Mile Marker 24 only 2.2 miles to go.

christinehetz80
christinehetz80 Posts: 490 Member
in Chit-Chat
So I'm volunteering for a local marathon this weekend. Officially I'm called a "course marshal" I believe that is a fancy term for a person that is in between the aid stations to make sure noone has died or is in the process of dying. I'm also at about mile 24 which is where I'm sure most people wish they were dead because it would hurt less. Any ideas from yall good people of MFP of fun signs I could make up or something fun I can do or something that has personally helped you in a race?

Replies

  • zippo32
    zippo32 Posts: 1,407 Member
    Suggestions:
    1) Music (Try AC/DC)
    2) Skittles
    3) Signs saying accurate measurement to the finish
    4) Signs saying "No more early morning training runs"
    5) Spraying water
    6) Signs saying “___miles to beer”
  • TylerJ76
    TylerJ76 Posts: 4,375 Member
    "Worst Parade Ever"
  • christinehetz80
    christinehetz80 Posts: 490 Member
    haha! Love the music idea!!!!!!! Didn't even think of that! Thank you!
  • christinehetz80
    christinehetz80 Posts: 490 Member
    I've never done a marathon, but I loved seeing signs on the half I just did. Some I remember include:
    WTF is the finish line?
    Your feet hurt because you're kicking butt
    Go complete stranger, go

    THAT was my favorite sign from the half I just did too!!!!!! It cracked me up...that said...... "Go Complete Stranger, Go" Just literally made me laugh out loud!!!!!!!!!!
  • jillybeanruns
    jillybeanruns Posts: 1,420 Member
    Having run 2 marathons myself, at mile 24 you just need encouragement. At that point, it's too hard to laugh, smile or do much else.

    I would suggest inspiring over humorous myself. One of my most favorite signs is "You ARE stronger than YOU think".
    I saw it once in a race when I was really, really struggling and I just thought "that's right" and killed the last few miles. I made my Mom make a sign with that on it for my last marathon and she said so many people mouthed "thank you" and gave her thumbs up, etc.
  • caldon4523
    caldon4523 Posts: 227 Member
    When I ran in the Columbus Marathon a month ago, one specatator was doing the Gangnam Style dance. He cracked me up as I ran by him.:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
  • christinehetz80
    christinehetz80 Posts: 490 Member
    Having run 2 marathons myself, at mile 24 you just need encouragement. At that point, it's too hard to laugh, smile or do much else.

    I would suggest inspiring over humorous myself. One of my most favorite signs is "You ARE stronger than YOU think".
    I saw it once in a race when I was really, really struggling and I just thought "that's right" and killed the last few miles. I made my Mom make a sign with that on it for my last marathon and she said so many people mouthed "thank you" and gave her thumbs up, etc.

    Okay....you just won me over.....I know that in my first half that I did a couple of weeks ago the volunteer that helped me the most was the one that sincerely looked at me and say You can do this.....It was exactly what I needed to hear when everything hurt.
  • caldon4523
    caldon4523 Posts: 227 Member
    "Worst Parade Ever"
    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: Nice!
  • BenChase
    BenChase Posts: 169
    two people, one holding a sign saying "you're almost there" second person a few feet later with sign " that's what she said" by far the best one ever :laugh: also i ran my first marathon yesterday and as jillybean said just having some random guy yelling out "you're awesome and the finish line is just ahead!!" and pointing directly at me was very helpful :happy:
  • christinehetz80
    christinehetz80 Posts: 490 Member
    two people, one holding a sign saying "you're almost there" second person a few feet later with sign " that's what she said" by far the best one ever :laugh: also i ran my first marathon yesterday and as jillybean said just having some random guy yelling out "you're awesome and the finish line is just ahead!!" and pointing directly at me was very helpful :happy:

    Congrats on your first marathon!!!!!! And thank you for the input...I was initially leaning towards silly/funny, but I think now that inspirational/encouraging is the way to go.
  • jillybeanruns
    jillybeanruns Posts: 1,420 Member
    Having run 2 marathons myself, at mile 24 you just need encouragement. At that point, it's too hard to laugh, smile or do much else.

    I would suggest inspiring over humorous myself. One of my most favorite signs is "You ARE stronger than YOU think".
    I saw it once in a race when I was really, really struggling and I just thought "that's right" and killed the last few miles. I made my Mom make a sign with that on it for my last marathon and she said so many people mouthed "thank you" and gave her thumbs up, etc.

    Okay....you just won me over.....I know that in my first half that I did a couple of weeks ago the volunteer that helped me the most was the one that sincerely looked at me and say You can do this.....It was exactly what I needed to hear when everything hurt.

    :smile: The funny/distracting stuff is good for the first 13 miles, sometimes up until 18 but at 24 most people just need someone to believe they can do it and help them acknowledge that they can! Have fun! There's nothing more inspiring than watching a marathon!
  • algebravoodoo
    algebravoodoo Posts: 776 Member
    Suggestions:
    1) Music (Try AC/DC)
    2) Skittles
    3) Signs saying accurate measurement to the finish
    4) Signs saying "No more early morning training runs"
    5) Spraying water
    6) Signs saying “___miles to beer”

    Especially #6!!
  • BenChase
    BenChase Posts: 169
    oooh, forgot to say somewhere earlier on in the race we had a guy ringing a bell and a sign that said "more cow bell?" i laughed at that quite a bit :laugh:
  • christinehetz80
    christinehetz80 Posts: 490 Member
    Having run 2 marathons myself, at mile 24 you just need encouragement. At that point, it's too hard to laugh, smile or do much else.

    I would suggest inspiring over humorous myself. One of my most favorite signs is "You ARE stronger than YOU think".
    I saw it once in a race when I was really, really struggling and I just thought "that's right" and killed the last few miles. I made my Mom make a sign with that on it for my last marathon and she said so many people mouthed "thank you" and gave her thumbs up, etc.

    Okay....you just won me over.....I know that in my first half that I did a couple of weeks ago the volunteer that helped me the most was the one that sincerely looked at me and say You can do this.....It was exactly what I needed to hear when everything hurt.

    :smile: The funny/distracting stuff is good for the first 13 miles, sometimes up until 18 but at 24 most people just need someone to believe they can do it and help them acknowledge that they can! Have fun! There's nothing more inspiring than watching a marathon!

    I'm actually ridiculously stoked to be doing this...since I aspire to run a full this should be pretty inspirational for me.
  • christinehetz80
    christinehetz80 Posts: 490 Member
    oooh, forgot to say somewhere earlier on in the race we had a guy ringing a bell and a sign that said "more cow bell?" i laughed at that quite a bit :laugh:

    That is hilarious!!!!!!!!!!
  • RunnerInVT
    RunnerInVT Posts: 226 Member
    I had a jelly bean I almost choked on and a dry pretzel given me.....make sure there's water with them! Lol having a couple children with horns and pompoms is great! Children loooove to cheer! :)
  • MelisRunning
    MelisRunning Posts: 819 Member
    Toe nails are over rated.
  • nphect
    nphect Posts: 474
    the last 2 miles of my marathon i was just wondering how this 55 year old lady was beating me in front of me and why is she getting farther away...
  • zippo32
    zippo32 Posts: 1,407 Member
    That mile 19 was a mutha****er. It seemed like a wasteland where I was. I still remember that mile. I thought if I volunteered I would request mile 19. It doesn't feel that the 'downhill' because it starts with a 1. After 20, then it was like, "Yeah, I can do this". When I do half marathons and complete, I still head out to mile 19 to help cheer people on. So glad you are out there volunteering. Anything you do will be appreciated.
  • christinehetz80
    christinehetz80 Posts: 490 Member
    the last 2 miles of my marathon i was just wondering how this 55 year old lady was beating me in front of me and why is she getting farther away...


    HAHAHAHA! I had that happen on my first 10k....I was like seriously dude? you have to be at least 65.
  • christinehetz80
    christinehetz80 Posts: 490 Member
    That mile 19 was a mutha****er. It seemed like a wasteland where I was. I still remember that mile. I thought if I volunteered I would request mile 19. It doesn't feel that the 'downhill' because it starts with a 1. After 20, then it was like, "Yeah, I can do this". When I do half marathons and complete, I still head out to mile 19 to help cheer people on. So glad you are out there volunteering. Anything you do will be appreciated.

    Awwww! Thanks!!!!!!!! I'm actually pretty excited about it. I think it will be pretty inspiring for me!
  • christinehetz80
    christinehetz80 Posts: 490 Member
    Thank you everyone for your suggestions. I went with inspirational. I went with "You made it to the start, you WILL make it to the finish". I received tons and tons of thank yous, smiles, thumbs up, a few pics and a whole lotta Amens. It was definitely inspirational and without a doubt makes me want to do a marathon. This was a hillier course for Florida and it was off of the river so a lot of them got hit with a lot of wind, but they all pushed through!!!

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