Kick Off Party

Last week, the Quad Cities Marathon held a kick-off party to thank all the people involved with putting the race together and get its runners excited to be part of the 16th annual race weekend. I was honored to be asked to attend and unveiled my Dane to Davenport run for the first time.

At this event, the mayors of the Quad Cities (including race director Joe Moreno, a mayor once himself and one any city would be glad to have representing them) were in attendance. They acknowledged how

wonderful the event's past is and how glorious its future will be.  They also noted how the recent events at Boston only made the running community more resolved to rise up and show how marathons unite people and cities.

I had the opportunity to meet with some runners who had run every single rendition of the Quad Cities Marathon: so-called "streakers". While there are a few races I do like to run more than once (obviously QCM is one) I am always intrigued by what makes these runners tick.  Why do they return to the same race again and again to test their legs when there are so many races around the country to run?

When I told those in attendance of my plans to run from Dane to Davenport, there were lots of cheers.  I am not thinking those cheers were for my endeavor only but rather for how I plan to use what I do well to encourage others to find their own talents.  In addition, runners can relate to the struggle of mile after mile, regardless of the pace.  They may not be able to do 55 miles a day but they remember when they did their own jump from three miles to five. They recall going for a run that once was thought to be impossible.  They were, in part, cheering for themselves.

I like that.