First of all, thanks to everyone for rooting for Marc this past weekend in NYC -- whether in person or in spirit. As many of you know, it was a somewhat emotional weekend given the anxiety of a race and the tragedy that occurred. The death of a top athlete like Ryan Shay certainly reminds us about how vulnerable we all are and how unpredictable things can be. We were shocked when we heard the news after the race. It really wasn't until Sunday that it really begun to sink in. Marc & I both have a heavy-heart these past few days while we process the events of this past weekend.

I cannot fully imagine what it must be for Ryan Shay's wife, Alicia. As spouses of athletes, we are proud of how our husbands are able to accomplish some amazing feats, but we are also constantly worried about their well-being. Are they pushing themselves too hard? Are they going to injure/hurt themselves? Might they be run over by a truck while running out on the country roads (this is frequent concern here in NC)?

These are pretty normal worries to have, but one can't go on with life worrying about every possible thing that might go wrong. We can take the smart precautions (like wearing reflective vests) and then try things out. I am fortunate in the sense that Marc is pretty cautious and appears to know his limits. More importantly, he runs because he loves it, but realizes that he also loves his research and serving others in our community and church. So while he pushes himself hard in all these areas, he also knows that he is not defined by any single one of these areas. We are lucky that we have the opportunities to have a variety in our interests and be able to pursue them.

On a lighter note, we truly feel blessed by having the support and love of family and friends, many of whom really made an effort to be in NYC. We had a lovely Italian dinner at a cosy restaurant in Midtown, called Caffe Linda, with family and a few friends. Saturday after the race we caught a musical "The Drowsy Chaperone" with the Jeuland family, had some drinks at the View (revolving restaurant & bar at the top floor of the Marriott), and admired the lovely sunset over the NYC skyline. Then we were amazed to have 28 people meet us for dinner at Africa Kine (great food, bad service -- a truly West African experience). What a blessing!

~ Shuwen
ps: We are working on posting photos from the trials. Keep an eye out for them!