History Made

History

Yup, history that’s what you made here… history. Am I being a little over dramatic? Well no, I don’t think so. The Publix Savannah Women’s Half Marathon and 5K is the start of something that will carry for a long time and you made that happen. The women running their race, their own race, now pushes even more women’s running on to the map, and you did it. It was a great morning, and it was so much fun to watch to build up. In most cases I get stuck in a car, or at the finish line, but not this time. I wanted to see all of this one and how it would unfold, and I’m glad I was able to because it was a sight to see that’s for sure. The Striders had a packed out water stop when I went by it quickly on the bike. The weather was beautiful, the course turned out just the way it was imagined and the feedback was incredible by not only the participants, but also from the two major sponsors. Publix and New Balance are on board again, they love our city, but mostly they loved what you all did to make it happen.

So here are two history making moments, that will make this race go on a long time. As I picked up the final participant, doing everything they could to finish, this particular women was walking with her daughter, saw the fountain in Forsyth Park and started crying. Her knees were hurting and this was her first half marathon ever. Her daughter who walked with her said, “mom, please don’t cry”, and while no teenage daughter wants to see their mother cry, in her eyes I could see how proud she was that her mother endured the 13.1 miles, and as everyone clapped for her, the tears rolled more, and she said, “I never thought I could do this”. The funny thing is, she wasn’t talking to her daughter, she was talking to herself, or something more powerful than endurance. Goose bumps anyone? Then I get back to the store late afternoon, after about 2 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period. Silly me I had to check my e-mail. Smart me, I checked my e-mail. I got a letter from Sandy Baker. She told me how she really liked the New Balance bag instead of a t-shirt. And then she said this, “I actually found out on Facebook that four of my high school class mates from 40 years ago in Orlando Florida, came to Savannah to run the 5K”. “We found each other at the starting line and caught up for the first time since we graduated in 1975. They traveled from 3 different states, and made it a weekend to enjoy Savannah. Amazing!”. In closing she said, “I already hung up my 5K medal, to remind me, of the fun I had today as I walked for my health”. There you go, history made, right? Right. To the women runners of Savannah, thanks for making history, and to the women who represented the 40 states that visited Savannah this past weekend, thanks for making history. So for all those that said, “I never thought I could”, or “it reminded me of the fun I had”. Someday we will say, I ran in the FIRST Publix Savannah Women’s Half Marathon and 5K, I got the first medal. History.  

Robert Espinoza
"Keep Your Chin Up for Strength, and Down For Prayer"
Fleet Feet Sports Savannah