What a weekend! WARC–Watertown Area Running Club–got together Saturday morning to run the Fargo Half Marathon and Marathon virtually, since the in person event was cancelled due to COVID. We had several in our group who were running their first marathon. Here I am congratulating Jason for finishing his first 26.2 mile run! It was a great day for the weather to help out with this as well. The weather was only the tip of the iceberg. Our run club helped in so many ways to make it a day to remember for these first time marathoners. Let me show you how.
Here Owen, Jason, and Mark are getting ready to start at 5AM. Sally was starting on her own. Owen was running with Jason from start to finish to help get him through! Jill had dropped them off at Hobby Lobby to start, and then met up with the rest of us at City Park, and then headed to Jackson Park where a bunch of us were waiting to start the Half Marathon. After all was said and done, the plan was for everybody to get to City Park to finish.
It goes without saying for those who have done a marathon before, you know what it takes to finish. You also know how much work you have to put into to get ready. If everything goes as planned, you hopefully have a great marathon day. Many things can change that. Weather. Fatigue. Injury. Mark was dealing with this, but made the attempt anyway. This, to me, takes even more guts. It may not always go as planned, but it truly is those challenges in life that makes life meaningful.
Multiple people helped along the course around the lake setting up water/aid stations. Jill’s brother Dan, Tom, Missy, Jill, and here is the station set up by Cassandra and her kids, and they helped set up at several spots. It is because of this that the rest of us could keep going, and not have to haul water/energy drinks etc, to get through. Words cannot express how much this helps out, and was greatly appreciated by all of us!
When a bunch of us got done running the Half Marathon, we took off on our bikes to go ride and encourage Jason and Owen to the finish line for the last 3 miles. We cheered, hauled water, and helped push them in. That is what WARC does. That is what friends do…
Sally finished, with Jill riding along side her for about the last mile. She was determined to run this on her own. It was a time for her to think, and focus on her goal. She did great. Her husband Mark had to stop at mile 19, and had to quit running at 15, walking those last 4. His knee was bugging him too much to keep going. This was his second marathon, so he at least knew what it was like to do one. The frustrating part was doing all this work, to come to the final moment and be hurt. Like I said earlier, it takes a lot of guts to run a marathon, and even more to keep attempting when you are hurt. Kudos to you Mark for trying! You still ran more than the rest of us running the Half Marathon. There will be other days to do again, I have no doubt!
Here is a picture of those of us who did the Half Marathon:
And one of all of us who ran, with the finish line ribbon provided by Jill! (And a special shout out to Jill for helping with the organization of this day/event!)
A Half Marathon, and especially a Full Marathon, can humble you very quickly. How much determination do you have? Will your body tolerate it all? More so yet, will your mind allow you to tolerate it? Many factors are involved with completing one of these, but believe me, it is always easier when you have your friends there to support you!
The day may have been significant in that several in our run group finished their first marathon, but that is not what made the day. Working together, supporting each other, running with each other, listening to each other…just being there for each other, is what it is all about. That is what makes memories. We all have good days, and bad days when it comes to running, and you don’t know how everything is going to line up for that particular day. But the support from that day, and all of the training runs together leading up to this, are what make it special. Erika and Paula could not make it this day, but there were there in spirit, and following along, and cheering from afar. Next up, Jenn will be doing the Brookings marathon, her first, and several of the rest of us are on a team, running along side here the whole way to help get her in. Time for the finish is not what is important. It is the time spent together that is important!
WARC—Watertown Area Running Club—this is what we are about. Join us sometime. If you like to run, you will fit in. Your time for how fast you can run is not important. Be WARC Strong! Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day of New Streak: #518
