Baltimore Marathon

Today was the Baltimore Marathon and Kathleen was running the Half Marathon, so I went out for a ride around the course to get some pictures of her in action. The start was up Calvert and onto Fayette Street, which is where I was waiting to get her at the start. On the way there I enjoyed some of Baltimore's bicycle friendliness in the bus/bike lane.
And then took this picture, I kind of like it, but I have no idea how it happened.
The half marathon started, and the leaders came around the bend with a pro rider from Kelly Benefit Strategies Cycling as an escort (he was totally checking me out here).
A few minutes later Kathleen came around the bend, I had told her which side I would be on so she made sure to get my attention.
I scooted ahead and caught Kathleen running up Pratt Street and right by our house, we are just down Collington about 4 houses from this corner.
I cut through the park to Patterson Park Avenue and there was a big crowd there cheering the runners on. This is where the half marathon and the full marathon courses come together.
I liked this guy's sign, it says "Cory & Nick run like you stole something"
Shortly after my arrival Kathleen came through.
And gave me a victory salute.
On my way up Washington Street I spotted this groovy headgear hanging from this gal's handlebars.
It's a crab, of course, we are in Baltimore hon. At some point while waiting for Kathleen at Washington and Madison I took this fabulous shot of my shoe, these are the new Scattante shoes I got this summer, carbon fiber sole and all, not to mention my nice and comfy wool cycling socks (it was 55 degrees and 20 mph wind when I left the house at 9:20, substantially colder when Kathleen left at 6:30 to meet up with her Back On My Feet group. They had several of the guys from the mission running in the various races.)
Somehow I missed her at this corner, I forgot to look at the clock on my computer when she went by, I know she runs at about a 9:30 pace so I can usually time my arrivals to catch her. Once I decided I had missed her, I shortcutted the circuit by a couple of miles to get ahead of her again. They ran up and around Lake Montebello and I cut over to 33rd street. While I waited there I spotted this guy sporting the same headgear that the lady's handlebar had.
A few minutes later Kathleen came by.
I like this picture, Kathleen smiling, and the guy next to her utterly suffering.
On my way up 33rd Street (they had the opposing side of the street shut down for the most part) I caught these guys serenading the runners as they came by, Kathleen runs by at about halfway through.

I scooted ahead again and caught her coming down Howard street at 25th Avenue, just a little past mile 10 for the Half Marathon Course.
After this I took off for the finish line down at Camden Yards, the course goes right through the baseball stadium on what used to be Eutaw Street, and finishes between Camden Yards and M & T Bank Stadium where the Ravens play, getting down to the stadiums it was totally chaotic, there were 10,000 half marathon runners, and who knows how many full marathon runners, so there were a ton of family and friends down there cheering their runners home. On my way to the actual finishing area I spotted these three, I am not sure what the ears are about.
I got a spot just before the finish line, so I resorted to the holding the camera over my head and shooting blind, but not too bad as she sprinted to the finish.
It was total chaos down near the finish line/vendor village, and since I was in my carbon soled, plastic cleated (read nearly tractionless) I decided to head for home and get a shower in. Kathleen just got in, she stayed to cheer in the rest of her group. I imagine that after that run, the rest of the day will be a vegging out kind of a day.