Accomplishment
I went downtown yesterday to cheer on my good friend, Mary, in the AT&T Austin Marathon. She tried to tell me what an amazing experience it would be to just watch, but in no way did that prepare me. I was in the last block near the finish line, and people were putting everything they had into those last few hundred feet. They were raising their arms in victory, or raising their arms to get the crowd to cheer. People yelled praises to their friends next to them “He just qualified for Boston!” They were 18 and 80, had costumes and flags and ‘In Memory’ signs.
There was a constant stream of personal accomplishment right there in front of me and I didn’t have to know a single one to be touched.
Congratulations to everyone who ran. Especially Mary. =)
February 19th, 2007 at 8:43 pm
Hi,
you dont know me, but i promise i’m not a freak stalker!
I found you through your marathon pics on Flickr.
i ran the marathon yesterday, and had a bad last mile which caused me to have full leg cramps. I was aided in by two friends, then one friend using them as human cruthes then holding their hands to stand upright.
i was wearing a short sleeved red shirt, bib 410, and a dark blue (or black) cap.
anyway, i’m curious if you happened to snap some pics of me being helped along. I never want to forget that day, and am hoping to locate someone who snapped a picture of my painful adventure!
I finished at 3:56 but was hobbling very slowly, so i could be anywhere within your 3:50 to 3:56 runners…
Please let me know. thanks in advance!
mike wilen
February 19th, 2007 at 8:44 pm
oh, and please remove my email address… spammers will eat me alive!
oops!
mikewilen at gmail dot com
February 19th, 2007 at 10:36 pm
Hi Mike - Freak stalker! Kidding. I have just gone thru all my photos (even the ones that didn’t make the Flickr cut) and I’m very sad to say I don’t think I got any of you. I tried to get a lot of the ’stand out’ runners, so the only thing I can think of is that because you finished SO close to my friend, Mary, I was distracted w/ the yelling and picture taking of her. I just read the post on your site and it’s amazing. I don’t even know you and I’m proud that you finished! I am sure someone got your picture, I hope they post it or you find it somehow.
Congratulations, and I hope your recovery is speedy.
-Kristin