for the 10th running of the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon and the Pirañas were out in force. In fact, Samsonite was in from West Point to attend and run. He caught up with T3 at the expo:
Also at the expo were Goose and Mav helping runners get their packets and get registered. Goose is Registration Chairman of the Marathon and Mav is a race weekend expo volunteer.
The morning dawned and the boys met at the starting line. Samsonite grab a quick pic of himself and T3:
Not pictured but there never-the-less were Weeble (plus friend Jim), Mav (and Mrs. Mav), Goose (along with sons Stephen and Caleb running the half) and Sweet Tee (also running the half). Also present were Big and McLuvin, but they were among the volunteers at the start and finish.
Once the race got going the boys settled into the run, only to be passed by Samsonite’s mommy between mile 4 and 5.
That is Carol Swanson in the pink, T3 in piraña orange in front, Jim in green behind him, and Weeble bringing up the rear (let’s just call this trio the Three Blind Mice). Mav and Mrs. Mav are farther back at this point.
The TBM made their way through Edgemere (T3 ran into a park and slid down a slide) and through the park on 35th to Wilshire where the fun really began.
First at the corner of 38th at the turn into Crown Heights, T3 found a yard party and was offered a pull off a bottle of Jim Beam. He accepted. The crowd cheered. Next came the little girls handing out bacon. Again, T3 accepted. On Shartel there was another yard party and the offer of a Mimosa. You already know. Then the traditional beer and doughnut at 7-11 on Western where T3 finally got a stranger to go into 7-11 with him to buy a beer.
By mile 9 the TBM were still holding a good pace and having fun.
Then it was into Nichols Hills where at some point the TBM were caught or met by Samsonite and his friend who had obviously run with, then past Mav and Mrs. Mav…
as they passed mile 9 and the second relay exchange. No one is sure what they were doing between mile 5 and mile 9.
Also in Nichols Hills is where the boys met Mr. Sunshine.
It was also at this point that t3 was heard to say, “I think I hit that bottle of Jim Beam too hard.” After Nichols Hills the TBM never saw Samsonite again. In fact, when T3 finished Samsonite was already on the way to the airport!
Then it was Britton Road and the lake as the TBM neared Weeble’s sticking point. Get me over the bridge at 17 was his mantra, so over the bridge they went and he was sure to finish after that.
Back in Nichols Hills on the return route T3 found more yard parties to crash, and at least one chance to rock the mic.
Weeble came up with a great line that was used too many times to count. As the TBM approach spectators who were quite Weeble would yell, “You can cheer for us while you wait on your friends!” T3 also started collecting kisses from the women in the crowd by telling them it was good luck to kiss a marathoner (last count was around 60).
The new running store in the Classen Curve, The Red Coyote, was serving beer, so of course T3 stopped there.
One more stop on Classen for another beer and doughnut and kisses from the belly dancers and then into Mesta Park (and a yard party Mimosa) brought the finish line nearer and nearer. Making the turn onto 19th T3 was surprised to find Sweet Tee walking toward him. after finishing the half he had come back out onto the course to find dad so they could run in together. The last mile went quickly and the finish line was grasped once again.
It was a great day!
Sweet Tee finished the half in 1:48:26 (a mere 40 minutes behind the winner!)
Goose and sons finished the half in 2:54:38…
Samsonite won the Piraña marathon in 3:25:51.
T3 finished in 4:11:21.
Weeble came in in 4:28:57.
With Mav at 4:40:02 along with Mrs. Mav (and he did pushups at the end!)
