Into the night

The LCU (Landing Craft Utility) rocks up and down with the swells causing a number of people to move closer to the rails or closer to the center of the boat in hopes of minimizing their discomfort. Vocal jabs can be heard of weak constitutions prompting a weak chorus of vulgar responses. Its the middle of the night with the lights of the civilization dotting the coast line some 22 miles in the distance. The lights are not the destination however, it's the dark unknown in between the lights. In a little bit a company of marines will be launching their little Zodiac rubber raiding crafts off the front of the boat and head into the night and the swells that threaten to scrub the mission. The danger lies in a swell raising the launching platform before a rubber craft can clear the area and getting smashed underneath. Looking over the side the little lights seem to blink in and out of existence with the swells. Excitement charges the air, the marines are eager for the waiting to end one way or another.

When I look at my little journey for my first marathon this is what I'm reminded of. That span of time from when we were waiting for the word to launch our boats into the night and the struggle of trying to start the last of the outboard motors. The rise and fall of the ocean, the destination of dark unknown in between the little lights. If you have ever swam in the ocean you'll know what I mean. Riding a wave to shore with the crest is behind you it pushes. As the crest moves beyond and you go down the backside it pulls (at least that's the way it feels to me) you back. A large enough wave and you can loose sight of the shore. I'm at the bottom of a swell right now. I know the general direction of my destination, it's just not in sight. Perhaps it is because the destination is an unknown that I chose to tread water as I went down the back of a wave. Or it could have come from my struggle of the time I'm missing with family. I'm not really sure. One thing I do know is I would rather have a DNF (did not finish) next to my name than a DNS (did not start/show) and I do feel the wave building behind me (thanks to my wife and kids for that).

We did launch that night by the way. It was hairy but an experience I treasure. The journey to the shore was at times peaceful and filled with excitement. As we got closer to shore we barely had to paddle, as I remember, with the waves pushing us to shore. I'm hoping for a simular experience.