Instead of running the Rochester Marathon this year, I worked as a volunteer. I was given the job of being a road marshall. I was supposed to meet my team captain at 8am near the horse with baseball gloves. I planned to get there nice and early. I cam up State Street stopping for the many people walking to the race start. I was planning in parking in the back lot where I have parked the last two years. But all the roads were blocked. I found a cop and show him my race crew pass. But he wouldn’t let me through. He gave me directions to go to Lyell and to Oak street. That turned out to BS as Oak St dead ends at some other stadium (Paetec Park?). I found another cop who had me go to Broad Street. He said the roads were closed for the kid’s marathon. This eventually took me back to Main. I came up State again, and looked for another way in. I was getting frustrated and was considering turning around and going home when I found if I came south of State I could maybe get into a parking lot. I went up, and did a U-turn (probably illegal), and got into the lot. Here is an idea…if you are going to block all the roads to the parking lot, put up some sort of detour signs telling people hwo to get to the parking lot.
It was getting close to 8am, and my cushion was mostly gone. I headed over to the horse. There was a box of vests, shirts, flags, but no team captain. I headed to the restroom only to find the men’s room locked. The women’s restroom was open, but the men’s was locked. WTF? Fortunatly a lady unlocked the men’s room for me. Great, didn’t want to be out there for hours holding it… I waited at the horse, but no team captain. Finally I grabbed a vest, shirt and flag, and rode my bike to my post. Fortunatly nobody hassled me about riding my bike on the course. It was only a mile and a half or so to the Ford Street bridge where I would do my shift. I locked my bike to the railing, and waited for the runners to come. Thankfully I had put on some sunblock!
An lady in a car did drive around to tell me the runners were coming soon. Was this my team captain? The half marathoners started coming first, and eventually the full marathoners. It was hot. Most of my morning was saying stuff like:

You are looking good.
Stay on the left side of the bridge.
There is a water stop just around the next corner.
Less than a mile and a half left to go.
You are mostly done.

I had considered signing up as a training run, but I was glad I didn’t! Geez it was hot! It was fun seeing the racers. I was shocked seeing the marathoners running at a 3:30 marathon pace. They were really running. I don’t think I look like that. Anyway, I got a laugh when one guy did a “Wazzu” (jumping and clicking his heels) for me. That made me laugh. I didn’t recognise him the couple seconds I saw him. I am guessing he saw my post that I would be working here.
The biggest event was a girl who slowed down and started staggering. She asked for some water, and reached out to keep from falling down. She wanted to sit, so we sat her down, Another runner was a medic. I asked some other runners to tell the people at the water station around corner that we had a runner down. Another runner called 911 on his cell phone. I got a water bottle from my bike. Another runner offered her his water. We gave her water to drink and poured it over her head, neck and back. Eventually cops showed up, and she eventually was taken away in an ambulence. She kept saying she was embarrased. Geez! She had nothing at all to be embarrassed about. She gave everything she had. It was a hot day. The most you can ever do, is do your best. And she did! She did a great job. She’ll get it next time on a cooler day! I hope she is okay!
I kept an eye on all the runners, asking them how they were doing, looking for any signs that they might be out of it. Watching their eyes. Another girl passed looking tired, and didn’t acknowledge multiple queries about whether she was okay. Another volunteer came running up after her worried that she hadn’t responded to him either. It turned out she was deaf… I am glad she was okay.
At 11:15 I was relieved by a fresh road marshall. She was asking where the volunteer tent was. I said it was probably back at Frontier Field. She hadn’t been to the field, so I gave her my vest and flag.
I rode my bike along the course to the field. Again, no one hassled me. I would love to be one of the bike riding marshalls. Maybe next year.

Posted by Rob in Whatever on September 14th, 2008 |