Why do I run?
As I mentioned in my last post, Sunday’s Green Bay Marathon was cancelled 2 hours and 35 minutes into the race due to unseasonably hot and humid conditions. I finished the half marathon before the race was called and didn’t in fact learn about the cancellation until a few hours later. But the news didn’t come as a surprise. Along the course I saw a handful of people receiving medical attention and a number of people in the medical tent after the race. With people struggling that early in the race, it was a foregone conclusion that things would get worse as the miles, hours, and temperatures increased.
There has been a lot of discussion in the following days about the decision to cancel race, an issue that everyone seems to have an opinion on. For the record, I think stopping the race was the right decision. There were definitely some issues with how the cancellation was communicated to runners and how everything was handled. But even with the best laid plans, I don’t see a race cancellation ever going smoothly without issue.
Looking at the marathon’s Facebook page, there are many of commenters who agreed with the decision to call the race early. And of course there are those that don’t agree with the cancellation or how it was handled.
I’ve read a lot of the commentary of those that were upset with the decision trying to put myself in their shoes and consider how I’d react.
- If I crossed the finish line at 9:40am and I didn’t get an official time because the race was cancelled at 9:35, I’d be upset.
- If I’d been training for months putting in the hours and miles and this was going to be my first marathon, I’d be upset.
- If I was a smart, experienced runner who maintained a safe pace, stayed well hydrated, and could have finished without issue, I’d be upset.
But the more I thought about it, the more one question came back to me: Why do I run? Do I really run so I can say I ran a certain race on a certain day in a certain time? I am as fanatical about my runs and times as anyone. I have a record of every race I’ve ever run, and I’m driven to get faster and to add better times to that log. But at that the end of the day, is it all about the numbers? For me, no.
I run because I feel good doing it. I run for the adrenaline rush of the pre-race excitement while standing anxiously at the start line. I run for the beauty encountered logging training miles along the lakefront and through the trails of the forest preserve. I run because I enjoy the company of my fellow runners in the gym and out on the trails. I run because it’s challenging, and I enjoy the feeling of accomplishment I get from overcoming the challenge.
And at the end of the day, what’s a cancelled race? Another challenge. A bump in the road that disrupts the best laid plains, and forces me to regroup and try again. So yes, a cancelled race would upset me, and I’d stew over it for a bit. But then I’d lace up my shoes and go for a run.