The Marathon ~ From a Spectators Perspective

I have been to may athletic events in my lifetime.

I've been fortunate along the way to witness people competing at all levels ranging from T-ball, flag football, high school championships, NCAA championships, NFL Playoffs, NBA Playoffs, and major league baseballs' World Series.

Never have I been so up close and personal with the participants, while their actual event was taking place.

Sunday, I high-fived more strangers, amidst the pain and agony of their competition (initiated by them, not me) than I ever have high fived before.

I took along my camera, with the intent to provide both video and still shots of the races. Instead, I found myself engrossed with offering as much support and encouragement as I, as one person, could offer.

"You look STRONG", "You're running a great pace, keep it up", "Keep helping each other, you're doing GREAT", were some of the words I found coming from my mouth.

Later on along the route, after having already seen these same folks several times, I even exclaimed." you look STRONGER now than earlier, keep up it up".

The reaction from the runners was UNBELIEVABLE.

They'd look me in the eye, and sometimes unable to make any kind of auditory sound, they'd ever so softly, say, "Thank You". Thank Me? All I was doing was standing there along side of the road, clapping and shouting out (hopefully) words of encouragement.

There were NO losers at this competition. They all went away Champions in my book.

Yes, some may have been disappointed in not reaching a personal goal, or qualifying time. Or perhaps they sustained serious physical injury that will take months of rehap to recover.

On a personal note, I have never seen Jason with a more pained expression on his face, in my whole life. (that includes the emergency room experience when he told the orderly he "still needed" the oxegyn to breathe, while being moved for xrays)

While it obvious he was using as much strength as he had to continue going forward, he also had a look of determination, a resolve to finish what he started.

Want to know another sign he left it all on the course? After the race, he had nothing to say. Not 10 minutes, not an hour, (he barely spoke) even three hours later.

I'm sorry I don't have pictures of the race, but I'm glad I was there to witness the resolve and fortitude those athletes demonstrated on a cold, dreary, rainy day along the city streets of Cleveland.