I never dreamed I would be doing this...

I was skating my first marathon today...

I stood in the staging area watching the activity around me. The fitness and advanced skaters warming up and socializing with each other. The pro skaters in their team skinsuits and helmets preparing for the start. The Vice-Mayor of Long Beach welcoming the skaters and spectators with a few comments. I pulled my camera from my backpack and snapped a few photos of the festivities. Moments later the pro-men’s category rocketed across the starting line with amazing speed. A few minutes passed as I waited for the start of the fitness/recreational category. I watched as the pro-men doubled back to pass by the starting area on Shoreline Drive -- a street on which cars have raced by every April for the past 20 years during the Long Beach Grand Prix -- the skaters looking every bit deserving of the racing lineage of the Drive. I marveled as the skaters roared by in pacelines resembling multicolored freight trains. The pro-women’s category started shortly thereafter, equally impressive, but in fewer numbers. As I moved up to await the start of the advanced and fitness/recreational categories I thought back to the events that brought me here...

Barely a month earlier I had been an occasional inliner: dusting off the skates every now and then to “do the strand” on a bright and sunny day. I was web surfing one day and ambled across the FunRoll.com page. The FunRoll site connected skaters for a weekly Saturday roll from the Huntington Beach Pier to The Wedge at Newport Beach. I found the group to be a fun loving, friendly group of people of all ages ranging from beginning to advanced skaters. It was here that I became aware of the Long Beach Inline Skating Marathon.

To many of the FunRollers, participation in the marathon was a given. The only consideration was whether or not you were doing the full or the half. I became somewhat curious about signing up, but definitely apprehensive about my fitness and ability to skate the event. I decided to show up every Saturday morning and see how my skating progressed. At first I did not ask too many questions, just observing and trying to emulate the other skaters. I soon found that the gang welcomed questions and tips were gladly given. The supportive environment encouraged me and I quickly gained confidence. I decided to skate the marathon.

I registered at the Long Beach Life Expo the Friday before the marathon. The registration tables were well organized and staffed with friendly people. I completed my registration and picked up my race packet, bib number, and t-shirt. I had some time left over on my lunch hour, so I perused other areas of the expo. I browsed inline items from bearings to skinsuits; Bonts to Verduccis; Powerbars to Gatorade, and everything in between.

On race day, Sunday morning, I hopped the regularly scheduled (and late) Long Beach Transit bus from my Los Altos area apartment and headed downtown. As my bus passed by Cal State Long Beach (and finish line area), I was somewhat dismayed to see that a shuttle bus service was provided for the marathon participants (I was not dismayed for the shuttle buses, only that I was not on one). I was even more dismayed to find my bus overtaken several times by shuttle buses full of fit looking people in running gear. Mental note: Fully read the race and shuttle information for next year‘s event.

I fretted over falling behind schedule due to the bus problems. My bus arrived downtown and I bounded out to change from tennis shoes to skates. My excitement built as I skated toward the starting line at Pine and Shoreline. I passed a couple of inliners trying to negotiate the short hill on Pine Avenue from Ocean Boulevard (I felt fortunate that I had learned how to stop well). I headed toward the crowd at Pine and Shoreline and wondered how I would find out where I belonged amongst all the activity. Someone shouted my name out from the crowd. I was somewhat surprised that I would be recognized with all the goings-on. It was Toby “The Tongue“ Taylor, from the FunRolls. Laid back Toby -- he calmly directed me to the staging area and assured me that I had plenty of time.

I saw fellow FunRoller Bob, who was sitting out this event while recuperating from knee surgery. Bob gave me a few last minute tips and queued me on some photo opportunities.

The start of the fitness/recreational category was announced. Unlike the pro and advanced skaters, the majority of the skaters eased across the starting line at a reasonable pace to begin their respective 13.1 or 26.2-mile adventure. I picked a few fellow FunRollers out of the crowd and again retrieved my camera to snap a few pictures of my Saturday (now Sunday) morning cohorts. I was really jazzed to be skating along Shoreline Drive which was normally reserved for 55 m.p.h. traffic exiting the 710 Freeway or 180 m.p.h. Gran Prix racers. I continued to snap pictures as we made the turnaround on Shoreline Drive, rolled past the starting line, and headed eastbound onto Ocean Boulevard.

From the bluff of Ocean Boulevard Catalina Island was clearly visible across the channel. Music and words entered my thoughts: “Twenty-six miles across the sea, Santa Catalina is a-waitin' for me...”¹ I smiled to myself as I noticed the connection between the distance to Catalina Island in the song and of the length of the marathon.

Skaters fell into and out of groups: some socializing, some forming pacelines, some skating solo to the company of their Walkmans. People of all shapes, sizes, and ages: guys and gals out having fun! I passed, and was passed by other FunRollers who exchanged greetings with me as we went by each other.

I fell into several different pacelines along the route. The most memorable was a three-person paceline of J.J., Marianne, and myself. We kicked the route together on-and-off for about the first 12 miles.

I was aware of all the volunteers who supported the aid stations along the way. Although it was early on in the event and not yet needing water, I tried to acknowledge their support with a wave or a greeting. Further along in the course, the music started kicking in. It began with residents setting up personal stereo systems in their front yards, and evolved into full-on amplified street-side bands -- just the thing to really get the juices flowing!

The course progressed out of the primarily business districts of downtown and Belmont Shore, and into the predominantly (and normally quiet) residential neighborhoods of east Long Beach. The course staff, volunteers, Police, Marine Patrol, and Park Rangers were doing and excellent job of providing support, controlling the course, and pointing out possible road hazards to participants. Things were going too smooth...

I found myself leading a paceline of about six or eight skaters through El Dorado Regional Park. We came to a fork in the road, and I found myself in a quandary: which way? A man whom I assumed to be a race volunteer pointed “that a way.” So that a way we went: about half-a-mile to the backside of a barricade and obviously in the wrong direction. Mental note number two: Familiarize myself with the course layout beforehand (isn’t that what they said at the starting line?). “Hey guys, so we lost a mile and a few minutes, but we can still be friends, can’t we?” Well, the group was certainly more motivated after that misrouting (I think due to them trying to catch me, and me trying to escape).

The remainder of El Dorado Park was, well, El Dorado Park: Scenic and smooth as always (Area III of the park is regularly used by skating and bicycling clubs for training sessions).

The El Dorado paceline began breaking up and I found myself skating solo as I exited the park onto Wardlow Road. The residents of Long Beach continued to support the passing skaters with waves and shouts of encouragement. It was here that I had pre-planned to telephone a few friends and family members to let them know I was nearing. I pulled my cell phone out of my pack and punched in a few numbers. I received more than a few giggles and pointing from the Wardlow Road crowd. One man shouted to ask if I was ordering pizza from Dominoes.

Calls completed and skating solo, I decided to see how strong I could finish. Man, the encouragement of the spectators and volunteers really helped keep me company and motivated during this stretch of the course (A BIG Thank You!).

I was about two miles from the finish line and starting to lag. I met a cheering section of my family and friends near the intersection of Clark at Willow. I felt a surge of adrenaline as they cheered and yelled encouragement: Just the thing to pump me up for final stretch. Head down and tongue hanging out (ala Toby Taylor), I stroked for the finish line. Several times I felt my legs almost go out from under me -- I had to remember that the event was not yet over. I pulled my camera out and immortalized the finish line banner for my scrapbook.

It was a funny feeling crossing the finish line and rolling over the electronic timing carpet: I felt awash with a surge of excitement and wanted to skate the event again. The sensible part of me knew that this was out of the question, so I headed over to the nearby reception area to hydrate, snack on fruit and sports bars, and receive my finishers medal.

The young lady that presented my medal was a bit surprised that I wanted to take her picture as she held the ribbon open to place the medal around my neck. But hey, this was part of my first marathon experience and she was a celebrity in my eyes! She in turn offered to take a picture of me wearing my medal. Just then, Kathie Fry, a.k.a. SkateGRRL, passed by. Kathie gladly accepted my invitation to be in the picture.

Skaters milled about the snack and water tables. Friends and strangers exchanged congratulations and swapped stories. I socialized, ate and drank a bit, then decided to see what was going on back at the finish line.

I spotted Toby standing next to Eddy Matzger. I yelled at Toby to turn around and snapped a picture of him. I didn’t think Eddy would mind too much if I snapped a quick picture of him. I skated around in front of him and clicked my camera. I was a bit surprised when Eddy flashed a big grin and shouted “Hey, now were going to take your picture!” “Get over here.” As if this has been done a thousand times, one of Eddy’s companions took up my camera. Eddy draped his arms over my shoulder and Toby’s, kicked his skate up into the air and hooted and grinned for the camera. That picture is one of my favorites.

I spotted some more FunRollers crossing the finish line and shot the remainder of my film. I found a comfortable place along the home stretch and cheered on the remaining participants as they pushed for the finish line.

I sensed that the inline portion of marathon was starting to wind down. Feeling weary, I decided to skate the several blocks to my apartment for a hot shower. I would return to the awards ceremony and festivities clean and refreshed. I paralleled the course, skating lazily and continued to spectate as the skaters came in. Yes, I was tired, but felt very relaxed and content. I smiled and thought to myself:

I skated my first marathon today...

I never dreamed it would be this much fun...