Two big marathons are in my focus this week. First up is the Marine Corps Marathon, which was run yesterday. The annual event shuts down Northern Virginia and parts of Washington, DC, for most of the day. Runners start by the Pentagon, then go north through Rock Creek Park, and finish at the Iwo Jima Memorial, which sits next to the hallowed grounds of Arlington National Cemetery. It won’t surprise you to learn that the finish line is uphill. Only the Marines could do something like this.
The first Marine Corps Marathon took place on November 7, 1976,1 as a way to build goodwill between the military and the public in the years after Vietnam, show off the Corps, and help with recruiting. That first race was run entirely in Northern Virginia, so Northern Virginia has been shutting down for this thing since the very beginning. I’m not entirely sure when the race crossed over to DC, or where they go specifically, but I’m sure it’s quite scenic.
The other marathon on my mind is next Sunday – the New York City Marathon. My niece, who is not actually my niece, is running it for the first time, so I’m heading up with her actual uncle and cousin, along with a ton of other family members, to cheer her on.
The New York City Marathon began in 1970 as a few loops around Central Park in September, with 127 runners who paid a $1 entry fee. In 1976, it took to the streets of all five boroughs for the first time – 50 years ago this past Saturday – and in 1986, it moved to November, which is way better because you cannot run these things in the heat.
I’m looking forward to getting up to New York. I haven’t been there in a while, and if you know me, you know I have no sense of direction. I know where Central Park is. Mostly. We are staying in Jersey, which I believe is south or east of New York. Thank goodness for maps. And friends who know where we need to go.
So both of this week’s marathons, at least as we know them, were born in 1976, when the country was looking for ways to show off and celebrate turning 200. We’re wrapping up the 250th celebrations this year, so we only have two more months to squeeze this stuff out.
I’ve never run a marathon, but I used to run half marathons for a while. Half marathons are great – they aren’t a full 26.2 miles, which is nuts, but you get to brag about it just as much as if you had run a full one and put stickers on the back of your car to show off to others, letting them know that you ran 13.1 miles at one point.
My first half was in 2013, and my last was in 2020. Anonymous and I did one together in 2019 in Savannah, Georgia, but we were both hurt, so we walked most of it – it took us over 3 hours to complete. That was a special moment for both of us – when we realized that we really didn’t have to do this anymore. That’s really a special moment for anyone who runs long-distance races – the moment when you finally stop.
Running in races was fun when I was in places I had never been before. I ran a bunch in North Carolina, and the great thing is, they provide the path, so you don’t have to navigate around! For those of us who are directionally challenged, this is quite helpful. Just stay straight and follow the crowd.
So congrats to yesterday’s runners, and good luck, Clare! I’ll see you out there, I’m sure.
Okay, let’s get to what else happened this week. As a reminder, these events mark anniversaries ending in 5 or 0.
1. The Pony Express ceased operations on October 26, 1861. The service delivered mail from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California, by relaying fast horses along a nearly 2,000-mile route, and it abruptly ended after 18 months of operation. Its owners launched it in April 1860 to prove that a central route could carry mail year-round and, they hoped, to win a government mail contract. Its fastest run carried Abraham Lincoln’s inaugural address west in 7 days and 17 hours. Two days before it shut down, the first transcontinental telegraph was completed, and the ponies were put away for good. Averaged over the whole route, the mail moved at about 8 miles per hour, which means a Pony Express marathon would have taken a little over three hours. That is roughly how long it took Anonymous and me to walk half of one.
2. The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral took place on October 26, 1881. Town marshal Virgil Earp, his brothers Wyatt and Morgan, and Doc Holliday traded about 30 shots in 30 seconds with members of the Cochise County Cowboys, a gang of horse thieves, killing three of the five of them. It happened in Tombstone, a silver-mining boomtown in the Arizona Territory about 30 miles north of the Mexican border. I’m not sure why I didn’t know this happened in Arizona; I thought the O.K. Corral was in, like, Missouri. In my defense, the gunfight didn’t happen at the O.K. Corral either. It took place in a vacant lot on Fremont Street, near the corral’s back entrance, and the name stuck thanks to a 1957 movie.2 I bet you didn’t know where this place was either – see how confusing directions can be?
3. The Statue of Liberty was dedicated on October 28, 1886. Ten years behind schedule, France’s centennial gift to the United States was finally dedicated. The 151-foot copper statue crossed the Atlantic in pieces and was assembled on Liberty Island, in Upper New York Bay. Fog covered the statue for much of the day as President Grover Cleveland delivered a speech, and traders in the Financial District threw paper strips printed with stock prices out their windows at the parade, inventing the ticker-tape parade. I’m not sure I’ll see Lady Liberty this weekend, because I don’t know where anything is. I think my niece will see her, though. Just guessing.
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A big anniversary is coming up this week: Thursday, October 29th, is Blue’s Adoption Day!
You remember the story – Blue was found in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Georgia by Anonymous back in 2013 while she was on a trip with her family and generally miserable because she hadn’t met me yet.
Blue brought her immediate joy and companionship until I arrived four years later and fulfilled her lifelong dream of falling in love with a guy with great hair, piercing blue eyes, and a whole bunch of humility. And yes, at this point I’m writing all of this to see whether Anonymous is actually reading this.
Seriously, though, Blue is such a joy in our lives – he is easy to love and care for. We are lucky to have him. He would never run a half marathon – especially now.
Okay, have a great week. Happy Halloween to all those who celebrate! I’ll see you soon. It feels good to knock out back-to-back newsletters!
Okay,
Chris
Please remember this historical fact next week to keep with MMN tradition.
The Shootout at the Vacant Lot On Freemont Street is way too long.