Spectators

     Do you have people come to your running events?  I usually don't have people come watch me.  My first marathon my wife was there waiting all day and when I bonked at mile 20.8 she was there to help me.  It was not cool waiting around all day for someone to run.  And if you were thinking it I didn't hit the wall, the wall doesn't exist.  I was dehydrated, it was a race near Chicago and it was one of those HOT years.  I should have taken more water, but that was a rookie mistake.
     My wife did join me on my first 5k at Wrigley field.  We agreed to me after the race at a specific corner.  That work well and we had no trouble meeting, but I have no idea if she actually saw me running or not.  I didn't see her, I was so focused on finishing my first 5k.  When I ran the Chicago marathon my wife waited at Starbucks and in the hotel.  When my run took longer than I thought she was left there waiting and waiting and waiting and worrying.  I also ran a Rock n Roll event in Chicago that she came with.  We tried to meet after the race, that was a nightmare.  Next time I ran Rock n Roll Chicago she waited in the hotel room and slept in enjoying some kid free time.  That worked the best to date.
     Having kids makes it difficult to have a family come and spect-wait a race.  Asking my wife to wrangle three kids under 5 years old to see daddy is a whole different kind of marathon.  The longer the run the more important it feels, but the more unknowns can go wrong.  It would be great to have my family at the end of my 50 miler, but I have no idea what shape I will be in.  I don't know if I will be able to talk.  I ran my 50k alone and came home to celebrate with my kids.  I was so happy to finish and they were excited to see me.  Since then that has been the standard in our house.  Daddy will run and we will cheer when he gets home.