A Marathon Runs Through It

We sat in front of our Big Rock Mountain bungalow in pjs and windbreakers sipping our Sunday morning coffee waiting for the 10K runners to come down Big Rock Road. And they came. All ages, all sizes, all speeds running to win, running to show, or running for the cause. Despite my seasonal allergies I gave a shout out to all who made the effort. The day before we, along with a slew of volunteers, were at the Super Kids Marathon and the Spirit Walk, there also to cheer the winners of the 5K race up Mt. Scott. And let’s not forget the Buffalo Chip Throwing contest where the Marauders lead by race assistant Andrea started with a shoot out and stood along the measuring tape at their own peril to measure where the chips as the landed.

So today Michael and I like so many others stood in wait as the marathoners, who ran brave and strong through the Refuge, passed the elk, bison and longhorn made it back and to the Park and the finish line. The Spirit of Survival Marathon, a race for a cancer cure and care had been another year in the planning. Lori Cummins who had come up with the idea 3 years ago was again spearheading the race and everything that entails. She is a woman with solutions. This year the race not only was good for the Cancer centers but also brought more people into Medicine Park town center.

I got to meet the cool energetic people from Runners World Magazine. I got my picture taken with SKaMPeR PD the costumed mascot I created for the Super Kids Marathon. Some lucky guys got their picture taken with Lauren Nelson, former Miss America, who sang the National Anthem so beautifully and on key at the start of each race. There are so many behind the scenes people that made this a smooth running and most pleasant event. Medicine Park Chief of police put in 19 straight hours on Saturday. The mayor, vice mayor and company got the town spiffed up and ready. Our town SOS representatives attended all the pre-race organization meetings. Our town clerk, who seemed to be around every corner on the ready.


But to tell the truth what it was really about was the woman who wheel-chaired herself around the half marathon, the kids who had never run a race ever getting their medals at the finished line, those over 60 who keep on keeping on, the family who walked together to support or to remember the cancer cause and those who walked alone because they had lost their partners to cancer. It was the runners who had already finished that joined others and helped them run the home stretch. And we marveled at the enthusiastic race announcer who made everyone who crossed that finished line believe they too were winners. It made a little town proud to be the start and part of the heart of the Spirit of Survival Marathon.