good thing for Jess - since she is planning to participate in the Lake Placid Ironman in July. Considering the fact that in addition to her speed in the water she is also a strong runner, and she is also a very good cyclist - she teaches spinning classes at the Y - I am sure she is going to do a terrific job there. We may just have to make a trip to Lake Placid in July to cheer her on, too.

My friend Kelly was the third sprite in the triumvirate that night. She had been sick the entire week with a stomach bug, but she was still there working away. She felt better, but she still hadn't been able to eat much, and had been losing weight - although I don't know from where. She told me she was a little worried because she was supposed to take part in a marathon relay on Sunday - her leg was going to be 9.3 miles, and all she had eaten the last couple of days had been flat ginger ale, a few crumbs of bread - and Pepto Bismol. I told her that her teammates would certainly understand if she didn't participate. But that's not how Kelly thinks or acts.

I saw her the following Monday night at the Y - she was working at the desk and I was coming in to swim. I asked her if she had run, and if so, how she did. Not only did she run her leg, but she had done 7:30 miles, a PB for her. I asked her how she felt, and she told me her legs were a little sore. I certainly understood that. Then she told me it wasn't from the race - she said she had felt so good Monday morning, and Monday afternoon was such a lovely day outside that she couldn't waste it - so she had run 5 miles before coming to work. And her legs were a little (!) tired.

So here's to my friends and teammates - the 3 Sprites. Though they are small in stature, they do mighty deeds, and when I am with them, I feel as though I am standing among Giants!