20 Miles on Mother Ship

My thoughts while running 20 miles consisted mainly of what it means to be a mother. My oldest child just started high school and I have learned more in 2 weeks about being a mother than I have in a long time. I do not have a road map to follow, and so as I ran I tried to devise a strategy for mothering a 14-year old girl in today's culture.

I am resolved not to simply hand over my child to the mass culture. She has left the comfortable cruise ship (Mother Ship) and is floating around on a life boat which is roped to the ship. I will not unhook the rope under any circumstance, though I may gradually increase the amount of rope she gets. I have an automated device which has a simple button that I can push which will reel in the rope and the life boat within seconds...before its passenger knows what is happening.

And that is just the way it is going to be, at least for the near future. She can float around to her heart's content but if I see danger, the rope is coming in...period.

So as to avoid a mutiny aboard Mother Ship, I have explained the rope's devices and the possibility that the rope shortening device my shorten without advance notice. This is not due to shark or other scary things in the water. It is due solely to a Captain's need to satisfy instinct. The Captain explained to the young sailor that the Captain's instincts have gotten Mother Ship to this location and that we must now survey the present location before allowing any sailor the freedom of being unhitched from Mother Ship. The sailor must also demonstrate that her instincts are operational and intact...this requires that the sailor have instincts worthy of a freed lifeboat.

It was a beautiful day for running. The humidity was non-existent and the temperature did not rise above 82 degrees. What a difference that made on my endurance! I parked my car at 75th & Westfield, which is the halfway point between the Monon Center and the 4-mile marker on the canal (just past the red bridge leading into the Art Museum). I measured this distance Saturday on my bike to be exactly 10 miles apart.

I completed the 20 miles in 4 hours and 5 minutes, which is a disappointing time for me. I had hoped to complete the Chicago Marathon in less than 4.5 hours. I reluctantly accept my shortfall here.

The consolation I realized in mile 20 is that even if I am a slow runner, I make a fine Captain of Mother Ship.