Update 4: Technology Fails Us, Kelly Finishes Despite it all!
So, after the Damen Avenue stop, I headed back down the Blue Line to transfer to the Red Line at Jackson Station. And then things got hairy. Packed trains and we sat on the tracks for a good 15-20 minutes waiting for the platform to clear — I assume this is so that people won’t be sucked onto the electrified tracks. Anyway, I last saw Kelly at approximately 10:44 AM at the 15 mile marker. The next vantage was at Chinatown/Cermak station at the 21.5 mile marker, approximately 1 hour of Kelly-time away (11:45). I was sitting on the train when I assumed Kelly would have passed the Chinatown stop, so I went on to the Sox/35th station, which turned out to be the best viewing anyway — and about 95% less the people. Awesome. Despite that good fortune I did not see Kelly. I got there about 11:50 and stayed until 12:15, sure in the idea that Kelly had slipped by my wily gaze. I don’t know if she did or not, but I captured a photo of Comiskey Park. Dejected, I headed back down the Red Line to Roosevelt Station and the finish line. Expecting a notification on my phone when she passed 40k (as I had gotten a 10k, half-way (21k) and a 30k notification) I thought either Kelly had been eaten by bears or technology had failed us! Oh dear oh dear.
Realizing the absolute throng of people in the park at the finish, I decided to head down past the finish to the “Reunion Stations”, at our pre-planned “Q” for “Quincy” meet-up. What a goddamned HUDDLED MASS of people! I was in human stand-still traffic for about 15 minutes. Insanity. Thank god I’m not claustrophobic. I would have been instantly melted (while the “Married with Children” theme went through my head, as the Buckingham Fountain was always within site. 20 minutes later, Kelly spotted my sign and we had a sweaty, achy reunion. 5 minutes later my phone pinged me to say Kelly had crossed the finish line at 4 hours, 50 minutes.
Off to the hotel! Where we are immediately told that our reservations have been cancelled! Cancelled! Woe is technology! Woe is us! Kelly immediately gets her “stern voice” on telling the embattled front-desk agent Ahmad that “our credit cards have already been charged”. Long story short, Expedia was called, a FAX was exchanged and now we’re reserved in the computer and that means we’re golden — virtually. However, there were a crapload of people who checked out late due to the marathon, so we are waiting on a king bed to be cleaned. And here we sit.
PS — Ever seen that old SNL sketch “Cheeseburger! Cheeseburger! Pepsi!” about the Greek guys running a grill? IT IS HERE IN THE HOTEL I SWEAR IT. Replete with Greeks! (Maybe Armenians, Mediterraneans in any case). I will eat here every day and order a cheeseburger and Pepsi (they actually carry Pepsi) even if I’m not hungry.
Update 3: Malcolm X Supplemental!
Just saw Kelly and Howard at corner of Jackson and Damen. Both looked good and were right on time for their pace — looks like they are at about 10 minute pace. Next stop: Cermak/Chinatown at the 21.5 mile marker. They should arrive about 11:45 or a little after.
Update #2: 10:24 AM CST Location: Malcolm X College Lawn, Jackson and Damen Streets. Wireless Strength: Excellent.
Last saw Kelly at Cornelia and Broadway in Wrigleyville around the 8 mile marker. Both she and Howard were responsive and ambulatory! Even had a chance to wave and smile. Awesome. Got notification that they had passed 10k (6.2miles) at 1:13, which is right on target.
I went back to Addison Station on the Red Line, boarded a packed train headed to Jackson Station. Transferred to Blue Line, got off at Medical Center stop. Good vantage point here, right at the turn onto Jackson, which leads runners back into the city.
Just now received word via email that Kelly has passed the halfway point! Huzzah! Kelly,Wilson,02:24:25.00 @ Halfway They actually picked up a little speed here! Halfway is about 21k.
Update #1: 8:57 AM CST. Location: Caribou Coffee, 3500 N Halsted Ave, Wrigleyville
Kelly and I met up with Howard and Harry (also from Louisville) this AM on Congress Avenue at about 7AM. Not as cold as we had expected, and the high should only reach about 70 degrees today. Good weather for running (so I’m told).
I stuck around with Kelly until about 7:35 or so, and walked with her up to about the 10-minute pace mark in the starting queue. This thing is hugeness on a level I’ve rarely experienced before! I don’t actually intend on seeing Kelly until the finish (we are meeting at the “Q” meetup station. Our last name is “Quincy” if anyone asks). So, I took the L back up to the Addison (Wrigleyville) station and hiked a few blocks up to this coffee house to do an update. It’s pretty close to the 8 mile marker, where hopefully the crowd will have thinnned out a little bit and I can catch a glimpse of Kelly. Hard to say, tho’.
Howard tells us that his last run he took before leaving Louisville provided a good omen! He has a route he runs that is normally 3 miles or so — but he took a bit of a detour, and when he got back home and checked his handy-dandy pedometer-watch thing, it read 2.62 miles! (26.2 being the distance of the marathon). Awesome!
More later!
