Nobody likes to hear stories about marathons, not even other runners--it's a tedious subject. But indulge me today, then we'll get right into a brand new story.
My time was 4:21. I was fairly sure I wasn't going to match last year's (awesome) time--but I didn't think I'd slip by over half an hour! My training was a little slack this year, I didn't take it as seriously as I have in the past. You get what you train for, I guess.
Here's my loot--with a cameo from LEGO William Clark to make it more exciting:
What's up with this year's medal? What is that thing? An exclamation mark? A grenade? An atomic bomb? A shoe--is it a shoe?
This year's highlight; the starting line.
Imagine 6,200 people huddled together in the desert at 5:00 in the morning. No cars, no bikes, no children--no buildings for miles. Each person has a single white plastic bag for their stuff and nothing else. It's freezing cold, so there are giant bonfires. This year, there was a full moon.
Yeah, it was all downhill after that.
There is something magical about getting together with thousands of people to run a race. Love that illustration of the starting line!
ReplyDeleteThat brings back great memories for me at the start line. I can almost smell the smoke from the fire. Congrats on the marathon. Trained or untrained it's still no small feat.
ReplyDeleteImagine 6,200 people huddled together in the desert at 5:00 in the morning. No cars, no bikes, no children--no buildings for miles. Each person has a single white plastic bag for their stuff and nothing else. It's freezing cold, so there are giant bonfires. This year, there was a full moon.
ReplyDeleteSounds more like a scene from a Ray Bradbury novel than something you'd actually PAY to do!
six marathons!!! impressive!! I'm still at 0 zero...someday I'll do one... but by then you'll have racked up 10 or 15 finishes.
ReplyDeleteWait, the marathon was all downhill? Isn't that cheating?
ReplyDeleteDavid-Thanks, this illustration was traditionally drawn and scanned--maybe the only post done that way since I started the webcomic. The color is, obviously, good ol' Photoshop. And yeah, love the race crowds.
ReplyDeleteMarydee-I've got a long way to go to catch up to your record, I know you've done at least ten St. Georges. And I heard a rumor you did one of those insane 50 mile things. (!?!)
Sara-You've nailed it! That's why I like these things, it's not like a sporting event, it's more like a dystopian future/rite of passage kinda deal. Super Bradbury.
Leigh-No way. The marathon is the one athletic thing I can hold over you, If you ever beat my time, you are no longer my sister.
Q-Actually, most of it really is all downhill, one of the reasons it's such a popular race. I think it's number 17 in the country size-wise. Tons of downhill.
I would only run that far if I was being chased by communist soldiers attempting to bring me down before I spread the plague of democracy through their bleak and oppressed land.
ReplyDeleteWow Jessica, that's pretty noble. I'd totally cave under those circumstances.
ReplyDeleteNope, the only thing that gets me to run that far is a fake stone medal and a sticker with my name on it.
Way to go! I'm always so impressed by people who can run marathons.
ReplyDeleteMy sister did the St. George marathon last year. This year she had a baby instead, but she's working her way back up to marathon range, probably by next summer.
I definitely think it's a shoe.
ReplyDeleteDid you see some blue t-shirts that were cheering at every designated cheering spot? That was me and my family.
ReplyDeleteI DID see those blue shirts--you guys were everywhere!
ReplyDeleteI love this drawing so much. Drawings like this make me want to write books.
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