Marathon...All Year!

It's marathon season! I don't know why I say that because it's really always marathon season. Long ago, this event became a full-time gig and took on a life of its own. But it's funny because people have this idea that things come together in a few months and that once the race is over on Sunday then we take a two week vacation and relax. Far from it.

The first year of the race, Altman ran the marathon (his 1st) and I ran the 5K. We volunteered the next year and yes, we were able to get back to normal on Monday after the race but we'd been putting in several hours a week as the Training Run Captains since that previous November. We also volunteered many hours during race weekend since I was the Information Captain and Altman was the 5K Captain.

Then Altman was the Co-Race Director and we got our first taste of the full-on commitment of the event. Truthfully, the race wasn't even that big then but boy did we put in some hours. The following year, KTC hired Altman as the sole Race Director and we've been living and breathing this thing since.

Race prep for subsequent years starts before this year's event takes place. Dates for future years are already tentatively set and as decisions are made, we literally say "next year we will do this" and then hopefully write it down to remember it.

I don't really need to talk about March because anyone who knows us will know that March is wild and chaotic. We love it or we wouldn't continue to do it.

As the Executive Director, I still have to run KTC as an organization and maintain normal operations regardless of what is happening with the CHKM or any of the other programs. For instance, we will kick off the Knoxville Youth Runs season for most schools on March 27 - just days before the CHKM weekend. We'll have a new RunKNOX season starting in April and we have several large road races this spring as well as special events this fall that need to be planned.

Post-race is crazy. Altman works 50+ hours/week through mid-May and then winds things down enough so that we can take an early summer vacation. Upon our return, he hits the road with sponsor thank you gifts and writing the budget for the next year and the planning moves ahead at full steam.

It's been a pleasure to watch this event grow. We've seen participation increases and literally watched thousands of people enter that stadium and cross the finish line. We've seen the neighborhoods of Knoxville embrace this event and literally turn into miles of block parties. Thousands of people - not just locals - choose to volunteer for the many spots that are needed to make race weekend happen. The City of Knoxville has been fully invested and there are so many sponsors that put their faith and support in this event. It's remarkable. The journey is full and highs and lows. Literally each day presents a new benefit, opportunity, or problem and sometimes all at once.

I suspect that just like every other year, I will stand at the start line on April 1 and again on April 2 with great respect for my husband who does an amazing job of pulling the whole event together. Then I will shed a few tears when the National Anthem is played once it is over, I'll wipe them away and jump in to action. We'll send thousands of athletes across the start line and once they've crossed 11th Street then I'll head to Neyland Stadium to wait for them.

Hope to see you there....

Photo frames of the front pages of the special KNS Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon section.