THE EVENTS OF THE 26TH RUNNING OF THE MARINE CORPS MARATHON

Oct. 28, 2001

It was a quiet weekend at Derwood. The spectacular fall colors and the glorious warm Indian Summer days had turned cold and windy on Friday, and the leaves had piled up along my door and along the walkway.

I woke up on Friday morning with a severe cramp in my right calf, which did not go away easily-a reminder that I am still in the early recovery from a hard hot and hilly marathon earlier in the week with Joe in Baltimore. I thought I should lay low and rest, while doing something that has been backlogged---I started in on labeling the Ladakh photo album I had already assembled. All the pictures are in place in albums up to the present---and I believe you finally have access to the On-Line Photo Album as well, but no pictures had been labeled since June-so, I am past due on getting those fixed into the order they need to be in before the new ones swamp them, and surely in time for the year-end letter. So, I worked all day Saturday on this project, with a few hours trying to beat back the rising tide of fallen leaves.

I also ate. I fixed large carbo servings and set all the clocks back for the regular EST, and then went to bed early. I had tried to get ready for a run that would be quite different than the last one in which the temperature, terrain and running partner would be very different, besides being the second in line. I got up early and drove to GW. I left the Bronco in the Faculty underground lot, and took the Metro over to the Holiday Inn where I had reserved the MCRRC Hospitality Suite, and left my warm-up stuff in the bag at the hotel. I tried to judge the temperature, and finally settled on shorts with a tee shirt over which I put the MCRRC singlet onto which I had pinned all the special logos as well as my low number from having been selected as a member of the Marine Corps Running Club. I put on a trash bag against the chill wind and went down to find Corral Number C close to the Howitzer at the front. There were 16,000 runners lined up as if there were no national emergency which had occasioned talk of canceling this race the way the Army Ten Miler had been canceled with only a couple of days notice.

I met a few friends at the starting line, and when the howitzer boomed, I took off on a gentle lope, as my left calf tightened up-the way it would be from start to finish, and remained that way until the post-race massage I had pre-arranged.

I figured I had nothing to prove on the second race of this week, and only injury to prevent. I was determined to run every step and not walk except at the water stops, which I managed to do. I slowed at the half after an unusual course laid out as the Cherry Blossom Ten Miler has gone-up Rock Creek and back. I had met a couple of First time Marathoners and had said I would guide them through a pace and encourage them at the end if they needed help, which I volunteered, since I knew I would be slower than we were last week, where despite the hills and the heat, Joe and I had fed enough energy into each other that we flirted with a four hour finish. I was content to lean back and let a few of the deadened muscles recover on the run.

As we turned around the Pentagon, I had several views of the gaping hole in the side of the world's largest office building. I took a couple of pictures of it from a distance. Two of my fellow runners I had recognized from years past who always carry the US and Marine Corps flags, paused at the hole in the Pentagon and presented the colors. I took a photo across them at the defect in the building. Immediately adjacent there is a sign that says "Photography Prohibited" but I got a good enough view at 8 minute miles on the run.

I had planned to shed the gloves and the tee shirt and stay with the singlet when the sun came up and warmed us well. It was too much of a hassle to stop to do that so I am glad that I did not, since we were buffeted about by cold winds for a while when I could use the extra layer. I tried to encourage a couple of fellow runners, running for a few miles with an "old-timer" who saw my MCM 10 finishes patch (this was actually getting toward my 17th, but I have been unable to find all my certificates of completion) and another time I carried three first timers at a steady pace of about 9 minute miles. Particularly along the last eight miles I saw this stunningly beautiful redhead in trouble, run/walking then stopping and trying to catch up. I tried to talk her into a slower steadier pace, and to keep on going. She smiled at me each time I spoke to her and would goback to walking ad running to catch up. On about our fifth exchange, she murmured something, and I understood that she did not understand the language!
Since the runners here represented all of the states and 39 nations, I wonder how they all felt about not just the National Anthem-but also this year the Pledge of Allegiance at the starting line!

So, with a bit of a kick for a flourish at the finish, I completed another of the single marathon I have run most often. I got the medal and the Mylar blanket, and a few goodies, as well as another liter of water, and walked back to the Holiday Inn, where I changed and got my massage among the friends I have made at the Therapeutic Massage tables-with Robin the masseuse finding both the pyriformis (which troubled me only a little today) and my knotted up trapezius, which had me looking at my feet and a few sets of legs ahead of me most of the race.

After a short refreshment stop at the MCRRC Hospitality Suite, I walked to Metro (Meeting "The Penguin" John and Karen Bingham of Runner's World who were on the Antarctic Marathon tour with me) and few other runners I recognized, since most were youjng and doing their first marathon. This one was hardly my first ---this week!