The best and most detailed plans don't always run smoothly to the finish line. Being a stewardess for as many years as I have, being "Flexible" is a valuable asset. Our husbands didn't get to make the trip as planned. Our flight leaving Maui was going to be heavily weight restricted which limits the seat availability. So the boys decided it wouldn't be worth getting stuck in Hawaii a few extra days without us, imagine that!
Diane and I were excited about landing in Maui 30 minutes early, that was going to assure us plenty of time to get to the expo at the Westin Resort Hotel to pick up our race packets - the bib numbers, marathon shirts and information on bus schedules to the start line etc. for a smooth race day. Flexible.... We waited an unusual amount of time for the van service to pick us up which now gives us about 50 minutes to get to the expo before it closes down. The van ride takes around 45 minutes so it's time to break out the phone and call the Westin to see if the volunteers there could wait for us. Our van driver was nice enough to agree to drop us off at the expo and then wait as we assured him we'd only be a minute or two. We jumped out of the van running into a hotel we had never seen before and asking the bell men as we're running by him where the expo is, he picked up his pace running along side telling us through the long hallway, then down the stairs and around the corner. We made it with about 1minute to spare. We went through the door and there are a lot of people standing around this huge ballroom talking. We ran in yelling we're here for packet pick up and the entire group of Japanese runners all turned and looked at us funny, not saying a word but all pointed in unison to the next room. I quickly realized that "packet pickup" must be a universal language because they all knew what we needed and then pointed to the next room as none of them spoke English. In the adjoining ballroom we quickly got our marathon information and bus schedule for the morning and ran back to our awaiting van and other crew members, Nancy and Melissa. Whew!!
I finally got in my room and was sleeping by 9:00pm since Diane and I decided to meet downstairs in the lobby at 2:45am for our morning warmup walk to board the bus for the start line at 3:15am. Flexible....Running a marathon on 4 hours of sleep.
The start line area was setup in true Hawaiian fashion. The announcements were being given in English and Japanese for all of the runners that traveled from Japan, the refreshment tables beautifully stocked and decorated with hand carved native fruits to eat. I have been known to eat some strange stuff before and during a run, but not fresh tropical fruit. There was a Samoan Fire Knife Dance. I felt like I was at a Luau, the grass skirts and all. A new first for me was the 10 minute Zumba warm up class at the start line. That seemed like a little too much activity before running 26.2 miles. Our national anthem was played followed by the Japanese anthem. We were then escorted to the start line a couple of blocks away. In my 13 years of running I have been stopped on the course two separate times by a train, almost hit by several flying golf balls and stopped dead in my tracks by a moose who was enjoying an early breakfast. Flexible... Delayed start. A drunk driver who was being chased by the police made a turn into the start line and plowed his car into the runners at the front. We were shocked to see the car coasting into the crowd then stopping about 30 feet from where Diane and I were standing. Luckily only one spectator had a few minor scrapes. The race finally got underway after the officers dragged the man from his car and handcuffed him and cleared the area. Now it's time to Run!
The Race is next
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