More marathon observations

I picked up my wedding band in the South End last night and thought I'd head over to Copley Square to jump on the Green Line. Of course, since I worked yesterday I forgot about the little road race. But things were getting back to normal by then, with the streets reopening and everything. And though I haven't drunkenly watched the marathon in person in a few years now, two memories immediately surfaced:

As a kid, I remember watching the 6:00 news with their live reports from the route, and seeing all these people still running the thing (the first wave always completes it a little after 2:00). It always makes me a little sad, because these are the people who are not being cheered at Wellesley and not being watched on television… all the parties are over and everyone's either gone home or changed the channel. As if to emphasize this, the roads are now open and these poor runners have to keep to the curb, whereas earlier finishers had the luxury of not needing to be aware of passing traffic or oncoming headlights. And then there are the 11:00 live feeds, with people still going. Oh boy. Anyway, my heart always goes out to them.

And then there are the annoying astronauts. When people finish the race, all these handlers rush out to them to give them water and stuff, and to wrap them in those tinfoil-like blankets. I have no idea what they're for but there must be a scientific body-preserving effect attached. Great. But many runners are determined to wear these the entire rest of the day and night while walking around the city, in a very I-ran-the-marathon-and-you-did-not-because-I-am-hot-shit manner. Sorry, dude, I was busy drinking my ass off and not bleeding out of my nipples. Fight the real enemy!