The weather was just about perfect for a marathon - mostly overcast skies, calm winds and temperatures in the upper forties. Something else about this day seemed nearly perfect.
There was a flood of emotional support directed towards family, friends, and total strangers running the Twin Cities marathon. It was refreshing to see this genuine compassion directed at all the runners on the course, particularly when compassion seems notably absent in this era of Trump.
In the photo above, I watched the woman in the grey jacket step into the street and shower this runner with praise and support. She was so emphatic, and I thought for sure it was her friend or some acquaintance, but the runner only acknowledged the support and passed by without saying a word.
Minutes later, I heard a big commotion down the street and witnessed another genuine expression of support. These two guys in the photos below knew each other, and while I didn’t have any details, it seemed like an unplanned reunion
The finger wag below appears to be a coaching moment and whatever the coach was saying, it seemed to propel the runner as she approached the 22-mile mark.
I positioned myself at a point on the course where the runners had to make a sharp turn to their left. I stood a few steps behind someone standing on the corner who acted as a human shield so I could get candid shots of faces rounding the corner. Here’s a sequence that conveys the true grit needed to run a marathon.
All age groups were well represented by the field of runners, and I was particularly interested in the older guy’s footwear in the photo below.
And finally, a panning shot using a slow shutter speed.