A Fractured Fairy Tale

Once upon a time there were 5 Road Whorriers.  These 5 strong women decided to go on a very perilous, yet rewarding quest.  They would all run the Martian Marathon together.  The journey would be tough, but the rewards? Out of this world.  Literally.  Have I mentioned the alien head medal? And so these women began their journey - some for the first time, some more experienced, but all ready for anything
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But alas, this journey was filled with danger at every turn.  The first Road Whorrier fell victim to health issues.  Much as she tried, she realized that it was just too dangerous to continue on the journey.  She bid the other 4 women goodbye and promised to join them on future adventures.  And then there were 4.

But peril lurked around the next mile marker.  The next Road Whorrier received terrible news about her father, and knew she had to leave quest to go fight a much more important battle.  We were all saddened by this tragic turn and wished her well.  And then there were 3. 

The 3 women continued on their journey, which was getting longer and longer and more and more painful.  They decided that the longest part of their journey would take place on Tuesdays.  The evil Mother Nature heard their innocent musings and unleashed her fury.  Every Tuesday from thence forth was fraught with snow, bitter cold temperatures, ice, and howling winds.  Still, the Road Whorriers journeyed on.

But alas, Mother Nature got one of them in the end.  Severe ice pushed one brave woman to bring her training indoors to the dreaded treadmill.  Sadly, she did not survive.  The treadmill injured her foot so badly that she could not continue on such a dangerous quest.  And then there were 2.

But the evil marathon villains were not through with these Road Whorriers yet.  On the longest and most difficult training run of the journey, Mother Nature declared, "Let there be sustained winds of 30 miles an hour with gusts up to 55!! Mwah ha ha!!!!!!" But the brave women conquered 20 miles that day and thought they had vanquished the evil Mother Nature for good.  But danger was still close at hand.  The next week one Road Whorrier felt a horrible pain in her achilles.  She thought her journey was over.  It wasn't, but the pain would be with her for the remainder of the quest.  She had to be extra brave.  With only days left before the end of the long and perilous journey, Mother Nature rose again and planned one last, double pronged attack.  She made the rains come and flood the basement of one brave woman, trying to break her spirit, and force her husband to abandon her to clean up the mess.  And to finish off the last 2 brave whorriers for good, she changed the race day weather from sunny and 50 with no wind, to dreary and 40 with howling winds right in their faces for 13 miles.  "MWAH HA HA!" mother nature shouted triumphantly.  "I've got them now! Their spirit is broken for sure" 

But the remaining 2 brave Road Whorriers had one final weapon in their fuel belts.  Anger.  These ladies got PISSED OFF.  They were tired of Mother Nature and achilles tendons and flooded basements, and REALLY mad that they couldn't wear their cute matching outfits because the weather was going to be too cold.  And so those 2 battered, yet brave women packed that anger in their suitcases and headed for Dearborn for the final showdown in their quest.  You better believe the final battle will be epic.  You better believe the final line of this story WILL be "and they lived happily ever after."  But you will have to wait 2 days for the final chapter.  Wish these 2 Road Whorriers luck.  It's been a LONG and BRUTAL journey. 

(Not quite) Then End.