The balloon strategy
I have a lot of fun things going on this week, but one I am SUPER excited about is picking out a mylar balloon for Steven to carry at the Wisconsin Half Marathon. We’re thinking a Thor balloon this year!!!
Last year’s pick!
Wait, huh? Why does Steven need a balloon?!
It’s not to use while running the race… it’s for photographing it!
The first marathon I ran was Chicago, in 2010. A lot of people run it (I know, derr…) and I wish I would have known, at a race like that, it’s better for you to find your spectator, than for them to find you in a sea of people. I mean, yes, of course, you plan out where you are going to see each other, on what side of the street they’ll be on, what you expect your pace to be, and so on. But, things go amiss in races… especially in marathons. And while I was running with a phone then, it wasn’t a smart phone that could track where I was and tell Steven. In fact, it couldn’t tell him anything, because I broke it during the race. Oops.
Anyway! I ended up missing Steven at a few of our planned spots, and it really upset me. And one of the reasons I didn’t see him is because there were so many spectators and I couldn’t find him.
I didn’t have this issue at my next two marathons because of the scale of them – it was easy for us to spot each other. But I knew that the NYC Marathon would have even more spectators and runners than Chicago, so I asked Steven and the spectating crew (Christina, Will, Gina and Steve) if they would carry a mylar balloon so I could find them on the course.
Look for your balloon flying high and find your crew!
Local and virtual spectators! In NYC (clockwise from top left): Gina, Luca, me, Christina, Will, Steve and Steven. And virtual (clockwise from top left): Grandma Pete (IA), Grandma Tiger (IA) and Courtney (TX). How lucky I was to have so many people spectating for me in person and virtually at NYC, and other events. I am really grateful Steven and family and friends like to come to the events I do!
And I saw them. At every. single. spot.
The balloon method is a success!
But wait, Wisconsin is not that big! Why does Steven need a balloon there?
It’s not exactly for me. It’s for all the people we know running it, to find him. There are just under 20 people running the race from my studio, and probably 10-20 others I will know there. Rather than tell them where he’ll be on the course so he can take their photo, I can just tell them to look for the balloon and get his attention. He’s renting a fancy pants lens again this year, and enjoys taking the photos and sharing them, so, the more people to photograph, the better!
Have you used the balloon method to find people at a race?
I must also mention the Gunther method. I mean, “giant stuffed animal method.” Ha ha ha.
Speaking of Gunther, today is Luca’s 4th birthday!!!! Which means he opened* his … drum roll please … Rhinoceros!
Luca named him Rantha!
I wish I could see Luca in person for his birthday, like the last two years! But FaceTime was a nice alternative until we see him again in June! And, of course, I have to end this post with sharing this image of him I came across when I was grabbing the NYC Marathon pics. Aww, baby Luca pie!!!
*And by “opened,” I really mean, saw for the first time with a bow on it (I am not sure how you’d wrap that!).
Themocracy
Awwwww, baby Luca!!
You are welcome to use Sugar (what the kids named the rainbow pegasus) if you have trouble finding a balloon you like 🙂
Ha! I wondered if that balloon was still holding up! Sugar. LOL.
I told Steven that someone suggested a Hello Kitty balloon and he really didn’t care for that idea, so I am not so sure about Sugar. LOL!!!! Thanks for the offer 😉 Last year we chose from 100 balloons or something crazy, so I bet we can find Thor!
Hmph. Steven doesn’t like my ideas?
Buah ha ha! Just not that one 😉 I still have to tell him our team name!
I want some sugar in my life 🙂 I think this is a great idea. And Miles fully endorses Thor.
What a great idea! You are so creative 🙂
Now I’M going to look for Steven’s balloon this weekend, lol
I bet you will see it! He’ll probably get photos of you too. Last year he used the balloon at the first two spots he was in, then ditched it for the finish since it’s not as crowded and he can spot people. 😉
Thor would be pretty sweet, but maybe there is a Grumpy Cat balloon too!
Aww little Luca. Chunka monka. haha. I’m glad he liked his birthday present!
Oh yeah! I bet there is! Hmm, decisions, decisions!
First he opened the clothes we got him and said thanks, then went back to playing with his toys he got at his birthday party that day! Hee hee. Then Gina brought out Rantha 😉
Thats a great idea I alway miss my supporters. Kind of gets you down when you’ve been looking forward to seeing them for miles! Next big race I’ll be doing this 🙂
Yes, it really does! You need that boost from seeing them, and you feel really bad that they put forward all that effort and missed you. I remember feeling really down about it at Chicago!
Can’t wait to see your balloon at whatever the next big race is! 😀
Aww, cute pick for Luca!
I love the balloon idea, that is awesome. I love how I learn new tips from you experienced runners! I also love KIM BOT shirts…very cute 🙂
Happy 4th birthday to Luca!!! LOL at how his present would just have a bow on it because you can’t wrap something like that. SO TRUE.
The balloon idea is fantastic! I’ll have to borrow that idea in the future for myself!
This is brilliant! I wish you had posted this idea years ago. Rory and I have really struggled to find each other at international races (because we don’t have phones). Plus, balloons are just fun.
Hey, Baby Luca, I have that same medal! 🙂 Yes, the balloon strategy sounds like a good spectating trick, indeed. I have missed more than my share of planned side-fives because I/they blended into the crowd!
I must have forgotten we ran NYC in the same year! 🙂
Gotta get those side-fives! 😉
Yes. That 2011 NYC Marathon was my slowest and likely most painful marathon ever, yet it was also my favorite marathon ever!
What happened?!
As background, I had averaged only 9 miles per week the six weeks before the race (due to a shin injury). Actually, the first 22 miles were fantastic and the crowds were incredible. After that the entire left side of my body went numb and my right shin gave out, so I had to kind of drag myself over the last three miles through Central Park to the finish line. So many people in CP were cheering me on, giving me salt packets, candy etc. Anyway, I want to go back soon. I actually ran a qualifying time last year at the Chicago Half! 🙂
Oh man! You did really well for a long time, considering all that!
When do you think you’ll run it again?! I’d actually rather qualify for that, than Boston… but it’s faster times. Ha ha.
Omg! I can’t believe Luca was that small when we were in NYC… I don’t remember him being so tiny! Wittle baby wuca!!!
The images must be doctored! Surely, he was never that small! 🙂
Luca is such a cutie! Good luck in Wisconsin – can’t wait to hear how it goes!
My kids carried a SPonge Bob balloon at Boston 2009 and it worked like a freaking charm. So much easier to spot! I even enjoy spotting other people’s balloons (OPB) over and over at races. It’s nice to know people have great support. Happy Birthday Luca! Looks like rhino was a hit!
I love the balloon idea! Although the giant stuffed animal idea is pretty awesome too.
My dad always wears a brightly colored shirt that is the opposite of what everyone else is wearing. Example: In Chicago, many people wear Illinois orange, so my dad wears Maryland red or a bright yellow shirt. In Boston, he wore Illini orange because no one else was. Definitely helps me spot him, which is much easier than him spotting me!
What a good idea! I totally did not think about using a balloon for runners to find spectators and not the other way around. DERPS. Now I want to spectate a race that a friend is running and have a cool balloon so s/he can find me!
They’ll really appreciate it if you do that, I bet! 🙂 Do you know anyone running the marathon… this summer? (totally guessing on when it is)