2007 - Not Ready for the Kenyan JV Team

Steve Penrose

It’s three days to the Patriots’ Day holiday, or more correctly, Marathon Day. I head down to the convention center to pick up my official number and information packet. There are about 23,000 people signed up to run, but few show up right at the opening and the volunteers process us smoothly and quickly. Naturally the exit from the number pick-up leads directly to a massive exposition where purveyors of everything associated with running—shoes, clothes, watches, energy foods—compete for attention.

Attractive young male and female salespeople assure me that just this one last item will allow me to challenge the Kenyans for victory on the big day. All participants no doubt scoff at these assurances, as every runner is schooled to understand it is idiotic, if not dangerous, to wear anything new and untested in a race. Thus educated and fortified against foolishness, I leave with only a new windbreaker, fleece pullover, tights, and watch with GPS locator and automatic pace alerts. Long lines of the equally unfoolish keep me from buying more.