I got the privilege to do something today that I'd never done before and that was work as a course monitor at a marathon. Usually I'm only at marathons to run them, and usually I'm only in uniform to patrol the streets, but today I got to combine two of my most favorite things: police "work" and the marathon. I can't really call today work because it was way too much fun. The only real work on my part was directing traffic so runners were safe.
By 6:55 a.m. after getting coffee and snacks for the long haul, I was set at my post about 1 mile into the course for all 3 races (marathon, half marathon and 5K). The half marathoners finished in a town 13.1 miles away , the marathoners ran out to that town and then turned back (so for them I was also at mile 25-ish), and the 5K runners ran an out and back just like the marathoners.
There is something to be said about standing 3 feet away from the lead pack of runners. I was almost star struck. They were a quiet bunch, although a few of them said "good morning officer," and you could hear every breath and their quick feet beneath them.
As star struck as I was when they ran by, I was truly awed and inspired by what I saw next which was what looked like a couple thousand runners coming straight at me. I'm not kidding. The sight was AMAZING!!!
Most of them were quiet and getting into their grooves but there were a lot of "good mornings" and a lot of "thanks for being out here." I was so awe struck that all I could yell at the top of my lungs was: "YOU'RE AWESOME."
Then the crowd of runners got so thick as they came around the corner toward my post that they began running on the side of the street that was open to traffic. Uh oh. I knew this could potentially be bad so I had to start yelling "EVERYBODY PLEASE RUN INSIDE THE CONES. THE OTHER SIDE IS OPEN TO TRAFFIC!" in between the "YOU'RE AWESOMEs." Everybody quickly complied without complaint and they still said thank you as they ran by. Runners are so sweet!
After the last marathon/half marathon runners went by there was a lull in the action until the 5K started. The radio was quiet at the time because most of the city was still sleeping.
Then the 5K runners came through and it was a much smaller group... but still a good turnout. There were little kids running/walking with their parents. There were costumed runners. There were parents pushing their kids in strollers. And there was DEAN KARNAZES himself. Yes, even though he was trying to quietly run the 5K, I blew it and screamed: "GO DEAN GO DEAN GO DEAN." And he jumped sky high and then the runners around him recognized him and asked to be photographed with him and he very kindly complied. But he looked tired and I wonder if the 5K was just part of some 100 mile run he was doing.
The 5K runners were very thankful as they ran by at the end. A few runners said, "You're the most cheerful officer out there." LOL. If they only knew about my grouchiness. They didn't hear me scream at passing motorists like a few marathoners did. Idiot drivers would sometimes drive so fast on the side of the road open to traffic and I'd feel their cars whiz by my legs. When I saw them coming I'd scream: "SLOW DOWN!!!" and also use hand signals to get them to slow. One poor runner jumped (I disturbed his groove) and said, "I'm already going as slow as I can." I laughed so hard and he was too tired to laugh but he smiled and kept running.
Another motorist trying to cross had to wait until I gave him the signal to go. I used my hand signal and he just stared at me. I saw runners coming so I screamed at the driver: "GO GO GO GO GO GO GO!!!!!" He sped off and the runners said, "We're going officer. We're going." After that I stuck to hand signals.
Then there was a long lull before the marathon runners came back, but it got more and more exciting as I heard the updates on the radio. Unfortunately I also heard a lot of this on the radio:
"There's a long line of angry motorists who insist they don't have to wait for these runners to go by."
"A very angry motorist just broke through our cone barrier. Stop him on the other side."
"A very angry motorist just broke through our cone barrier and is dragging two cones down the street. Stop her on the other side."
"Update, that last one with the cones under her car was not angry. She was an 80 year old woman and said she was very confused."
In light of the recent deaths in half marathons and marathons, the radio traffic between us also included:
"Watch the runner wearing all black coming your way, he doesn't look so good and he's walking funny." - turns out he was suffering bad calf cramps but didn't need assistance.
"There's a lady sitting behind me on the curb who says she needs to be transported. She's feeling dizzy." - turns out she just took a DNF and was waiting for a ride back to the finish.
I did hear one fire engine with full sirens not too far from me, but never found out if it was for a runner or some other neighborhood call for service.
There was one disgruntled neighborhood resident I encountered. He stood on the sidewalk within 5-6 feet of the runners, lit up his cigarette and started blowing it toward the runners on the course. I said, "Hey. Would you please not smoke right there because these people are running." He said, "Oh, so what the hell. I can't smoke in public now?" I said, "They are RUNNING out there." He said, "Fine. I'll just go smoke at my house then." I smiled as sweet as could be and said, "Thanks."
And I could go on.. but back to the runners.
There as a sweet and pretty motorist who came up to me in her car and said shyly, "Lillie?" I said, "Yessss." She said, "I'm Roccco's wife." It was Renee! And poor thing was so confused because she tried to follow another officer's directions to meet Roccco along the course and he gave her crazy directions so she got lost. :( I told her to park by my car because she'd see Roccco come by. It was so cool to meet her and see how concerned she was about meeting up with Roccco. Awww, love!
So the front runners come back and while I know they are flying, they look so tired and they almost look like they're just doing a steady state easy run. I know one of the front runners and he was hoping to finish in sub-2:40 but it must've been a tough day out there because he finished in the top 5 but with a sub 2:50 instead. The winner came in at 2:45-ish (or so I was told).
Not sure of the first woman's time but I guessed that she'd finish in the 3:15-3:17 range. She looked strong (but tired).
Then came the throngs of other hard core dedicated runners! I kid you not... the majority of the runners were pushing just as hard as the front runners. I could SEE it in their bodies. I could SEE it in their faces.
Among that group of dedicated runners I saw James (I think it was JHong). He was moving at a good clip but managed to say, "Hi Lillie. It's James."
I saw WadiaSoft, who was working hard but managed to say "Lillie" and give me a high five. And I also saw Roccco, who was also working hard but managed to give me a smile and a high five. I was SO HAPPY to have seen them!!!
There was another runner who looked SO familiar to me and as he ran by, all sweaty and breathing quite hard, he said, "Hey GB (only he used my full name)." I'm so bad about names sometimes so I yelled, "HEY BUDDY. GREAT JOB." If you're a forumite I apologize for not placing the face immediately. :( Maybe it was another officer???
There was one woman wearing a Marathon Maniac shirt and I asked her how many marathons this was for her and she breathlessly answered, "99."
There was man who stopped right in front of me on the way to the finish and asked me for a kiss. I graciously said, "Tempting sir, but no." I told my friend (who was the race volunteer director) about this man and he said, "He probably wished you were a one woman Wellesley Tunnel."
And there was a woman who ran past and said, "Not bad for a grandma, eh?" Not bad, indeed!
I think there was one runner on the course who was running completely for fun... after all, she was running in a full Dalmation costume. It must've been hot for her because it was about 78 degrees at the time she ran by. Overall though... it looked like every runner who passed my spot was WORKING!
Today I learned that the only difference between a top marathon finisher and the rest of the field, right down to the last runner, is finish time (okay, and prizes).
What I mean by this is I saw the FIRST place runner and I saw the LAST runner on the course pass me by... and they were both sweaty beyond belief, breathing incredibly hard, and giving the course everything they had today. It was really inspiring.
The last runner on the course passed my spot just as the utility truck was coming by and picking up the cone barriers off the course. I thought, "Oh man, how demoralizing." But I couldn't have been more wrong. When I told her, "You're in the LAST mile now. Turn that corner and you're headed for the park. And watch for traffic." She barely uttered a thank you, put her head down in earnest, and pressed on (and yes, she was running).
Shortly after that, I got the go ahead to go home. I don't think I stopped smiling the entire time I was out there.
GREAT JOB to all the athletes on the course today.. especially the forumites I saw. You inspired me to no end!!! Thank you!!!
