I took the loooooooong trek (up the block) to watch the dedicated runners of the New York City marathon today. I took a bunch of pictures but I'm not sure how they're going to come out. Even the non-professional runners are moving pretty quick and my skills aren't very swift so there was a certain amount of guess work to my focusing. It was a learning experience so I'm interested to see what I get out of it.
I was out early enough to see Paula Radcliffe run by, already definitively in the lead before mile 9. I saw the front running men but, you know, only for a second. They hitting about the 8.5 mile mark at under 42 minutes. Do the math on that and you'll be amazed. I saw my paramedic neighbor for the second year in a row. I saw my other neighbor who I didn't even know was a long distance runner until we were rubber necking a bus accident at 7 this morning and I noticed he was holding his marathon number. I actually did manage to snap a picture of him. I saw Lance Armstrong who was running at the very front of the non-professional pack. I did not see Ms. Holmes (she'll always be Katie to me). I didn't get a picture of Logan Summers but I did jump and point and scream "Logan Summers you beautiful robot!" I will credit my freakish behavior with stepping up his pace even if it was only so he could get farther away from the crazy lady.
If you're ever inclined to run this marathon you let me know, I'll be scanning the throngs for you just a few steps past the Bishop Loughlin band and just before the nice old lady who hands out bananas and leftover Halloween candy.
Sunday, November 04, 2007
Run [insert name here] Run!
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Yeah, don't look for me. I detest running in general, and can't understand why people would WANT to do something that makes you want to die halfway through...
ReplyDeleteLOVE watching the crazy people run the marathon each year. Lance had a whole media entourage last year, but must not have this year, because we never saw him. I got lots of good pix from our window, will post soon!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I was surprised that Lance was going low key. He was running in a small pack VERY close to the beginning of the non-profs. He had the same green shirt on he wore last year and a handwritten note across the front of it that said LANCE.
ReplyDeleteKatie Holmes I didn't see at all. She was all dressed down in long running pants and a lavender tank and a running jacket and a ball cap. She looks a little too chipper in the finish line photos. I want to see pics of her somewhere else in the race.
Chili, I agree with all of your points and yet, I beg you to come cheer them on with me some year because it never fails to be inspiring even when you KNOW they're nuts. Some guy ran with like a Tower of Pisa on his shoulder, another guy ran as a waiter. People had already fallen before I saw them, there were quite old participants and quite young ones, people with crazy injuries, the same Turkish dude who does the race on crutches every year with a small entourage. It's entirely fucked up and yet totally cool.