A day watching running

Looking south on 4th Avenue in Brooklyn
This was taken at about mile 7
We had a really hard time picking Rachel out of the crowd

At the end of the day today my back was aching, my legs were sore, and my hip was killing me -- but I wasn't saying anything, to anyone. Why not? All I did was walk around the city a little bit, ride the subway, and eat. I did also spend several hours cheering for runners in the NYC Marathon with Jamie and various others with connections to his wife/my friend Rachel, as well as Aunt Cindy.

However, I did not run a marathon, and therefore have no right to say anything about the physical state of my puny cyclist's body. Minor aches aside, it was a great way to spend a day, and it was the closest I've been to the race, since I rode with the elite wheelchairs in 2008 (and '07).

Much of the day was occupied by cheering on the runners (including spending some time in a sweet, unofficial VIP section), many of whom helpfully display their names on their clothes. The real highlight of the day, though, was overhearing the following conversation between a well-dressed lady cruising down Park Avenue and a Marathon finisher sitting a bench outside of Central Park, enjoying a well-earned Diet Coke with her male companion:

Well-dressed lady: "Finally sitting down?"

Runner: "Yup."

Well-dressed lady: "Gonna be hard to get up!"

Runner: "How would you know?"

A little rude? Yeah, sure. But I can almost guarantee that if I'd been in that runner's shoes, I would have retorted with a similar sentiment, but with more profanity: "How the fuck would you know, asshole?" It's the Brooklyn in me -- I can't turn it off. Given the enormity of running a marathon, I can only imagine how unwelcome the intrusion of an outsider who hasn't experienced the rigors of endurance events would be. Sort of like how I tire of explaining how long bike races are, or how fast they are.

And, as I've pointed out, I've never run a marathon, and likely never will. So, I don't get it, and don't claim to. But, I do understand that it's a huge accomplishment for the participants, and for anyone willing to spend the day outside, cheering the participants is a great way to be a part of the event. At first, it seems preposterous that cheering for someone could make any kind of difference in someone's day -- but then I think about the races I've done, and there is, without a doubt, a boost from the cheers. In that way, us lowly spectators, with bodies that could certainly not withstand the pounding that comes with a run of 26.2 miles, can be a part of it, potentially making a difference in someone's day, and, incidentally, having some fun along the way ourselves.

I may not enjoy running, but I can appreciate supporting those who do.