I just got back from watching the Boston Marathon.
Now mind you I'm not a runner nor do I have any interest in becoming one. I can't run to the end of the block.
But...I have been going to the Marathon since I was 2 years old, sitting on my dad's shoulders. He was a runner in college (Syracuse) so he took a special interest in running although I have to say I never saw him run and he never ran the Boston Marathon or any other as far as I know. He was a sprinter not a long distance runner. And by the time I came along, running was a thing of the past except on Marathon Day.
For most of my life, I have lived within walking distance of the route, somewhere near the halfway point, so I have missed very few--just when I was living in New Orleans and a year or two when I was working retail. And for most of my life, I have watched from the same street corners where we'd catch up with family friends (and one of my mother's high school boyfriends) who also watched from the same corner. The old timers are all gone, my dad along with the rest in the past couple of years. Strange not having them there.
Johnny Kelley is gone too. He died last fall at age 97. He won 2 marathons back in 1935 and 1945 and ran his last in 1992 when he was 84 years old. After that he got to ride the course as Grand Marshall.
Every year I am so inspired by the commitment these runners make. So many of them only running to meet a challenge set for themselves. It is all about personal bests. If I were to walk down to the route now at 5 pm, 5 hours after the start, I would find men and women walking the route, amid the Belmont Springs and Gatoraide cups, still headed for the finish line. Many of them will make it.
The most inspirational are the ones who run for love. Team Hoyt is such a team. Dick Hoyt pushes his son, Rick, who has cerebral palsy. This year was their 24th running. They missed one year after Dick had a heart attack but they are back heading through town 10-15 minutes after the lead men come through. It's quite remarkable. Check out their website at teamhoyt.com
This year, there was a man with a prosthetic leg. Everyone just stopped and clapped for a very long time. And every year there are the folks in wheelchairs.
The crowds love them all--clapping and callling out words of encouragement. The runners say that's what keeps them going.
So this year as always I went to support the runners, to be inspired by them and to remember the tradition I had with my dad.
Next year when I'm living in Rhode Island, I will come back for the Marathon.