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Cheering on Ana and Sarah at All New Englands

October 12, 2019 (Morning)

Exercise Type: Run

Comments:
I almost screwed this up by getting back from my run late and then realizing my car battery was dead and the jump starter kit didn't have enough juice. But a friendly Lyft driver from South Sudan saved the day (and had a very interesting conversation with me about South Sudanese politics and his experiences as a "Lost Boy of Sudan" walking 3000 miles in the late 1980s with hundreds of the other kids to escape the murderous reign of Omar Bashar. I got his number to follow up). Arrive at the course just barely in time. Realized I didn't know what color uniforms Bowdoin has so I was frantically googling it while walking along behind the JV women lined up for the start of the race less than 60 seconds hence. Finally, I spotted a very familiar back of the head with some telltale braids. "Ana Gunther good luck!" I cheered. She turned around, got a big smile, and in that instant the gun went off and she laughed and started running. So maaaaay have cost her half a second. Hopefully I made up for it by cheering. I didn't spot Sarah Pillard until the second lap and I wasn't entirely sure she'd recognized my voice after 2 1/2 years, but apparently she did cause I got blindside tackle hugged shortly after the race ended. Managed to see the girls 7 times I think. Got in a bit of running myself while cheering and then jumped in another Lyft to catch a flight that was taking off 55 minutes hence. Made it onto the plane w/ 20 minutes to spare.