February 28, 2016
The New Orleans Rock and Roll Marathon was my 18th attended as a spectator.   I am counting one as part of Ritchie’s  Ironman and two halves equal a whole in two triathlons I spectated.  I think with these stats I can be considered a professional.
As I walked to the starting line at 6:30 a.m.  Sunday morning, with Richie, I had butterflies in my stomach.  With every step closer to ” our corral”  I could feel the excitement building.

     With the music blaring and the Race Announcer yelling “23,000 registered runners”, I got goosebumps.  People watching is at peak proportions.  Runners were dressed in everything from top of the line athletic apparel, costumes ranging from rock and roll legends to a tuxedo speedo!

    Not all the bodies are “fine”,  but they are all athletes.   Anyone that can run 26.2, 13.1 miles, a 10 K or 5 Kl are athletes in my book.  Spectating these events, especially when you have a participant, is fun and exciting.

After listening to the National Anthem with great pride in my heart, the anticipation explodes as the race begins. It is thrilling standing at the front of the starting line watching the first wave of elite runners charging forward.

    Then the spectators challenge begins.  How many locations along the route can you make to route your runner on and still catch him at the finish line.  This race it was mile markers 9 and 15.  We walked to 9, which was in the Business District,

    Then grabbed a shuttle to City Park (a fifteen minute bus ride), which dropped you off at mile 15 and a short walk through the park to the finish line.

     I cannot say enough good things about the organizers of this event.  The perks for both runners and spectators added ten fold to the enjoyment.
Each of the three categories of this event, Full Marathon, Half Marathon and 10 K, had their own finish line.
Richie is a Full Marathon runner so that’s where we took our post.  We missed the first male finisher to come across the finish line, but were early enough to see the first three woman cross.  It may sound funny, but I get emotional and tear up at times for many of the runners, always as soon as I spot Richie coming into the finish line corral.

    Some runners are racing for a qualifying time for events like Boston, New York or Chicago.  Some are coxing a friend, who is struggling to get to the finish.  From the anguish on some faces, to the joy, the experience is heartwarming.
Richie finishes with a very good time.  Not his best, but as he tells me “it’s good for my age”!

    His next marathon will be in Salt Lake City, Utah in April.  Just by chance a work commitment has him there the same time as a Marathon.  It will be a small group of participants of maybe 300.  Quite a difference from 23,000. He’s almost half way to his completing his 50 state goal.