“Ain’t gonna be no rematch!”
Apollo Creed after taking a beating from Rocky Balboa
“Ain’t gonna be no rematch!”
Me, after struggling across the finish line of my 3rd Indy Mini Marathon
The worst physical pain I ever suffered was when Scott Clayton delivered a picture-perfect blindside block to my left leg while it supported all of my 175 pounds plus another 15 or 20 of football equipment. Next was when I was flung into a fence by a quarter horse who, just before I thought he was going to jump it, took a hard 90 degree right turn. My body, however, continued on its rather rapid southerly course and was stopped abruptly as I crashed left-side-first into the wooden barrier. that little drunk driving escapade cost me a broken Rolex GMT Master and four cracked ribs. Number 3 on my list was the last 3 miles of the Mini.
The Indianapolis 500 Festival Mini Marathon is the largest half marathon in the country and the third largest in the world. It attracts 35,000 participants, from the world’s elite long distance runners to geriatric hopefuls that really have no business trying to complete a 13.1 mile course that will require them to place one foot in front of the other over 25,000 times. The starting gun fires at 7:33 in the morning; the race winner will cross the finish line approximately 63 minutes later, about the same time those at the back of the pack will cross the starting line. They must finish 240 minutes later; those who cannot keep the requisite 18 minute per mile pace will have to board the “bus of shame” with a DNF behind their name.
In 1979 the Mini became an official 500 festival event and attracted 2,600 racers. I don’t recall when I first became aware of the Mini but I do know that I spent a whole lot of first-Saturdays-in-May ruing the fact that I had to work. And even if I could take the day off my job left precioous little time to acclimate my body to the rigors I would experience running a half marathon. Then, in February of 2009 I lost my job, laced up my sneakers and hit the pavement.
I “ran” my first Mini (okay, I walked a lot) with my brother Kerry and finished in an un-incredible 3:15. But the time was a small part of the attraction. For 13.1 miles I was treated like a rock star by enthusiastic bystanders and volunteers who fed me water and Gatorade while cheering me on: “Come on, you can do it! Only XX miles left, you’re almost done!” I don’t think I’d even finished the banana they handed me at the finish line before Kerry and I agreed to sign up for next year’s race.
My unemployment ended in March of 2010, only eight weeks before the Mini. I was in good shape and only had to run/walk a couple of times a week to maintain my race conditioning. Two friends joined Kerry and I and I finished in 2:59; still unincredible but a few seconds under the 3:00 goal I’d set.
Kerry passed on the 2011 Mini but my friend John and his brother (the two that joined us in 2010) signed up for the 2011 race. Not wanting to miss the fun, I decided to join them.
