Thank You

It's extraordinary how much you mean. All of you.
You hold our water bottles, rub our sore spots,
Pack snacks in backpacks,
while making sure before the race-we just... relax!
The way you stand there for hours
waiting on end for us to show up.
You give us power to keep going, through the fun and the sour.
When we come home from a long one,
with nothing just done.
You look after us more, so we can just.. run.
We say what about this one, what about that race
You're there, when all we can think about, is just the pace.
From 5Ks to marathons, to the obstacle challenge,
back to the race that was painful to get some revenge
Thank you for listening, thank you for caring,
thanks for the times when the race is just nearing.
Or when it hurts there so bad and we could just laugh
and you kick us upstairs for an epsom salt bath.
When the goal is so big like and ultra or Boston
and we meet at the finish with tears, it's just awesome.
That you know all the pain and the work that is training
and you're as proud and as happy when you see us gaining.
When you stand on the race side,
with the thousands of others,
who support us to thrive, kids, fathers, and mothers.
When you hold up your signs and when you take pictures,
When you wait in our expo lines, while we try electrolyte mixtures.
You've been here through races and all different towns,
picked us up on the runs when we've lost to the ground.
I wanted to thank you, without all your support, it would not be as easy to work as hard at this sport.

Dustin Beach
P.S. Thanks Sarah Beach, you are my rock and my biggest fan. I love you!