no.39 - Marathogger

Every year, just before the Boston Marathon, there are joggers out for their morning jog who just "happen" to stray onto the marathon route.

They seem surprised to find thousands of people lining the road. They keep jogging with a mild look of confusion on their glassy faces. Apparently they managed to forget that today was the biggest running event in Boston; an event so big the entire city shuts down; an event so well known and anticipated that villagers in Kenya and farmers in Russia train to participate for years.

It must be nice to roll out of bed, throw on your sweats and pretend to you are every bit as much an athlete as Robert Cheruiyot or Dire Tune (Dire Tune, by the way is the coolest name of all time - sorry Ute Pippig.)

I've seen this happen for several years now. But today I saw a new and more pathetic variation where joggers finished their joggings near the finish line so they could mill around Boston feeling awesome and basking the in the good will the spectators show towards anyone sweaty and tired.

Do you think Rosie Ruiz started her running career this way?