Last night we had a conference call with Kathrine Switzer and the other leaders of our team to go over our last minute questions, concerns (dare I say fears?) and logistics. I love the calls because I feel connected to you. I could see from my screen that we were calling in from all over the world. Very cool.
If you missed the call, one of the “concerns” a woman raised—and I’m so sorry I didn’t hear her name—is that she was really nervous about missing the bus on race morning. Amen sister. We talked through the location, how to prep for the bus pick up by using a practice run to find the spot and even looking for people dressed in “261” gear to follow. My computer was on mute, but I wanted to interject, “I’ll help you, meet up with you, or call your room to awake you!” My hunch was plenty of other women had the same instinct. I also thought, we won’t just be looking for other people dressed in “261” gear, we will be looking for our new found friends and team mates in “261” gear. We’ll be figuring out plans Saturday, Sunday morning, and Sunday night to help each other. That’s what women do. For all of time, that’s how we make our “villages” stronger. We plan…together.
I have already connected with two of the runners who live in my area, Heather and Gayle. They are fabulous and have been really helpful to me. More than once they have talked me off the virgin-marathon-starting-line-cliff. (THANK YOU by the way.) I anticipate making a lot more friends next weekend before, during, and after the run.
At 57 this is my first marathon so my goal is to cross the finish line. Some of you have qualified and are probably working for a PR on April 17th. I hope I can offer some kind of help because I know I am going to be soaking up words of advice from you. My advice might not be about running. Maybe we will help each other with life circumstances that have nothing to do with the Boston Marathon or running. Or, perhaps I can talk you through the apprehension of attempting a triathlon or open water swimming.
What I am trying to say is that aren’t we the quintessential model of a running community that Kathrine envisions and this organization is creating? We are a group of women supporting each other, via running, to a goal that might be different for each of us.
We are going to be watched next weekend—press, other runners, children, teen age girls who might not see females getting along so very well, and maybe even a woman who has dreamed of running but hasn’t had the confidence to give it a try. We will be the ambassadors for 261 Fearless in a big way.
I think we are lucky to have a positive example from the top down. Since the first time I met her I saw that Kathrine is grounded, open and kind. She has vision, clarity and endurance. What a great model for us. Each time I hear her speak and from all I have read or seen those feelings are enforced. Also, Susan has been positive and assessable when I needed fundraising ideas and Chris so helpful in our communications. I bet you have had the same experiences and feelings.
I hate to admit it, but I am scared out of my mind for the race. I keep
seeing all of you (even though I don’t know you yet) around me with positive, confident, “let’s do this” energy on Monday morning the 17th.
We will know—and the world will see— that we have each other’s backs because the front of our shirts say “261 Fearless.”
In anticipation of new friendships,
Ellen Bintz Meuch
Wheaton, Illinois