Team Connal Marathon Recap

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Team Connal 2003

A re-cap of some favorite moments...

Name	Funniest thing you saw?	Most memorable moment?	Favorite Sign?	Favorite Cheerleader?	Fav. Shirt on a runner?	Most difficult stretch?
Alex C			I had the best time watching for the next group of orange triangular signs - that brilliant design - and enjoyed running by our incredible supporters in my pseudo-Connalesque hands raised in victory "Running Jon" pose. It felt natural to me.	My favorite Cheerleader was by far my wife. Every time I passed her she gave me a look that made me feel like a hero - and that made it impossible to do anything but grin and bear it.	This large, bearded gent had the best home-made T-shirt on - on the back it read "Furry Guys Need Love Too"
Amanda C	A t-shirt that read "Single and Fast"	My dad trotting along with us for a hundred yards right at the capital building - his camera equipment clanking, his backpack wide open...	Team Connal signs all the way - so recognizable. Such a joy! But honorable mention does go to the girls on the 14th street bridge with the sign that read - "Smile and wave if this is your first, you are a marathoner now!" I found that I was smiling so much throughout the race, that my cheek muscles started to ache...	Mi mum. And John and Ceci - some friends from NYC who spent 5 miles feeding us oranges and gatorade and snapping photographs while running themselves...	There was one guy with a REALLY annoying T-shirt that read "Squash the weak; Trample the feeble" or something mean spirited like that. Heidi and I blew past him at mile 23. Hah!	had trouble before the bridge oddly enough... far too long a stretch with no porto-potties left..
Ayesha A	Guys at mile 18/19 handing out beer in little cups...the drag queen fellow with yellow hair who breezed past me at mile 23.	The last mile...the only reason I didn't stop running after mile 25 was the crowd. It was truly incredible! and coming up to the memorial (though what was up with those never ending hair pin bends to the finish line).	Marathoners are hot chicks (or something along those lines). and the life size cardboard cutout of austin powers (which i saw three times along the course).	Everyone from Team Connal of course...those tobblerone-esque signs were definitely a motivating factor.	On the back of some guys' tshirt: "if you can read this, then i am not finishing this race last" (at that point I picked up the pace a little). and "Fast and Single - with tel number".	The wasteland that was the stretch from mile 22-25...what in the world was that? Had it not been for other hurting marathoners who too were hobbling along that god awful stretch of "no dumping" "nuclear wasteland", I might have been tempted to curl up under those dusty drying bushes.
Craig B		The last 2 miles were awesome! When you come out of the desolate industrial area and all of a sudden there are throngs of fans again cheering you on, how could you not suck it up and run? I remember running past the hill where the rest of the team was congregating after the finish, seeing several of you with your space ghost blankets and medals on, and Geoff W yelling "Get up that hill, you sexy beast!"	The chick with the "These are your motivation" and arrow pointing to boobies was, well, motivating.	My fiancé, Kathryn, of course. She gave me an apple at 18 that was excellent. And she kissed me even though I smelled like Fromunda Cheese.	"I'd rather be running a tab"	14th street bridge. I was cramping pretty bad and remember thinking that if I couldn't make it I would have a difficult time finding a ride to the finish.
Evan W		There were many - a couple that stand out: - Eating cookies at mile 23 for a good 3-5 minutes. What is that? I never knew people at cookies in the middle of a marathon! - Seeing Heidi make the turn and come up the hill - very emotional. Made us proud to be part of this team. - Cheering on my new/old friends	"BELIEVE"	Our team cheerleaders - they were everywhere.	"Don't make stupid bets when you're drunk"	Mile 18-23...Bridget and I just struggled through this part of the race,
Geoff W		Watching Heidi come up the hill to the finish. Made the whole day worth all the pain.	"Mile 26"	My 1 year old daughter high fiving all the runners on the Key Bridge. Didn't even know she could do that.	I ran with Evan's brother-in-law for a good portion of the race. He was wearing a shirt that said "rilla", thus inspiring the cheer, "go rilla". He got a lot of good laughs out of that one.	Mile 16-18, I passed the last aid-station twice and got a good long look at the cots and iv drips. I seriously contemplated stopping, but looked up and saw more Team Connal signs ahead and reconsidered.
Heidi C	That might have to be Kermit The Frog.	Amanda around mile 22: "4.4 left? We can do that! We eat that for BREAKFAST!" Still laughing my ass off about that one.	"Pain is tomorrow. Pride is forever."	Team Connal. No doubt.	"Single & Fast"... with phone number written below.	Miles 23-25... can't they do something interesting with all that wasted real estate?!?
Jean G	This guy at mile 23 who sprinted through everyone saying "this is the best this is why we run." Everyone said as he past who is that guy and there is NO way he just ran 23 miles. Too bad I saw him at the finish with a medal on.	Watching Heidi run to the finish line	All the Team Connal signs and supporters is what got me through	Family, friends and all the TC supporters.	"Don't make a bet while you are drunk!"	Everything after mile 7 where I started overheating.... but probably 14th street bridge through I think parts of crystal city, anyone ever seen that road before???
Jeff S	The woman before the 14th street bridge. Her sign said, "THESE ARE YOUR INSPIRATION!" and her sign pointed to her very abundant boobies.	The woman before the 14th street bridge. Her sign said, "THESE ARE YOUR INSPIRATION!" and her sign pointed to her very abundant boobies.	"THESE ARE YOUR INSPIRATION!"	The woman before the 14th street bridge. Her sign said, "THESE ARE YOUR INSPIRATION!" and her sign pointed to her very abundant boobies.	The shirt on the woman before the 14th street bridge. Her sign said, "THESE ARE YOUR INSPIRATION!" and her sign pointed to her very abundant boobies.	The section right after the woman before the 14th street bridge. Her sign said, "THESE ARE YOUR INSPIRATION!" and her sign pointed to her very abundant boobies.
Jennie L	I didn't get to see Kermit, but those smashed cookies after 23 were pretty bizarre. The birds must be in heaven.	Having my best friend (since jr high) jump out at me at mile 14. She cut her NYC trip short so she could be there to see me.	"Naked Hot Tubbing Just Ahead"	My husband, he's the only one who kissed me so I should pick him.	"Do I Look As Good as I Feel?"	Mile 23-25.5....where I realized I could no longer run part of each mile if I wanted to attempt running for a "strong finish".
Jeremy R		Mile 24, I've got nuthin left. The course is barren, bleak, and boring. I stopped running, my head hanging, feeling beaten, legs withered. A complete stranger saw my situation and offered words of encouragement "C'mon - we're almost there. Pick it back up!" Damn it hurt, but I did start running again. This was about the same time inexplicable swells of emotion hit me like a ton of bricks.		Team Connal fans, hands down. I can't imagine running 26.2 miles without TC signs peppered throughout the course with familiar faces shouting 'GOOOO TEAM COOONNNNNAALLLL!' I don't know how solo runners do it. Very cool also to pass team-mates on the loop-backs, offering and receiving shouts of encouragement. I've got a crick in my neck from looking to the left for orange shirts running in the opposite direction.		22 - 25. This was the point where I swore off of marathons forever.
John W	The funniest thing I saw was some clown playing a flute while he was running.	Most memorable: crossing the finish line and seeing Heidi power up the hill to the finish!	Our team signs were my favorite. I also liked the enormous Team Connal sign my father in law made. I have a couple of chuckles thinking of them carrying that huge thing through the metro, up the escalators and all over DC.	Favorite Cheerleader: my wife, my parents and all of Team Connal.	"I'd rather be running a bar tab."	I am composing a letter to the MCM officials on the tour through the alley after the bridge. The last time I was in that part of town was to get my car out of hock after it had been towed. It cost me $100 bucks! I kept expecting a pit bull from the tow yard to coming running out after me. That sucked!
Mark "Cap'n" B	The funniest thing about the race was waking up and realizing that my UnderArmour shorts were ripped in the crotch and my Mom had to sew them at o'dark thirty to make them capable of covering the Cap'n's ample behind. That could've been a scary site for all involved.	Two things. Having my three year old run about 100 feet with me at mile 18 is something I will never forget, ever. AND, coming up that last hill and seeing all of you, all of our cheerleaders and people I didn't even know were coming. Damnit, that was amazing. Absolutely amazing.	Under normal circumstances I would say my Cub Scout salute or perhaps a Deer Xing sign. That always makes me chuckle because how does a deer know that that is where he is supposed to cross? I suppose you meant for the race, though. That would have to be the unmistakable Team Connal signs. Always a pick me up, no question	The family. The wife, kids and my folks who trekked all over the course following me around and hadn't planned to do so. They were as sore as I was on Monday.	A guy in front of me had a shirt on with writing on the back that said, "If these letters are getting smaller, I'm kicking your butt." I dusted him on mile 24.	So from mile 19 until I got the cookies was the toughest stretch. Once I got the cookies, the rest was gravy.
Matt L	My funniest - and most aggravating - part was while I was on the 14th Street Bridge, miserable, had a massive cramp I couldn't kick and hoped that the wind would pick me up and hurl me into the water, ending my misery, two clowns in togas jogged past me with smiles on their faces as if they were just out for a 3-mile jog. I hated those guys, but I did kick it in and get myself going again			My favorite cheerleaders, in addition to my wife, friend and 1-year son - who waved bye-bye to 18,000 people over the course of the day - were the countless TC cheerleaders around the course.
Mike S	Kermit the Frog - running the entire distance in that suit. Unbelievable especially on a day that turned warm and humid at times. Hope he/she finished.	The entire experience of being part of Team Connal.	Marine Corps arch at the finish line	All the Team Connal cheerleaders of course. Although I did happen to see the woman with the cleavage. That was very uplifting!	The Team Connal shirt	The portion across the 14th street bridge and along I-395 plus the desolate mile or so along Old Jeff Davis Highway.
Rich G		The finishes. Finishing myself, cheering on others as they finished, getting choked up as Heidi came up the hill, seeing Mark B. cruise in looking smooth as silk, getting a chance to hang with and get to know much of TC after finishing.	All the Team Connal signs. I used the signs as inspiration to keep running when I felt like crap. I had to run past those signs, can't walk, must run, damn I hurt etc...	All Team Connal supporters, but most of all Susan W. Susan handed me a cold gatorade bottle as I went over to high five everyone. It was perfect timing.	Also the "don't make bets when drunk" shirt	The never ending bridge going back to VA. It looked like a wasteland of wounded runners. More people seemed to be walking than running and I was walking with them. Folks hunkered over, stretching out cramps. The sun came out and as I squinted from the sun, my face started cramping up.
Sherry M		I have two. One watching that bus creep up towards the bridge as I struggled to pass it and not be a rider on it and two, seeing Heidi still there when I struggled over that finish line. I know how I felt when I finished and I can't believe she waited for me. Jennie L too of course. Thank you.	Our signs! Kept me going it was great to see them		I can't remember the slogan exactly now but it was something about this group's team not getting on that damn bus!	18-21 my other knee gave out, I was nauseous, my shoulders ached and my feet burned. . .2 of my toes are still numb that can't be good can it?