I spent part of my Thanksgiving morning being a course marshal at the Give Thanks 8K here in Athens. Proceeds went to help Meals on Wheels, so I was eager to pitch in however I could.
It wasn't like prepping for a race, but it felt like it. The Atlanta weather types talked about it being the coldest turkey day morning since 1911, so I started the day with a shake of the head, knowing I was about to stand out there in mid-20 degree temperatures. I vividly remember being cold while marshaling February's Tuscaloosa Half, and even shared the story, so I bundled up. Tights underneath jeans, hoodie, heavy coat, etc. I overdress all the time because I hate being cold out there.
The way things played out, a lot of my concerns were non-issues.
For one, marshaling an 8K is different than it is for a half, for obvious reasons. I was at mile 2, so it took about 30 minutes for 300 runners to go by. Plus, I drove to the meeting point and then to my designated spot, so I sat in the car, drank coffee, played with my phone, and only stood my post when the race actually started. When I ran the spot in February, all three of those options didn't exist-- I was cold and bored.
The race directors did a good job of making me feel important, as well. They went out of their way to thank us, and my instructions and where to be were very clear on the Google map that was printed for me. They even indicated how long I'd be out there, and the times they wrote down were spot on.
My friend Dustin, who owns a local running shop, was in third position as he passed by. The leader wore his race shirt. Some folks wear their race shirts during the race, and that's fine. But I consider it a bit tacky and a minor faux pas. The thing is, if you aspire to win, as this guy did, uh-uh. Culture violation, five-yard penalty. Dustin said the guy wound up taking fifth.
Once the last of the runners passed, I drove back to base camp, which is our Saturday morning postrun coffee shop. Great crowd and great energy. I didn't stay long, because by now I was tired and hungry, and still had to get my own run in for the day.
So it was a good race to be a part of and help with. A good cause, too.
