A Feth's Perspective on Life: Race Day

The buzzer loudly penetrated the crisp coolness of the early morning air. Leaning over the side of the bed, the bright red lights flashed 3:30am....

It was finally time.

It was race day.

The time had come for Brian (also known as Chuck Norris to those allowed close to him) to prepare for his very 1st marathon on that tough terrain, that intense coastal battlefield called Maui.

A refreshing shower woke his senses, freshly brewed coffee activated his anxious energy and a healthy breakfast filled the tank that would need every ounce of fuel it could consume.

The support team, otherwise known as Coach (the wife) / Brosif (Jed the brother-in-law) / and the soon to be engaged girlfriend (Michelle aka Dirty Bit) were all there to rally behind CN.

Like clockwork we jumped into the rental Jeep and tore off down the road in pitch dark. Not knowing exactly where the start line originated (we won't place any blame here....eh-hem) there were a few u-turns and recalculating of the GPS unit but we made it just in time.

The race was small, around 345 people running the marathon, with the rest of the roughly 2500 participants being divided amongst the later half-marathon, 10k and marathon walk.

CN jumped right into his stellar stretch moves, hydrated with style and mentally prepared himself to kick sand in the face of the Maui Oceanfront Marathon. The sound of conch shells signaled the start of the race and CN was off!

Coach, Brosif and Dirty Bit ventured back to the hotel. We felt the best way to support the Norris was to channel our inner relaxation vibes through the actions of watching movies and drinking coffee. After a random but surprisingly entertaining Matthew McConaughey film we left for the finish line.

Around 9:30am we staked our claim at the line of success. The sun was beating down a dreadful beat of heat and folks later commented that it was exceptionally warm for that January 23rd winter day. Brosif made his way down the road so as to give us a signal when there was a CN sighting. Dirty Bit and I waited anxiously for a sign, congratulating those as they made it across the finish line.

At 4 hours, 37 minutes and 30 seconds (the time in the photo displays the half-marathon time) we witnessed the one and only cross that line he for so long sought after. He looked exhausted (of course done only for show to make other racers feel better) and went straight into a cool shower of mist. Brosif assumed the role of water boy and Dirty Bit and I the cheering squad.

CN shared that up to mile 17 he had kept a strong constant pace. At that point, bodily functions beckoned him to make a pit stop and thereafter it was an uphill battle. The heat had been quite a contender that day but it ultimately had no hold over Brian. Without injury, at a 10 1/2 minute mile, and exceeding his fundraising goal of $1500 (raising $2,115) for the young Kenyan entrepreneurs, he successfully completed the Maui Oceanfront Marathon.