It's not you, it's me

Just thought I'd clear things up about my last post - I don't hate dentists. One of my best friends is a dentist and I admire her for all that she does and I know she gives each and every one of her patients all her care and attention. I don't even hate my dentist. After all, he has been nothing but patient with me. Dentists work long and hard to get where they are and then work even harder and longer, and are seldom appreciated.

So...my sincere apologies. Didn't mean to perpetuate a stereotype. After all, sometimes visits can even be pleasant. My favourite part is the end ;)

Brush up, floss and see your dentist regularly, so you don't have to face the drill and then write whiny blog entries like yours truly. Do you think a dentist can extract my foot from my mouth?

A biannual torture

It's interesting how different countries approach medical care - different treatments, different priorities, different approaches. For instance, drugs are weak in Japan, so you often end up taking about 5 different pills for one symptom. And while they go to their doctor for every cough and sniffle, it seems that the average Japanese person won't see their dentist unless there is something wrong. While this isn't the best oral hygiene, I have to admit that I didn't miss my checkups at all.

I haaate going to the dentist. I had a particularly traumatic experience when the dentist couldn't freeze me properly, even after sticking three or four needles in my mouth. So I just gripped the arm rests really hard while he drilled. I was in so much pain that I cried during the entire procedure. Ever since then, I absolutely dread going to the dentist, to the point that once I burst into tears even before he walked into the room! I'm sure I have WARNING: PROBLEM PATIENT stamped onto my file.

Checkups are awful. You're sitting there with this harsh light shining into your eyes, while someone is jabbing sharp objects into your bleeding gums. Meanwhile, your ears are getting assaulted with 'lite rock' hits - as if the whole experience isn't unpleasant enough, you're forced to listen to Celine Dion, Bryan Adams and Heart! I could never work in a medical office - all the Enya would put me over the edge. (I have no idea why it's called easy-listening - I find it very hard to listen to!) And why do hygienists and dentists insist on making small talk, when you have all this equipment in your mouth??

I do feel sorry for them though. No one ever looks forward to their dental appointments. It must be hard to be so loathed! I can't say it would be a fun or easy job - peering into people's gross mouths all day, and dealing with troublesome, wussy patients like me. And lucky them, they get to see me next month too! Hope they have their tissue boxes ready...

4:14:09

Running clinic: $89.99
Race entry fee: $85.00
Fuel belt: $49.99
Blister-free socks: $19.99
Shoes: $175.00
Chiropractor/physiotherapy/massage therapy: $250.00
Crossing the finish line: Yup, you guessed it...PRICELESS!!

Last Sunday, in drizzly Vancouver, I completed my first marathon. It was definitely one my most memorable experiences.

As you all may know, training has been a struggle for me, but on race day, I decided that hey, I made it to the start line. That is achievement enough. If for some reason I don't make it to the finish, I know that I gave it my best, and I have nothing to be ashamed of. I put absolutely no pressure on myself; I just wanted to enjoy the day and the experience. So I took deep breaths, took in the sights and had a great time. I think I ran the entire race with a huge smile on my face.

The entire race was just amazing. Being with all those other runners was great; it was me and 3500 others struggling together to reach the same goal. We all had our own reasons, and had our own way of getting there, but we were all heading towards the same place. Some people were involved with the Team in Training, raising money for leukemia. Some were running for loved ones, and had their photos taped to the backs of their shirts. Some were running to smash records, others were just trying to finish and some were even celebrating their birthdays!

When I got to Stanley Park, I passed someone who was running with no legs. It's no easy task running a marathon but I could not imagine doing it on two prosthetics! He was definitely an inspiration to the rest of us, and every person who passed him said something encouraging to him. This was about halfway, and I was beginning to flag a little, so I thought of this guy, who had lost both of his legs, but wasn't going to let his disability stop him. And then I began to think of everyone I knew who had gone through difficulties - losing loved ones, fighting disease, struggling through school, moving to faraway countries, dealing with breakups and divorce, giving birth...marathons are a piece of cake compared to all that!

What really kept me going though were all the spectators and the volunteers. As you can see from the pre-race photo, my name is on the bib, and it was awesome to have all these people scream out "Go Annie! You can do it!" Some people wrote funny signs, or wore silly costumes, others had "Eye of the Tiger" blasting on their stereos. Each and every one of them put a big smile on my face. I really have to admire all the people who were willing to stand out there in the chilly rain for hours, supporting the runners. The best was seeing my friends Huyen and Greg, who woke up extra early on their day-off and drove all around the course following me and taking pictures. Even other runners got a kick out of them, especially Huyen's enthusiasm!

As I neared the finish line, I started to choke up. This was it! The last 3k were the hardest, but that's when the supporters really started to scream and yell. As soon as I saw the finish line, a flood of relief hit me and I started to cry. The lady who put the medal around me neck gave me a huge hug, which I sorely needed. During training I kept telling everyone that I just wanted to finish this one marathon and never do one again...well, I'm already planning to do another!

So thanks to everyone who sent me good vibes, to all who supported me, to my medical practitioners who kept me on the road, to my running clinic people and especially my coach, my family and friends who had to endure all my complaints about injuries (sorry!) and all my running buddies, past and present. And a HUGE shout out to Huyen and Greg who so kindly put me up for the weekend, supported me during the race and spoiled me rotten afterwards with good food and a trip to the spa!