Race Day!!!

This morning I woke up very early on a Sunday, the day after Nikki's birthday, to watch her run a marathon. How does one watch a half marathon? You are there to smile, de-stress and pump up your runner. You hold the bag and convince them to take off the pants that will prove to be to hot once they hit mile 5 of 13.1. You make them use the dreaded port o potty before the 13.1 miles. The supporter cheers on at the start line making jokes and holding more layers deemed no loner necessary.

How do I know this? Well, I don't. I am guessing as this is my first time! I watched her in high school run cross country or track meets but nothing like this. In other words, I could be full of crap and not have been helpful at all...but it was fun :) and next time I will have signs. And balloons.

Once they are gone (in a very huge group of what looks like 1000s) you find a curb in the sun near the finish line to cheer on the end. I chose to lay down in the sun and read before I realized I needed to write. It's a beautiful day in the sun, there is music and people. Someone is shaking a tambourine which is awesome in itself! And of course the pumps from the bounce houses for the patient kiddos. Well, and the kiddos themselves.

The 5kers are coming in now and the crowd cheers for each one like they are personal friends. That last bit of support and push for the finish line. After all, we aren't running and most of us couldn't finish.

Side bar - someone just ran by in those funny feet shoes. Still ew.

Super fast marathons start coming in at about an hour and us fans start making friends with one another helping spot who we can as the runners start coming in at 1:30 (time). Oh, I found time to make a sign - they had a table and paint, it was perfect. Some of the runners come in looking fresher than I do by far, others death and everything in between. Nikki comes in under 2 hours (YEAH!!!) and while she hits the chute, I head that way.

Now comes the banana runs, power-aide supplying and end run support. The walking to stretch back out her legs, and whatever else it takes to keep her from see spots or locking up. It was so very awesome to share in this with her and she was a rock-star for doing it!

The weather was perfect and the morning even more so. By 10:30a (a mere 3 hours from when we got there) we are back in the car heading home; the 13.1 mile runner and me. It amazes me the strength those runners have to get out there and train and race, let alone run that full 13.1. Anytime I can support someone like that, I am up for it. Way too cool not to be a part of - thanks for letting me be:)