Haynes Point - 2006 MCM
Hayne’s Point is the loneliest place on Earth. There were tens if not hundreds of people around me. We all had the common goal of running. But it was so incredibly lonely.
A little bit after mile sixteen is the start of Hayne’s Point. That’s when the crowds of spectators start to thin out and disappear. That’s also when the winds from the Potomac start hitting you with all of their strength. That’s also when you’re brain starts to shut down and your body start hitting the wall. Hayne’s Point is by far the worst part of the marathon.
Going into the Point part of the course had been blocked off by medical personale. When I ran by I saw a man laying on a stretcher without a shirt on. I remember thinking that he didn’t look like he was breathing, which wasn’t a good sign. None of the medical people were doing anything for him, which also wasn’t a good sign. I later learned that he had suffered from a heart attack and died.
One cool thing about Hayne’s Point is the statue a the tip of the point. It’s called The Awakening. It looks like a giant person is coming out of the ground. You don’t see the full body. Just a leg here and there, a hand poking up, and the giant face looking up to the sky. I remembered going to see it with the family as a kid. We’d climb onto the guy’s hand, then run over and climb on his face. I bet my brother stuck his hand in the statue’s nose. That’s just the type of guy he is.
See The Awakening was nice. Another nice thing about Hayne’s Point was seeing an ex-Marine carring a US flag. I’m not talking about a little three inch desk flag. This was the real deal. My guess is that the flag was at least five feet long and suspended on a long wooden pole. The carrier was walking, but I was impressed that he had the strength to carry it that far. I hope he made it to the finish.
On the tail end of Hayne’s point my brain quit working. I think it’s fun when I’m doing a long run and my brain quits on me. It usually happens around 18 mile. That’s also when my body kinda gives up. All the running after that becomes a will power thing. I just have to put one foot in front of the other until I’m done. Don’t think, just do.
Running out of Hayne’s Point was like waking up from a nightmare where you’re being chased by giant snakes to hearing the morning news and learning that you just won the biggest lottery in the history of the world. There’s an overpass you go through. On the Hayne’s Point side there are demons and the ground is made or tar, pulling you down on every step. On the other side is angels that put helium balloons in your shoes, making you lighter and faster.
Maybe it’s just the fact that on the other side of the overpass is a crowd of people waiting to cheer you on. I think there was even a band playing on the side of the road. There is another thing about leaving Hayne’s Point. When you leave the Point you go up to the 14th Street Bridge, which is the only cut-off point for the marathon. If you made it this far they’ll let you finish the run no matter how long it takes.