Doing a marathon the easy way

Today we went out early to watch the Missoula Marathon. Tess, who has run a couple of half-marathons herself, takes great joy in cheering on the runners.

I do too, although I take special interest in people who look as if they have no business on the course: the overweight, the elderly, the very young, the halt and the lame. Let’s just say I admire their moxie. Just as I hope somebody might admire mine in the unlikely event I decide my running days are not truly over.

There’s something inspirational about watching ordinary people put themselves to the test. Standing on the sidelines, clapping and shouting out the cliches of encouragement, I did kind of wish I was among them. I know how bad you can feel at the end of a long race, but I also know the euphoria near the finish. An 86-year-old man trotted by somewhat stiffly, and the crowd went wild. No doubt they were thinking what I was: If he can do it, what the hell am I doing on the sidelines?