Marathon Memories

– by Ernest Joseph

According to a Chinese proverb, the palest ink is better than the best memory. And according to Barbara Kingsolver, author of Animal Dreams, memory is a complicated thing, a relative to truth, but not its twin. So when a runner reflect back on the past marathons, there are events and incidences that come back with great clarity and detail while some events are foggy. Then there are mostly fond memories and some melancholy moments too. But thank heavens for short term memory, otherwise I would have stopped running marathons right after the very first one. The advantage of a short memory is that one relives the same thing – like hitting the wall – over and over again as if it were happening for the first time.

Runner’s interaction with spectators is unique to a marathon. My favorite is giving high-fives to the kids. Extended arms along the course seeking high-five are not uncommon, but there are these tiny arms way below the runner’s eye level that gets my attention. One common expression I notice on these kids’ faces is of happiness. A simple high five can encourage their happy souls and may ignite a passion for running.

In return, spectators get involved by means of message signs. I enjoy reading signs raised by the spectators. Some signs are inspirational while some can simply make you smile. In 1999, a sign just before Queensboro Bridge read “Pain is temporary, pride is forever.” In 1986 at the Willis Avenue bridge around 20 miles, a huge banner read “Walls do have Windows”. In 2003, a sign somewhere in Brooklyn brought laughs from the runners which read “Run like her husband is coming.” An advertisement had these inspirational words along the course of NYC marathon: “Sometimes you start with your legs but finish with your heart.”

Talking about finishing with a heart, At 2000 NYC I came across a 47 years old former track stand out from Canada named Bruce Trigg who despite of severe groin injury at mile 6 managed to finish the marathon in 2 hours 58 minutes. As a 25 years old in 1978, Bruce had finished NYC in 2:36. He could have easily dropped out after injury as he did not have to prove anything to anybody, but he chose to finish because finishing this reunion-marathon with his 1978 buddies was important to him.

In 1989, running alongside this runner from California in Central Park, I commented that there could be nothing tougher than the last few miles of a marathon. She shot back with “Oh, yes there is. Labor before giving birth…….” I guess memories of marathons and labors are stored under short-term memory compartment of the brain.

After 1986 NYC marathon at the family reunion area, first words out of my then 5-year-old daughter’s mouth were “Dad, what took you so long?” With that came one of the early lessons of her young life: The importance of finishing something that you start, no matter how long it takes.

At 2001 Boston, I came across a runner with this inscription on her back: “I may have the looks of an angel, but I run like hell.” Hell’s Angel she was, I suppose. And who can forget the screeching women of Wellesley and adrenaline pumped runners doing pushups in response.

In 2003 NYC, after reaching mile 23 in 3:02, I spent next 40 agonizing long minutes in the Central Park before reaching the finish line. This definitely was a melancholy moment. Friends still tease me with “what happened in the park, did you stop for a hot dog?”

Then there was this guy at Jersey shore marathon in 2000 and 2002, stationed around mile 2 or 3 offering beer to the runners! Next time I see him, I will tell him to be at mile 23 and I might take him up on his offer.

Whenever I volunteered as a course marshal for the NYC marathon, it has rained. My usual assignment is at the last mile of the marathon. At this spot, the crowd is made up of out-of -towners whose loved ones are running the marathon, so the questions you get from them requires you to be a multi lingual tour guide. Once the race starts, the excitement builds. Once the helicopters are hovering above you, that means the lead runners are in the park. Between 4 and 5 hours, thousands of runners pass the finish line. Each one in different form, some sprinting while some are stragglers, but all seem revived at the sight of the finish line. No one complains about the last cruel climb to the finish line.

Remember that show Wonder Years? In one of the episodes the narrator say “memory is a way of holding onto the things you cherish, the things you are, the things you never want to lose. “ May be that is the real reason for a runner to keep coming back to marathons after swearing not to do one again.