Last Friday was CVCA’s Homecoming football game. I enjoy football, and I like high school games, but my real passion with CVCA football is cheering on the band. Years ago, my brother told me a story of how the Williams College band claimed to be undefeated. That joke stuck with me and made me realize that the bands work hard but do not have screaming fans. About ten years ago when CVCA added a band, I decided I would be a screaming band fan. So, as often as I can make it to a home game, I stand out in front of the school and scream like a madman when the band marches by. I love it. During games, I sit as close to the band as I can, and I chat with them when I can. It is fun.
The CVCA Homecoming game also usually has a bunch of alumni show up, and this was no exception. I felt as if I had to leave early because I had a marathon I was running on Saturday morning, but Mer and I still interacted with several alumni students. We had a good time.
Saturday morning came earl,y as the Akron Marathon start was at 7:00. We got up around 4:30 and left the house around 5:15. I thought I was being clever, and we went the back way to Akron to avoid the highway traffic back-up that I thought might be there. Sadly, when we got to the “Y” bridge into Akron, it was closed for the marathon, even though it was only a little before 6:00 a. m. A kind policeman let me through on the condition that I go really slowly to avoid the crews setting up. Lesson learned – if I run Akron again, which is likely, I’ll take the highway.
We parked with little effort since I headed straight for a lot that charges five dollars to park; there were backups at the free garages. We wandered over to the start area, and I met my friend and running partner Nate Gurnish there. Akron did something new-to-me this time – they had separate starting corrals based on estimated finish times. If you had the wrong color bib, you could not get into a faster starting area. That was sweet, and made for a smoother start, although it was still very crowded for about two miles.
Mer was there to spectate, and she was able to see us four times – at the start, coming back through downtown (mile 3), at the University of Akron (mile 11), and at the finish in Canal Park stadium. I love the Akron Marathon, and the half as well; it is well run, it is (for the most part) interesting to run, it has decent crowd support, and it is close to home. Nate and I ran quite well through about mile 17, when we had to start the five-mile on-again-off-again climb out of the Valley up to Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens. The hills were rough, and we had to walk a fair amount, and Nate was suffering from lack of fuel. Nate’s family was there around mile 23, which was a great pick-me-up. We finished the race without injury, in a time of 3:53:36, for a pace of 8:54/mile.
After the race, Mer and I went home, and I showered and napped while she went out to get her hair done, since we had the Homecoming Banquet for CVCA in the evening. We both got dressed up, and headed down into the Valley, to Todaro’s Party Center. It was nice – the inside had been recently renovated, and the CVCA Student Council had decked the place out. The kids were all sporting their best looks, and there were a lot of fun staff members there. The evening consisted of milling around and pictures, followed by an excellent dinner, followed by a faculty “rap-off” that was very funny and, wisely, fairly short. The evening wrapped up with various forms of line and group dancing. I was too tired to dance, but I had a good time watching the students having fun, and I got to visit with various students and faculty members. Mer and I even got a good picture taken of us by the event photographer, so we have a good paper photo to give to relations.
I got to run and then go out with my favorite person. It was a good day.