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For most runners, it's all about finishing

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BY MICAH MERTES / Lincoln Journal Star

Sunday, May 04, 2008 - 07:55:01 pm CDT

Daybreak conquered the chilled, Sunday morning air, and 6,000 Lincoln Marathon runners let out a collective sigh.

No precipitation like for last year’s race. No trash bag ponchos.

Just dry, warm, good ol’ fashioned pain and suffering for 13 to 26 miles.

Story Photo
Lincoln Marathon runners head down a hill on 20th Street toward Van Dorn during Sunday's event. (TED KIRK)

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“It’s a beautiful, perfect day,” said Steve Thompson, 49, a Lincoln native turned Loveland, Colo., resident. This was Thompson’s first marathon. “Perfect conditions, no wind. It’s really ideal.”

The tide of runners surged, flowed and drifted through the city’s streets as the 31st Lincoln Marathon kicked off at 7 a.m.

 At the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus, some of the thundering herd stopped for water, bathroom breaks or to high-five a wildly supportive Elvis impersonator at the corner of 16th and O streets.  

“Thank you, Thank you very much,” Elvis chanted.

For a rare few, the Lincoln Marathon is about placing or qualifying. For most, it’s about finishing.

It’s about the huge chunk of humanity coming out to encourage those battling through to the last mile. It’s about family members jogging alongside sons, daughters, mothers and fathers, holding up huge signs that say, “We love you Beth! You can do it!!”

“The people along the way that support you, they’re all just so wonderful,” said Lincolnite Anne Widga, 64. “They’re what make it such a great experience.”

This was half-marathon No. 3 for Widga, who didn’t become a runner until she was 39.

“My daughters were in high school track at the time, and I felt like I needed to be more fit,” she said. “We were out on a farm, and I started running around the sections. And I’m still running.”

What time are you looking to get today?

“Oh,” she laughed. “I’m not a very fast runner. I’m just wanting to finish and to be part of this.”   

For 22-year-old Dave Thoman, finishing with any particular time isn’t the point. He runs to run.

This was the fourth consecutive year Thoman came up from Topeka, Kan., to run the Lincoln Marathon, but just because he travels far doesn’t mean he takes the race or himself too seriously.

 Wearing shorts and running shoes, Thoman covered his torso with a button-down shirt under a rustic leather vest. On the vest, a big button said “Broomstick Cowboy.”

“Like I said,” Thoman said, “not too serious.”

Larry and Carol Janssen didn’t think their son, Craig Wagner, 44, was serious when he told them he would be running.

“He just called us up one day and said he was gonna do it,” Larry said. “So we drove down from Norfolk to come see him. But I don’t know what possessed him to do it.”

The Janssens said this would be Craig’s longest run ever. His previous longest was 11 miles.

“Oh I think he can handle it,” Larry said with a chuckle. “But I don’t know, we may be walking out there to help him up.”

At 10th and Q streets, the half-marathon runners and full-marathon runners parted ways. The halfers hooked right to sweet, motionless salvation. The fullers headed up 10th, calling upon second and third waves of energy.

Back at the finish line, those who completed walked around  proudly, sorely, carrying medals. They did it. They’re done.

And afterward:

“I’m going to go eat something,” said UNL student Alissa Gyhra, 21.

“I’m going to go study for finals,” said UNL grad student James Cole, 24.

Really? You just ran a half-marathon. You don’t want to go sit on a plush couch for the rest of day?  

“Well,” Cole said, “that’s probably what I’ll end up doing.”

Reach Micah Mertes at 473-7395 or mmertes@journalstar.com.


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Erin wrote on May 4, 2008 2:32 pm:
" Congratulations everybody! Great weather, great crowd, great runners! "

 evelc wrote on May 4, 2008 3:48 pm:
" Congratulations, winners and everyone who participated! "

 Jeff wrote on May 4, 2008 6:34 pm:
" Good friendly, community event. Not a shred of discourse in the rsce or by those watching it. Oh, what a society we could be if we kept this mentality going all the time. "

 Larry wrote on May 4, 2008 7:04 pm:
" Great if you like having to wait to try get across 10th street. Go run 25 times around Pioneer park. "

 come on wrote on May 4, 2008 10:01 pm:
" First, I would like to congratulate all of the runners; what an impressive group of dedicated athletes! Second, thanks to all of the event coordinators, volunteers, and fans who make this such a special event every year. And finally, to Larry, and anyone who has the nerve to complain about the marathon and the few measly minutes they might have to wait to cross the street--get over it already and show some respect and city pride. The Lincoln marathon is something that everyone we should all be proud of, regardless of whether you are the least bit interested in the sport,for a lot of reasons. It attracts people from all over the country; is very highly rated among US marathons; showcases what a friendly city we are; and gives our city's runners a chance to compete in a top notch event. People visit our city, spend money at our hotels, restaurants, stores, etc., and I'd like to believe that they have a good time here. It bums me out that my fellow Lincolnites would detract from such a positive event by finding something/anything so silly to complain about. There are certain events that I'm not particularly interested in, but I respect that other people are and appreciate the diversity and variety of activities in our town. Anyone complaining about waiting to cross the street during the marathon should not waste their precious time writing negative comments to the LJS. "

 Arch Kearney wrote on May 5, 2008 12:11 am:
" Would it have killed you to post a list of finishers? "

 HillHag wrote on May 5, 2008 8:18 am:
" I have run the Lincoln Marathon 13 times & I think it is one of the best in the country. Very well organized and a great course, and of course Lincoln is full of good people who run and support the runners. I moved from Lincoln in 2003, but had to go online to check up on the people I still know who might be running. What a great event! Kudos to all the runners and volunteers! "

 Philip wrote on May 5, 2008 8:23 am:
" As a 65 year old cancer survivor running his first marathon (and perhaps only) I would like to thank everyone involved in event. What a fantastic bunch of people. You make me proud to live in Nebraska, proud to have finished and thankful to be alive. Along with 48 other Team in Training athletes, we raised over $100,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Anything naysayers and soreheads have to say will never take away from the overwhelming gratitude that I feel right now for the city of Lincoln and the National Guard for making it all possible. "

 To come on wrote on May 5, 2008 8:47 am:
" Few minutes?!?!?! Are you kidding me! I had to wait three times during my trek (for over 20 minutes each) in the morning to work because whomever setup the route for this thing obviously does not think about main arterials or traffic patterns. I'm not opposed to the marathon at all. It is just that the route could have been better planned for an event that less than 20,000 people(and that is being generous) in the city even care about.

There are literally hundreds of events that cator to a higher amount of participants than this in the city and they don't have the same effect on others. Is it so hard to make the route go on rosa parks parkway and then northbound on homestead expressway, back east on O street and then north on sun valley and back downtown on 10th? You could've kept it all on the outside lane of 4 lane roads, never crossed traffic more than once (o street to sunvalley) due to staying on right turns and would have been perfect. I know some of the major designers of this event, and finally it has hit a point where it needs to change its route. "

 T wrote on May 5, 2008 8:55 am:
" Great event?!?! Hmmmm... I wonder if any of the over $360,000+ in entry fee money went towards charity. Doesn't look like even one dime. Also, I wonder if the lincoln track club will be paying for the additional costs in overtime for police officers to block traffic along 26 miles of inner core arterials? Again... I'm guessing not. "

 Matt wrote on May 5, 2008 9:10 am:
" 88 additional officers were used for the marathon. It was a sunday, and overtime. Anyone want to take a wild guess at the cost that will be? This event is rediculous. There is NO economic benefit and puts the city deeper into the red. "

 Slogger wrote on May 5, 2008 10:03 am:
" Good grief, people. First of all, the officers are paid by the organizers out of entry fees, so the city doesn't foot the bill. Second, the route was publicized for at least a week in the paper and by electronic signs on the route - a little planning ahead would have saved you a lot of waiting. I guess some people just have to find something to complain about.

Congrats to everyone involved in another great Lincoln Marathon, especially all the folks from the National Guard! "

 noe T wrote on May 5, 2008 10:08 am:
" Congradulations Ruth & Brenda, Love you noe. "

 jo wrote on May 5, 2008 10:32 am:
" There is a ton of support for this event and it's an Army National Guard Marathon so get out there and support the troops next year and quit whining!

I'm guessing that the people who are complaining are the ones hurrying home to get a good spot on their couch. & traffic is a lot worse on football Saturdays. "

 no matter how you put it wrote on May 5, 2008 12:17 pm:
" A double loop marathon is a terrible planned route. Should have been on four lane roads on the west end of town like "to come on" said. That sounds like a safer route where runners won't be crossing traffic so often. "

 no matter how you put it wrote on May 5, 2008 12:18 pm:
" Army National Guard marathon? how much of the cash is going to the army? I have not heard of any thus far. "

 runner wrote on May 5, 2008 12:21 pm:
" As one of the thousands of runners who had the pleasure of participating in the marathon this weekend, I want to THANK organizers for sticking with the route through the city. This allows us to run along beautiful streets such as Sheridan, run by Lincoln landmarks such as the Capital and City County Building, get lots of crowd support (with many fans conveniently sitting in their front yard), and stay on a mostly flat route. It would've been a totally different and much more negative experience if the race was moved out to West O. Thank you for a great route and I hope it stays the same in the future. "

 I Hate Waiting in Traffic wrote on May 5, 2008 12:37 pm:
" I say we do away with any event that increases traffic in Lincoln: Husker football, basketball, volleyball, baseball; state football, basketball, volleyball, baseball; Cornhusker State Games; Star City Parade; the circus; all those darn college kids at UNL, Wesleyn, Union College, SCC, Kaplan, and Joseph's College of Beauty; the Legislature; the Fourth of July celebration at Oak Creek Park; any high school event anywhere that increases traffic; any event at Pershing; funeral processions; and any other event that might possibly draw someone from out of town and have them spend money in our city.

Then we can all drive, free from any sort of delay, to a meeting where we wonder why the city is collecting less sales and lodging tax revenue. "

 steve wrote on May 5, 2008 1:15 pm:
" "I Hate Waiting in Traffic", I appreciate your sarcasm. Some of these people on here who want to do away with events like this don't understand how an economy works. The money spent at hotels, restaurants, shopping centers, etc (and the tax involved) more than outweighs any expense the city of Lincoln saw. "

 There are some people whom wrote on May 5, 2008 2:45 pm:
" God couldn't make happy. Yesterday was a gorgeous day! It was my first time cheering at the marathon and it was very emotional for me as I watched a HUGE variety of people run/walk/limp/trot by us, each in their own way demonstrating some type of perservance. Always finding something to complain about is evidence that life has become stale and lacking for you. "

 Sam wrote on May 5, 2008 4:43 pm:
" I just really want to thank all the supports of the marathon and half-marathon. It is your signs and cheers that keep me running year after year. "

 E Jr wrote on May 5, 2008 4:50 pm:
" I was inconvenienced by the marathon on Sunday morning but didn't mind. What I really don't like is the inconvenience that a Husker football game brings to us 7-8 times every year. And it's not just for a few hours--it goes on all day and all evening! And who pays the police overtime for those events? The university? Or we could just learn to put up with a few inconveniences for the benefit of the entire community. Maybe that last thought is the best approach. "

 marcy wrote on May 5, 2008 8:54 pm:
" My first running ever in my LIFE! I'm a 46 year old woman and this was incredible. The most wonderful pain ever! If the complainers spent an hour watching the race and cheering on the runners, the positive energy they would experiance would change their tune! Maybe they'd become runners! "

 gladtofinish wrote on May 5, 2008 9:53 pm:
" thanks to everyone who brought their kids out to the event. it was a chilly start but seeing the kids out along the route cheering and high fiving really was a heart warming boost along the way. these are the next generation of runners (though some can already outrun me!) and their support was greatly appreciated. "

 Jake unl student wrote on May 6, 2008 7:38 am:
" Watching someone run for three hours... sounds like a grade below soccer. They at least have a ball to kick around and the pain in my eyes is over in 90 minutes. "

 Husker football wrote on May 6, 2008 7:42 am:
" The money in sales tax alone for just the runza's sold at 1 husker football game pays for all the extra police enforcement. You can't compare anything the university does/provides to a marathon. If the university was not here, this town would struggle to reach 100,000 people at the present day. All Lincoln has had to support it is the University and government jobs. "

 Husker Alum wrote on May 6, 2008 7:50 am:
" It's a Journal star article, puts the husker/university issue to rest:

Businesses seeing fallout from football losses
MELISSA LEE / Lincoln Journal Star
Monday, Oct 15, 2007 - 09:44:03 pm CDT
It’s no secret Husker football has an impact on Nebraska’s economic health. How much of an impact? Try an $87.1 million payout for the state in the 2004-2005 fiscal year, according to a 2005 report from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Bureau of Business Research.

In all, UNL athletics generated more than $114 million for Nebraska that year, the report found.



And don't forget about all the jobs it provides. Comparing being inconvienenced by husker football to the marathon is rediculous. I bet the marathon doesn't impact the city economically out of the red.
"

 E Jr wrote on May 6, 2008 9:07 am:
" Let's face it. More inconvenience = more money. Husker football games prove that. One hour of inconvenience on a Sunday morning is nothing compared to a Husker game. But then again, neither is the money. So there is no reason to complain about either one. "

 what about wrote on May 6, 2008 12:12 pm:
" What about Ipod sales? Have they dwindled since the ruling of no ipods for racers? "

 First Timer wrote on May 6, 2008 2:51 pm:
" This was my first marathon and it was a great experience. I was extremely impressed with how many spectators there were along the route cheering us all on. Listening to the crowds cheering means A LOT when you're out there pushing so hard to finish a big event like this.

Good job to everyone including event organizers, runners, and spectators. This was a very positive experience for me and I'm already looking forward to running it next year.

As for those who thought they needed to post negative comments here about the marathon...shut up and get your lazy butt back on the couch. Don't diss on this event unless you've tried it yourself. "

 ipodupod wrote on May 6, 2008 9:26 pm:
" there may have been a no ipod rule, but there were plenty of people who did not follow that rule. anyone who was running with one probably already had it before the running.

myself, i was ipod free. i love the sound of the feet on the pavement and the chit chat of the runners. especially the person who asked the person they were running with if "the city always smelled so nasty?" which i though was funny since to me the area smelled like maple syrup. "

 Guard Runner wrote on May 9, 2008 9:02 pm:
" I am a National Guard runner who ran the marathon. One of the posters wrote that they bet none of the money from the marathon went to the army. Well, it doesn't and shouldn't. The Army (and the National Guard) doesn't want nor should it take anything from this race. The Nebraska National Guard just chose a few years ago to use this race as the qualifier for the National Guard's All Guard Running Team. The race is a great race in a great city. I have done may other races and Lincoln is first rate. This is saying a lot as someone that grew up hating Nebraska and Nebraska football. I never had any desire to set foot in Lincoln. Enjoy the race, the extra tax revenue that is generated, and quit whining. I didn't see a whole lot going on during the weekend other than the race that would bring in the revenue. Hey, the Guard could always pull its runners to another marathon and Lincoln could cancel the race; then, you could easily get around the city. Plus you might even have to raise some taxes/fees from local residents to generate some new revenue. Just a thought... Thanks Lincoln for a great race! "

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