Chicago Marathon: Performance Art

It is 6:30 a.m. Sunday morning. Today is the running of the Chicago Marathon. 45,000+ runners from around the world partake in pounding the pavement. Not for employment. Rather for passion, a cause, personal challenge and individual achievement. It is a dramatic, intense, motivating event to watch and witness. This is one event I have absolutely no problem being an spectator. Unlike my previous admission about art shows, I have no feelings of envy. Just pure admiration, awe and respect. The muscle tone alone on some...omg.

A stretch of the Chicago Marathon route goes by my building and neighborhood starting @ 8:00am. I watch, support and cheer on friends I know, and those I don't, who are participating. I have for the last seven years. This year I won't able to observe much since I now work Sunday with my new job :( I will catch a little glimpse. If I can, I will take some pictures and promise to post.

If you have not seen or been to a marathon, briefly, it begins with paraplegics in wheelchairs, an emotionally moving and inspiring start, followed by The Elite class- athletes who usually finish under 3 hours, and are indeed a class unto themselves. Blink and they disappear before your very eyes. The grace, speed, intensity, focus and determination displayed is amazing and beautiful. They are not easily distracted.

Next comes timed-paced corral groups which are broken out and grouped by a runner's qualifying time. Groups of like-paced runners supporting, encouraging and motivating each other, along with the help and support of the spectators: friends, family, strangers and the media. What begins as a trickle of humanity expands into masses of people before your very eyes. All shapes, all garb, all sizes, all ages, all levels. You can easily distinguish who runs and trains professionally (did I mention incredible muscle tone?), versus those who run and train for personal achievement, personal causes, and, for all, individual accomplishment. That doesn't matter. They are doing it.

Hmmmmmmmmmm where could I possibly be going with this? Certainly not the 26 mile distance. I'm taking these 45,000 observations and qualities: respect, talent, dedication, preparation, determination, training, perseverance, focus, stamina, commitment and the courage it took and takes, to go the distance and complete a marathon and applying it my personal performance: Creating art and doing art shows. Just pacing it. Except for that run on sentence I just wrote.

Congratulations and thank you to all the Marathoners who ran!! I caught a glimpse and youtube. I was rooting for you. You inspire me. You too artists!!