Gone but Not Forgotten

I can't sleep. My mind is spinning with anger and heartbreak over what happened to me today. I became a victim. While out for a very enjoyable run on the Foresthill Divide Loop Trail near Auburn, my truck was broken into and my purse, wallet, jacket, and running bag were stolen.

As I walked to my truck and saw the glass from the shattered passenger window, my heart sank. I looked inside and immediately saw that my purse and jacket were gone. It was a smash and grab. This scum sucking person (or people) smashed my window and took whatever they could reach in and get. I had covered my purse with my jacket thinking "out of sight, out of mind". It had worked before, why not now? I had let my guard down. Normally I'm much more cautious but not today. Not sure why.

Luckily I had my phone with me and I immediately called my husband who got on the phone with the credit card companies and started cancelling cards. But these losers had already charged $480 at Home Depot and $55 for gas. I called the police and they sent a ranger out to take a report (it was state park jurisdiction). Then I remembered my running bag. It had been sitting on the front seat. It was gone.

Like any athlete, I have different bags for different sports. When I go for a bike ride, my bike bag goes with me. When I run, my running bag is there. It has all my favorite shirts from past events, short sleeve, long sleeve, vests, jackets. Anything I could possibly need for these changing spring weather conditions.

I went to bed tonight tired from a long day. But as soon as that light went out I started thinking about what was in that bag. My favorite long sleeve shirt from my very first ultra, the Tahoe Rim Trail 50K in 2007. Luckily, I just checked the TRT store on Zombie Runner and they still have those shirts available. $15. So I will at least be able to replace that one. But the cool vest I got from my first trail run, Escape From Prison Hill Half Marathon is gone. I remember that race as one of the funnest trail races I've ever done. I didn't wear the vest a lot but it always had a special place in that bag. Just in case.

My AR50 shirt. I remember wearing it on a run on the Emigrant Trail near Truckee when I passed another lady wearing the same shirt. I still remember our smiles as we both pointed and said "hey, cool shirt!"

Last week at the Robert and Linda Mathis Memorial Run I made it a point to wear my Lake of the Sky shirt in their honor. So that shirt was in my bag and now it's gone. After that run I changed into my San Francisco Marathon shirt from last July, a beautiful long sleeve shirt. I introduced myself to Beverly Anderson-Abbs and we chatted awhile and then she commented on how much she liked my shirt. I ran my best marathon to date at that marathon and now it's gone. Even the shirt from my latest marathon was in there, the California International Marathon.

My favorite light weight gloves that I've had for absolutely ever and were perfect for so many conditions. Arm warmers from Way Too Cool. The buff from TRT. My "heart" gaitors that people always seemed to comment on during races. My hat from the Cool Night Run. A really cool light that you clip onto your hat from that same event. An expensive small but powerful hand-held flashlight that helped me through some absolutely magical night runs.

Then there's the bag itself. It's from my very first marathon that I ran with my cousin, the San Diego Rock n Roll marathon. I picked it up at the Expo before the race. I figured I was becoming a serious runner so it was about time I got a bag to put my stuff in.

Credit cards can be cancelled. I see a visit to the DMV in my future for a new drivers license that I'm not looking forward to. The window will get fixed on Thursday. These are all inconveniences I can deal with. But the bag is different. So many memories in such a small space. And it all means absolutely nothing to the shit-head who stole it.

I hope this post doesn't sound shallow. I know things could have been a lot worse. But I do feel violated. As runners we tend to collect things that mean a lot to us. I have every medal that I've earned in races. I love it when my daughters sit on my bed, the medals spread out around them, asking me questions about how I got them. It makes them interested in running. Passing on desire to the next generation.

The ranger said there's been a rash of break-ins there and at the river confluence. So people watch out. Don't become lax like I did. No one should have to go through the heartbreak of losing things that mean so much to them. Even if they're just shirts.