My Last Marathon
Happy and celebrating with Warren at the finish of my last marathon in NYC on November 2, 2014.
My last marathon was the New York City Marathon on November 2, 2014. I was blessed to be able to stay with my Simmons College roommate and dear forever friend Babette in her amazing co-op apartment right across from Central Park where the Marathon finishes. She purchased this property as soon as she graduated from Simmons in 1972..talk about a smart investor!!!
Warren stayed with Babette’s husband Michael at their lovely home in Weston, CT until race day. Warren was there for my finish. Babs or even Babby (my pet names for this very professional woman) and Warren had a very long wait to see me finish-but wait they did-and you can feel the joy I felt both at finishing, and at having Warren there to share this accomplishment with me.
I never thought New York would be my last. It was #9. I always wanted to make it to #10. I hoped, perhaps, to cajole Luke into training for another one. He had run Austin TX with me for my 60th. Sadly, it wasn’t the best experience for him as he (ran Fast!) got injured. He has, however, continued to love running, but not marathons. Hope springs eternal in mother’s hearts however, so i thought perhaps…
Now it is nearly ten years later. This decade has been a hard one as so many of you who followed Warren’s long journey “home” with me on FB know all too well. In 2017, Warren had both of his legs amputated and an unrelenting series of medical issues until his passing in January of 2022. No marathon training after NYC-so eternally grateful for the reality and memories of 2014. 46,000 people/5 bridges/5 burroughs-each one trying to outdo the rest/amazingly seamless organization even on a day so windy that the wheelchairs were not allowed to start at Staten Island and cross the Verrazano Bridge (an incredible high!)
Sometimes when we do something, travel somewhere, or see someone, we have a sense of “last”. Often, too often, we have no clue that last is Now or Soon or even Coming. Sometimes, this lack of knowledge is good: sometimes it is not. What i know now to be true has been said, sung, shouted by so many others: WAKE UP!!! Life is NOW. Appreciate it ALL-even the BAD as that may well be what you have to work your best magic on…and you will need JOY to get you through the OY VEH!
I had other adventures (more later) between November of 2014 and January 2017 when Warren had his legs amputated, but I treasure even more deeply now the memory of this Marathon in NYC as it reminds me that here, Warren could walk. Now, I can barely run, but I will finish my 10th and final marathon(God willing!) in December in honor of Warren’s own struggle to walk.
My advice-do not Wait to do something you Want to do. It may be too late. Warren is dead. Babette’s husband Michael died unexpectedly while volunteering at a service organization meeting across the country.He was singing at dinner when he had a heart attack and died. He was doing what he loved-helping young business people.become leaders. Keep doing what you love. It seems that this is the only Life we can live without regret.
Warren always told me our name HATHAWAY meant HATH A WAY. I’m going to believe him and FIND A WAY(that’s a Diana Nyad slogan and book title). Go find your path. It doesn’t have to be a marathon-that’s just Crazy! LOL! Maybe it’s school, or travel, or volunteering, or child or pet care, or dance lessons! Whatever it is for You, own it, claim it, celebrate it, for that is real life. NOW.
