Slow and steady…

Allegedly wins the race. Hopefully, in the case of the Democratic Party seeking to recapture control of both houses of Congress, that will prove the case. I’m going to sit back, and not say much… that seems to be the most help I can provide! (The President, of course, tells us that if the Democrats win, then America loses… because, you know… it’s all a big sporting event.)
Or in my case… slow and steady finishes around 17,000th and some-odd in a time of something under 5 and a half hours at the 31st Marine Corps Marathon, in and around the nation’s capitol yesterday. The race announcer noted that this giant size MCM, at around 34,000 runners, was the 4th largest marathon staged in the United States; as the last three New York City Marathons were larger, that means… I’ve been… in all of them… (In fact, I would guess that more people have finished in front of me in those races than, if placed properly, would be enough to swing control of the House!)
I did see far more runners with tributes to loved ones killed in action in Iraq than in the two prior years I’ve run the race, combined… which, as noted by Unqualified Offerings and Mrs. Offering (Familia Talking Dog had a most enjoyable dinner with Familia Offering during our brief visit to the nation’s capital)… may well be because, sadly, there are just so many more KIAs now than in prior years.
I also saw a paucity of electioneering activity pertaining to the Virginia senate race, just two signs (both for Webb) in the thin slices of Virginia through which the race course wound. Don’t know how it will come out… But apathy tends to favor incumbents… So I’ll just say that… this is not the time for apathy or complacency, no matter what apparent advantage polls might provide.
Meanwhile… Dean Karnazes, running his 44th race in 44 days… still finished nearly two hours ahead of me. I’ll see if I can’t close that gap (at least a little!) on Sunday at the ING New York City Marathon, when Dean runs his 50th in 50 days… and I’ll be running my second in seven.