Thursday, October 9, 2008

TIART: Signs That Keep Me Going

It's Take It and Run Thursday again at Runner's Lounge! Today's topic is "Signs you would love to see while running your race."

I loved the interesting and relevant trivia signs along the San Francisco Marathon (SFM) route. For example:

Where was the fortune cookies invented?
Where was The Grateful Dead play their last concert?
The tallest building in San Francisco is...

Anyway, I'm just going by memory so they're verbatum but there were quite a few of these kinda trivia!

During the race, I'd read one and usually can't wait to find out the answer... And there are times when I miss it and wish that I had paid more attention to the signs. Of course, I've ran the SFM 4 years in a row and noticed that these trivia haven't changed year after year! But, even when I know the answer, I anticipate seeing the trivia questions and look forward to the answers. They definitely keep my mind off the pain!

My favorite sign EVER is a sign that some guy was holding after I emerged from Golden Gate Park into Haight Street, during my first SFM. Somewhere around mile 19, maybe? The guy was holding up high this sign: YOU ARE ALL KENYANS TODAY. I remember how inspired and moved I was when I read that sign. I felt renewed and strong. I felt like crying with pride! Even as I type these words, I'm getting emotional because I can still remember that moment. I would never be an elite marathon racer, nor win a race. But, when I run in a marathon, I feel like a Kenyan. And I'm doing something I never thought I'd be able to do. Here's a good compilations of other marathon signs from Elite Feet for Runners.

So, I would love to see more signs with trivia relevant to the city or the race or about running itself. I might as well learn something if I'm running 13.1 or 26.2 or longer!

15 comments:

  1. Triva during a race? That sounds awesome. That would totally keep my mind off things. I would love to run a race with trivia! :)

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  2. i loved the trivia also :) but i kept missing answers!!

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  3. That's cool that the SFM has trivia along the way of the race!

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  4. "We are all kenyans today"
    that just gave me little chills!

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  5. The trivia is a great idea! I hadn't heard of that-- definitely a good distraction.

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  6. I've never seen or heard of the trivia - what a great idea!

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  7. Wow! The trivia sounds like a great mental distraction!

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  8. That is the COOLEST idea! Dang how come more peeps don't do that. Or maybe they do and I'm just not paying attention? LOL

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  9. Seriously, what a great idea... trivia during a race. That would totally keep take my mind off a race and make me think, Usually I use the ipod for that but if I could get my GF to yell out random trivia questions during my marathon... hmmm not a bad idea.

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  10. OMG that link is hilarious, especially the lap dancer pictures! Watch out if Marcy gets a hold of those!

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  11. Trivia sounds difficult, but it would make me think less about what I'm actually doing.

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  12. very cool - I like the signs! 4 years in a row, whoaaa, are you going for a record?

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  13. Trivia during a race - now THAT's a good distraction!

    Until I'm in raging pain & all I can think is - "I don't CARE that the Declaration of Independence was signed in Philadelphia, just let me FINISH already"!

    PS - you kicked a** at your SJHM - Congrats!

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  14. I don't know if I could handle the trivia questions. Most of the time I'm trying to focus on left foot, right foot,left foot..... Unless it is a question I may know the answer to. Then it wouldn't make me want to stop and look it up.

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  15. Hi!! I'm a little late with the book recommendation but I really liked Marathon Woman by K.V. Switzer!!!!

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