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Stupid Marathon Tricks

Question:

At the starting line of the Pittsburgh Marathon in 1996, (or 97), there was a guy about 30 years old.  With him was his father, in a conventional wheelchair.  The gun goes off and we all move forward running 9:00min/miles.  The guy is pushing his father, who is there for the ride.  While running, a group of us get into a conversation with the guy, "So, are you going to push your father through the entire race?" "Yes."   "Have you ever done this before?" "No, this is virgin territory for us." "So, what is the longest race you have pushed him through?" "None, this is really virgin territory." "How far have you gone in training?" "None.  When I say this is virgin territory, I mean I have never pushed him in a race.  I have never raced.  I am not a runner." It was at this point that I realized he was not wearing blue sweats or tights, but BLUE JEANS.   He stayed with us, doing 9:00min/miles until about mile 10.  We lost him at a bridge which had a large incline.   ESW

| | | | | The thread on the runner with the broken shoulder doing the marathon | reminded me of a SF marathon I ran in the early 90’s.  I was running | with a couple of people who were in the same health club.  We turned | around mile 10 which was the start of the Hayes Street Hill at that | time, and one guy next to me says, "Was that mile 10?  This is the | furthest I’ve ever run in my life."  He didn’t do too badly, I think | finishing at about 4 hours, but I think that was the strangest marathon | story I have. | | I thought I’d throw the question out to you.  What’s the weirdest thing | you’ve ever heard in marathoning or distance running? | | Mark | — | Mark Covello | Pacifica, CA | |Tad Kostrubala, MD, author of Joy of Running:  Ozzie you’ve done the |Mission Bay Half Marathon.  You’re ready to run a marathon.  I know that |your furthest distance is 13.1 but you’re ready.  Sign up for the Las Vegas |Marathon.  Oh don’t worry you have three weeks to train.  No it’s not a |month away, it’s in three weeks. | |To read about my experience at Las Vegas see: |My First And Last Flip Off While Running |http://www.themestream.com/articles/184738.html | | |Sally Byram was running a 15k or 20K and her bridge popped out as she was |talking. I think someone kicked it.  So she picked it up and continued to |run.  Somewhere in the race she saw Dale Sutton, her dentist and he told |her to come over to his office after the race and he’d give the bridge a |temporary fix. | |– |In health and on the run, |Ozzie Gontang |Maintainer – rec.running FAQ |http://www.faqs.org/faqs/by-newsgroup/rec/rec.running.html |Director, San Diego Marathon Clinic, est. 1975 | |Mindful Running:   http://www.mindfulness.com | |Posted Via Uncensored-News.Com – Still Only $9.95 – http://www.uncensored-news.com | With Servers In California, Texas And Virginia – The Worlds Uncensored News Source |  

Response:

I thought I’d throw the question out to you.  What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever heard in marathoning or distance running?

A couple from this year’s Dublin marathon: – At about the 14 mile mark, the 45 mph wind and rain and cold air is really starting to take its toll, and most of us are wondering how we’re going to get to the finish. I’m running behind an Italian guy, and suddenly he whips something out of his pocket. I wonder what it can be and am amazed to see it’s a comb. He actually starts combing his hair in the middle of a marathon. Well, I guess those 45 mph do muss up your hair. – The Dublin course takes us through a refreshing mixture of different localities. Personally I tend to prefer the more working class ones because the locals come out in greater force and are more boisterous in their vocal support. Anyway, we’re running through one such area (the Liberties) and I’m near three guys who are talking in New Yorker accents. One guy says "Hey man, this looks like a scummy area". Another replies "Yeah, man, this is a ghetto I think. Run faster". The funniest (in a cruel way) story I’ve read about a marathon is from the first Olympics marathon (in 1896). The Frenchman Lermusieux was one of the favourites until disaster struck just after 20 miles, when his coach (who was riding alongside on a bicycle) somehow managed to run him over. He managed to get up and continue, but his chances were gone in that moment of madness. Something somewhat reminiscent of that happened in New York, when the guy who seemed to be acting as pacemaker to the leading women almost brought the Kenyan woman who was leading down near the end. From that point on she seemed to weaken and wasn’t able to respond when the eventual winner, the Russian, hit for home. Slan libh, Dara.

Response:

In my second NYC marathon I was running on 4th Avenue around the 4th mile. Two guys ahead had "Go" and "It" printed on the back of thier shirts. I asked where "For" was. They replied that she had taken off and was somewhere ahead. I put it out of my mind and continued on my merry way. Just before the turn back into Central Park on 59th Street I spotted "For" a few steps ahead. I ran up to her and told her "Go" and "It" were looking for her 22 miles ago. She gave a brief chuckle as she took off into the crowd of the finish. Andy – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – The thread on the runner with the broken shoulder doing the marathon reminded me of a SF marathon I ran in the early 90’s.  I was running with a couple of people who were in the same health club.  We turned around mile 10 which was the start of the Hayes Street Hill at that time, and one guy next to me says, "Was that mile 10?  This is the furthest I’ve ever run in my life."  He didn’t do too badly, I think finishing at about 4 hours, but I think that was the strangest marathon story I have. I thought I’d throw the question out to you.  What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever heard in marathoning or distance running? Mark — Mark Covello Pacifica, CA Before you buy.

Response:

A 22yo lass that runs cross country races up to 8k was having ankle problems and apparently was told that she may have to give up running. With 2 weeks to go untill the local marathon she rocked up at a race and announced that this might be her last chance so she would run the marathon. We all thought she was joking but sure enough, 2 weeks later, at 6 am on the starting line she was there. She did it in 3:49 Not bad considering she hadnt run over 20k before…. steve….. ps. she could hardly walk the next week – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – The thread on the runner with the broken shoulder doing the marathon reminded me of a SF marathon I ran in the early 90’s.  I was running with a couple of people who were in the same health club.  We turned around mile 10 which was the start of the Hayes Street Hill at that time, and one guy next to me says, "Was that mile 10?  This is the furthest I’ve ever run in my life."  He didn’t do too badly, I think finishing at about 4 hours, but I think that was the strangest marathon story I have. I thought I’d throw the question out to you.  What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever heard in marathoning or distance running? Mark

Response:

Another guy had his shoe clipped from behind at the beginning of another cross race and it flew completely off.  Instead of stopping to put it back on he stayed in the race with one shoe (I thought it would be easier with both of them off…) with his only goal being to beat "that bastard that stepped on my heel."  He did, PRing by like 25 seconds.

When I ran XC we heard a story of a guy who came in second with a big honkin’ stick stuck in his spikes for nearly the entire race. — Brian Baresch Lawrence, Kansas 1.5 days to the Rib Run marathon!

Response:

I know a guy that ran 2 miles or so of a 5k cross race with a broken leg…He broke it at the mile marker or so – he stumbled and it was too much for a developing stress fracture.  He finished though and in a decent time. We ended up winning Districts because of him.  He was playing basketball in two months without too much trouble. Another guy had his shoe clipped from behind at the beginning of another cross race and it flew completely off.  Instead of stopping to put it back on he stayed in the race with one shoe (I thought it would be easier with both of them off…) with his only goal being to beat "that bastard that stepped on my heel."  He did, PRing by like 25 seconds. With a little motivation we can do anything. -jeff – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – The thread on the runner with the broken shoulder doing the marathon reminded me of a SF marathon I ran in the early 90’s.  I was running with a couple of people who were in the same health club.  We turned around mile 10 which was the start of the Hayes Street Hill at that time, and one guy next to me says, "Was that mile 10?  This is the furthest I’ve ever run in my life."  He didn’t do too badly, I think finishing at about 4 hours, but I think that was the strangest marathon story I have. I thought I’d throw the question out to you.  What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever heard in marathoning or distance running? Mark — Mark Covello Pacifica, CA Before you buy.

Response:

Not a marathon story – but funny nonetheless: This past Hood To Coast after my van’s first legs (usually 10K each by 6 runners) we slept for about an hour (3:46AM – 4:46AM) in a cold, wet, landmine-infested cow pasture just off the roadside somewhere in Oregon. One of my teammates awoke the rest of us with the following pronouncement: "Who left the F**ing van unlocked?!?  Someone STOLE MY LEGS!  These aren’t MY legs!" -L p.s. At this time we knew we had to hurry and get our butts to then next exchange point after which we each had another two 10K’s to run (mostly uphill!) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – The thread on the runner with the broken shoulder doing the marathon reminded me of a SF marathon I ran in the early 90’s.  I was running with a couple of people who were in the same health club.  We turned around mile 10 which was the start of the Hayes Street Hill at that time, and one guy next to me says, "Was that mile 10?  This is the furthest I’ve ever run in my life."  He didn’t do too badly, I think finishing at about 4 hours, but I think that was the strangest marathon story I have. I thought I’d throw the question out to you.  What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever heard in marathoning or distance running? Mark — Mark Covello Pacifica, CA Before you buy.

Response:

The thread on the runner with the broken shoulder doing the marathon reminded me of a SF marathon I ran in the early 90’s.  I was running with a couple of people who were in the same health club.  We turned around mile 10 which was the start of the Hayes Street Hill at that time, and one guy next to me says, "Was that mile 10?  This is the furthest I’ve ever run in my life."  He didn’t do too badly, I think finishing at about 4 hours, but I think that was the strangest marathon story I have. I thought I’d throw the question out to you.  What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever heard in marathoning or distance running? Mark — Mark Covello Pacifica, CA Before you buy.

Response:

This is my favorite and it’s actually out of a post of Anu’s titled: "first race report" about her first 1/2 marathon. I know that post didn’t make it to a few of the news servers because it was an attachment instead of being placed directly into a post.  I know if David had seen it he would have posted a kind reply. Here is part of it: I heard some guy tell some other guy that the last time he had tried to run a 10K, he had missed the turn and ended up running the marathon! Since I had neither the tenacity nor the capacity, I worriedly asked an old gentleman running beside me if I had missed the turn.. He smiled and said no.. That story got me a little worried and one of the last 5ks I ran I wanted to be sure I didn’t miss the turn and end up running a 1/2. Thanks to Anu for that one,         Roger – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – The thread on the runner with the broken shoulder doing the marathon reminded me of a SF marathon I ran in the early 90’s.  I was running with a couple of people who were in the same health club.  We turned around mile 10 which was the start of the Hayes Street Hill at that time, and one guy next to me says, "Was that mile 10?  This is the furthest I’ve ever run in my life."  He didn’t do too badly, I think finishing at about 4 hours, but I think that was the strangest marathon story I have. I thought I’d throw the question out to you.  What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever heard in marathoning or distance running? Mark — Mark Covello Pacifica, CA Before you buy.

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