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Compared to the days that I actually ran the Motorola, I got up late. And, I
had a little buzz from having a few beers the night before, but at 5:45 a.m. I
rolled out of bed and headed to the water stop I had volunteered to lead. As
the local "Red Cross Guy," we had rounded up 65 Red Cross volunteers to handle
the 15-mile mark water stop. I figured that if the Boston Red Cross can
handle the whole dang run for 20,000 runners or so, we could do a water stop.
So, in me semi alert state I arrived at our spot on West Sixth by 6:30 to
find some other trusty volunteers already there. We began to unpack the big
truck of supplies-a whole pallet of Powerade, several tables, boxes and boxes of
water, etc. etc. I had brought several banner and a couple of tents to let
everyone know we were Red Cross, but in my haste get out of the car, I hit the
lock on the door, my keys fell out of my pocket, and all of that stuff was very
securly locked up for the duration of the day.
Well before the wheelchairs came by, we had 30 folks there freezing their
behinds off in the stiff breeze coming out of the west. Still, the thrill of
watching the elite runners come by was incredible. Q: How did their chests get
so big and their legs stay so slender? A: A hundred or more miles per week.
Soon thereafter, the Austin runners started coming through and our crew got
really excited. We were lucky to have 20 kids from Rotoract, the youth
division of Rotary. They were so much fun, and even in the bitter wind, absolutely
loved the runners coming by. What an incredibly upbeat group of water people.
I hope the runners noticed these kids and their enthusiasm. Then, the masses
hit. Amazing numbers of runners in every color and stripe, ethnicity, and
ability came past us for the next several hours. Marathoning is truly a World
Sport. If you are a people watcher, a water stop is where to do it. It's like
an impressionist painting. It's hard to pin down every detail because it
goes by so fast, but the color, motion, and mass of runners leaves a textured
imprint of the experience.
Having been through a few 15-mile water stops myself, I enjoyed the thrill
vicariously and cussed my injury-driven permanent exclusion. Even that cold wind
in the face would have been so much more bearable if I had been able to feel
the heat of driving up that hill--grabbing a cup of water from a fresh-faced
kid, and rolling on out onto Lake Austin Boulevard to face what I knew you all
were heading into: an even colder wind that could easily scrape the willpower
from the best. It hurt to see some folks who were already facing IT band
problems and blister issues at 15 miles. As you know, if you're in trouble at
15, it's going to be a very long 11.2 to the end. Been there. It was even more
troubling to see some folks who are ill prepared for what was ahead because
they hadn't heard Austin Fit seminars about hydration and cold weather running.
We used far less water and Powerade than expected, probably because of the
cold. I worried that some weren't drinking because they didn't feel thirsty.
Bad juju.
My highlight of the run was to be on the line of Gunga Dins as Jim Lindquist
came by. I just stepped off the curb and walked with him for a few steps as
he drank. Living vicariously, I guess. Heard he had a great run. I saw many
other old friends.
Many folks did have PRs despite the wind and cold. I know that many of our
water people, especially those high school kids, found some new inspiration in
marathoners. We were glad to help you through the race, and we appreciate the
Marathon's support of United Way, which provides significant support for our
Red Cross work. Next time you hear about a fire, flood, or tornado, know that
a little bit of your entry fee went to help the victims.
Ken Williams
CEO
American Red Cross of Central Texas
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