Fargo Marathon, Race Report

David and Melissa at Twin City Marathon (October 2008)

Race Report written by guest blogger, David Fielder.

Fargo’s Fifth

Well the waters of Fargo did not put out the enthusiasm of overwhelming fan support. This year Fargo put on their fifth marathon with some unexpected course changes due to areas along the river being flooded. The adjustment meant a double loop run. The upside was that the fan support was even more spectacular as they lined both sides of the roads of the 13.1 mile loop. Fargo cannot be beaten for fan support in terms of a relatively small marathon, say compared to Twin Cities Marathon, and this year was no different. The weather was perfect for running. Cool but not cold. Overcast but not grey. The streets were lined with people having parties, and supporters wrapped in blankets, music playing several times from live bands to boom boxes, great water stations with tropical themes, and it simply was the people young and old, including their dogs, who came out to cheer people on. They banged on pots, rang cow bells – we need more cow bells – dressed in costume – a lion, a T-Rex, danced as swingers, beat the band along with cheerleaders, and even Elvis came back to sing. Oh, what a time it was. Within the race itself, there was a sense of great fun and excitement. From having the opportunity to see the lead runners go by, to laughing at the costumes worn by participants – my favourite was a guy running with a bath towel around his waist and with a rubber ducky head – there was great fun to be had.

The fun thing about a marathon is that one is cheered on by people that just want to encourage others.They are sort of like anonymous friends. While a number of people from the Winnipeg area, literally, ran with good friends from home, the cheering and support that goes on in the Fargo Marathon is outstanding. It strikes me that one of the things we can learn from Marathon running is that we always get by with the help of our friends, but sometimes we need just to encourage others. What a great world where people can be supportive of people they don’t know. This is the world of Marathon running and we are fortunate sometimes to be a part of it in Fargo.

Enjoy the run wherever it takes you.

David Fielder