In it for the long run

The Route 66 Marathon brings out the best of Tulsa

A thirty-something father jogs alongside his nine-year-old son. The father can run faster, but he’s slowing down so the two of them can share this milestone. As runners pass the kid, they pat him on the back and, between gasps for breath, tell him, “good job; keep it up.” You do the same thing as you pass him, because to do so is so right.

Along the course you see runners on crutches and in wheelchairs. All of them are working hard, slaying demons that have been haunting them for far too long: cancer, obesity, abuse, or just plain inertia. As these warriors pass you, they say, “good job; keep it up.” You feel a surge of energy you didn’t know you had; your pace quickens and you push harder. If they can do it, you can. You get the sense that everyone around you is riding this electric wave of support. You get the sense that the Tulsa foot race culture is maybe one of the most positive and welcoming communities on Earth.

If the 5ks, 10ks, half marathons, marathons, and other Tulsa races throughout the year are works of art in the Louvre, the Route 66 Marathon is the “Mona Lisa.” It is the stunning expression of what Tulsa race culture means not just locally, but to the world. If you google “best U.S. marathons,” you’ll find that it places on many of the lists. The Route 66 Marathon reflects the very reasons people choose to live in Oklahoma: the people, parties, grassroots ingenuity, and the sense that this is something special and ours.

Consider the race party tradition. The Maple Ridge neighborhood, situated near mile nine, has been killing the party game for years. This time around, over 127 houses are competing to throw the best party. Recently “Cheers on Cincinnati” has been one of the largest parties in Maple Ridge. For the fourth year, neighbors are teaming up to make over 3,000 Jell-O shots. Starting at 8:45 a.m., there will be DJs, drinks, and other fun. The neighborhood in the vicinity of 23rd Street & South Delaware Avenue will host a block party with a TV, a bar, heaters, couches, a DJ, and a bounce house.

Emily and Jeff Reh have hosted a party on North Brookside for the past five years. It started out as a small party for friends and next-door neighbors, but this year they’re hosting their whole block. Both Emily and Jeff are runners who want to give back to Tulsa and, like others, they love seeing the race get bigger every year. Local churches on the parade route, private citizens, local companies, non-profit organizations, and everyone in between pull out all the stops for the meta-party that is the Route 66 Marathon.

Consider the stories of some of the runners. Tiffany Shoulders is 16 years old, and this year’s race will be her 33rd marathon so far. Her goal is to do a marathon in all 50 states before turning 18. Ana Hegstrom pets every dog she meets along the race in memory of her late husband Gary, who ran with her in 2013, days before he died. Ana reunites with Gary, a fellow animal lover, over and over again this way. Amanda Erickson runs for Chase Kowalski, a seven-year-old student killed in the Sandy Hook tragedy, who loved running and triathlons. The Route 66 Marathon attracts people like this; there’s story after remarkable story.

Consider the greater good of the race: The Route 66 Marathon aims to be a zero-waste event (waste this year will be managed by SHIKOBA Recycling). All compostable materials will go to local farms; leftover food will go to local animals. Consider that the Route 66 Marathon exists due to the 30 years of effort from volunteers, over 1,500 donating their time during race week. Last year, more than $50,000 was raised as a result of the marathon’s Charity Challenge (which is distributed among many Tulsa charities), and the bar is set even higher this year.

Running is often the last thing many of us want to do, but many have found in it a redemptive quality:  the ability to reclaim their lives from poor health, bad relationships, personal tragedies, and other sorrows. In Tulsa there is no greater expression of the ability of running to connect, invigorate, galvanize, and heal than the Route 66 Marathon.

The Route 66 Marathon takes place November 17-19. Check route66marathon.com for events, registration, and volunteer information.