Rocket City Marathon Recap

Some reflections on the Rocket City Marathon.

Yes, this is the one and only Bill Rodgers who was a former record holder for the marathon and won NY and Boston.   According to his Wiki page, was not only a hero, but secondary fuel for the running boom of the 1970’s.  That guy he’s hanging out with in the Mexican poncho and glasses is my friend Roger who just finished his first 26.2 mile race in 2012.  As you can imagine these two had a lot in common and talked for hours.

Below is the “infamous tunnel” that every runner had to deal with twice.  I heard from several (well, one runner, Roger) that for a few seconds it became “pretty dark” and “it was hard to see if you were stepping on lizards or pine needles.”  Jim was also fascinated by the narrow runway, specifically whether or not his Smart Car could make it through.  We decided it could, but I don’t think he tried. 

This is Cara just before the finish and what she claims is a marathon PR.  I haven’t done the research, so I am hesitant to confirm. 

There is Captain Jim warming up in his post race cape after his “failure” to qualify for Boston.  He looked strong as an ox at mile 15, but couldn’t quite keep the pace and backed it down to save energy for training.  His next shot will take place in New Orleans.  Make sure to give him a pat on the back.  He loves that, especially while running. 

Now, these guys I’m not sure what to make of.  Well, actually, I am.  They are good dudes and friends who temporarily lost their minds while winning over hundreds of runners in the process.  Don’t be fooled by their quiet demeanor, either.  They dished extreme vocal support to unsuspecting runners, nearly to the point of startling them off their stride.  Seth and Daniel, marathon spirit team number one.

Roger channels his inner Bill Rodgers as he approaches the finish line.  Shortly after the race, Roger told me, “You know, Bill was right.  He said as you get near the finish line, remember one thing . . . You will never win a Boston or NY marathon, but you won’t win the Rocket City, either.  Just make sure you follow the pace group with the sharpest looking ladies and everything else will fall into place.” 

It doesn’t matter how fast you are, entering the dreaded Rocket City tunnel brings out the nervous smile in everyone.  Especially when you’re this tall and the tunnel ceiling was meant for middle school kids. 

Truth be told, it’s scenes like these that make me wonder why I drive 2 hours to take pictures of marathons.  But then again, something here is remarkably awesome, especially when chants of “USA” ring in the background.

Here’s a shot of Roger going too fast at mile 2.5.

Let’s make no mistake, watching a marathon is exhausting.  Thankfully Meg grew up in Huntsville and knew the back roads that kept us in front of the runners.  Her family was also gracious enough to cook a mind blowing pasta feast that propelled East Nasty runners to excellent showings at Rocket City.