Twin Cities Marathon!
We made it! James, John, and I have completed the first official Erck family marathon – and we had a lot of fun running it!
The weather on the day of the race was perfect – sunny and clear, temp in the 60s at the starting line and into the 80s at the finish. We met at Dad’s apartment at 7:30am where James had his first cigarette of the day. John & his major case of bedhead looked around sleepily and said things like: What’s a race number? Does anyone have any chapstick? Where’s the starting line? They had obviously just rolled out of bed whereas I had gotten up 2 hours earlier to eat & digest breakfast, stretch, drink water, etc. I suppose that makes me a typical oldest child… Here’s a picture of us at the beginning of the day.
The actual race itself was lots of fun up to mile 20. We all stuck together, chatted, laughed, and had a grand old time running our 10 minute miles. Right around 20 I started to feel like crap. This is where a series of long slow inclines began. This is also where the perfect weather transformed into a nasty hot beating sun. I felt like even more crap. At mile 22 I needed to slow down, so James stuck with me and John took off to finish the last 4 miles at his own pace. At mile 23 I could not believe I had 3.2 entire miles left to run. We walked a little extra through the water stop, then decided we each had to start running again at our own crippled pace in order to make it to the end. James needed to go a little faster than we’d been going, I needed to go a little slower. I felt like I was in a trance, running in slow-mo through jello. At mile 26 I saw Jamie and Dad cheering for me, but I did not feel like sparing the energy to acknowledge them.
And then I finished! We all found each other, took many celebratory pictures, and went home to sleep and eat for the rest of the day. Final times were: John 4:29, James 4:35, and Sarah 4:40.
October 5th, 2006 at 5:59 pm
what is your dad wearing?
October 6th, 2006 at 2:51 pm
Sam, it looks like my Dad is wearing a blazer with a T shirt under it. What are you wearing?!?
October 7th, 2006 at 10:07 pm
Sarah, James and John! Wow, you guys are amazing! I may have been the proudest Father in the world to have been a part of your incredible journey called the Twin Cities Marathon. Running in the TCM together as a family is something you can be proud of for many, many years and share with your children and grandchildren. What an accomplishment! I am almost sure that out of the 10,500 participants, there was not one other family where all the kids ran the entire race together. Jamie and I sure had fun running all over the two metropolitan cities just for the chance to cheer you guys on. Believe me, with about 250,000 spectators, it took a well coordinated effort between navigator and pilot to get to the observation sites we had planned. From the carbohydrate loading spaghetti dinner to the finish line, it was all very memorable. I am very proud of you guys. You are all winners!
October 7th, 2006 at 10:20 pm
Hey Sam!
For 45 years Mr. Blackwell, a fashion critic and former designer, has lashed out at style-challenged celebrities via his annual worst dressed list. …
Sam, I am very sorry but I don’t think you have a chance.
The sport coat is a tweedy kind of summer attire, very casual and comfortable. Keeps you warm in the cool Minnesota mornings, and breathes well in the warmer summer afternoons. The T-Shirt is a collectible from the famous local band: “Astonedâ€. The word “Astoned†is from the Old English Language and is where we get the Modern English Language word: “Astoundâ€. John was the guitarist, and I happened to be the “Featured Guest Artistâ€.
No Sam, you cannot have one.
October 7th, 2006 at 10:25 pm
Sarah,
You should post the picture of John nearing the finish line, in total agony and pain. That will put the entire TCM in perspective. Oh, and don’t forget his famous quote at the end of the race, when we asked him how he did it: “You’d have to put a bullet through my brain to stop this train!â€
October 19th, 2006 at 5:41 pm
You look great is all. Sheesh.