Route 66 Marathon: Tulsa, Oklahoma, Nov 12, 2022 – Marathon #4
I have to admit, I was both excited and nervous about this marathon. It was in Tulsa, Oklahoma, my 4th state, and I still had a long way to go to reach my goal of running all 50 states. I had just completed my Iowa marathon less than a month before, and my schedule was quickly filling up with races. Around this time, I decided to commit to running at least one marathon a month. I had already signed up for the Arkansas marathon in December, and I knew a big challenge was coming in January—Disney’s Dopey Challenge, a grueling 48.6 miles over 4 races in 4 days. My mind was definitely racing as the holidays approached, but I had the support of several friends and family, even though some critics warned me I might injure myself.
In the end, I decided not to drive to Tulsa on my own and opted for a flight instead. I thought Tulsa was farther away than it actually was, but when I arrived, I was pleasantly surprised. I had passed through Oklahoma many times but had never stopped to explore. After picking up my race packet at the expo and getting settled at the hotel, I decided to take some time to explore the city. Tulsa was a charming town with so much to offer.
That evening, as I was heading back to the hotel, my phone rang. It was my oldest granddaughter, asking what I was up to. I told her I was in Tulsa for a marathon, and she giggled. The hardest part of racing in different states is the traveling—most of the time, I’m on my own with no one to meet me at the finish line. But the next thing I knew, there was a knock on my hotel room door, and when I opened it, there stood my grandkids and their grandpa! They had driven down from Kansas City to watch me run my marathon the next day. I was beyond excited—this would be the first time my grandkids would see me cross the finish line, but it certainly wouldn’t be the last.
The Route 66 Marathon was amazing. The city, the volunteers, and the crowd support were all incredible. On race day, my grandkids were there at the start line, cheering me on, shouting, “Go Grandma!” Then, at mile 10, they surprised me with a big hug and a kiss. Their cheers were so motivating, and at mile 16, they gave me more encouragement: “Keep going, you’re almost done!”
When I finally crossed the finish line, they were there again, cheering and screaming, “Go Grandma, Run, Run!” I couldn’t help but feel like a rock star. Jaxon, my grandson, was especially thrilled when the announcer called my name and mentioned that I was from Kansas City. From that moment, he was convinced that his grandma was famous, and honestly, I felt pretty famous myself.
The race wasn’t my best time, as I had to walk more than I wanted due to some hip pain. But despite the slower pace, this was one of the most memorable races I’ve ever had. The support from my grandkids, who cheered for me at multiple points on the course, gave me an incredible boost. I’ll never take for granted the power of having family and friends show up for you during a race—it was truly amazing!