Oct 7, 2007

"THERE IS A LIGHT THAT NEVER GOES OUT"

So, the marathon was today. And, it was called after only a few hours. I felt for the runners, I really did (a) having personally marathon'd I felt their pain and (b) dude, it was hot and unforch just to sit and watch. I sat and watched the final group, determined to finish even after the race was called, then even after the cops came through will bullhorns and insisted the runners then had to move to the sidewalks and proceed at their own risk. Uh, and I am hearing rumors that the stations were running out of water and Gatorade. Not good.

So, the scoop at this hour is that about 300 people were taken to the hospital and one guy, Chad Scheiber (only 35!) a police office in Midland, Michigan died. Died. I googled him because I don't want to say "some dude"; I wanted to know who he was-- a husband, father, police officer, and I just feel so bad for him. Did he wake up and think he'd die today? No, of course he didn't. Was he running for a charity? That I don't know. I do know it wasn't his first marathon by a longshot. I do know it probably wasn't a easy death, and that sounds horrible. For him today, for his family tonight. Can you imagine his wife tonight? Probably around his same age, so a young woman, my age most likely, thinking over and over about her guy out on the racecourse and what his last moments must have been like. Ugh, I can't stop thinking about it and I never even met the guy. The guy was doing something healthy, something he'd done before and loved to do, maybe even something charitable and blammo.

It bothers me that sometimes good karma doesn't seem like it's enough. But, then none of us really know how the world works. We can only guess it spins on karma wheels. But, the truth is that bad things happen to good people, bad people and everyone in between and, yes, death is just as natural-- and in its own way beautiful-- as birth and life, man it's a shame when people are doing something good-- not wasting their lives, not spewing negative crap out into the world, not taking their lives for granted, things like that-- and they die. It's a shame is what it is. A shame. I wish the world worked that way. I do believe that being a good person and living fully counts for something. I just wish it counted for more sometimes, I guess.

You know what we should do? (We meaning runners of Chicago) We should have a benefit run to raise money for his family. I'd help organize and I'd run it, too.

And, speaking of causes I'm gung-ho for, it's still breast cancer awareness month. Let's click through to The Breast Cancer Site and donate mammography to women in need. Shop to cure with these notecards offered directly from Komen. And, I am halfway to my new goal, and the race is two weeks from today. This week's goal: $650. I know there are a lot of causes to get behind, another worthy one I mentioned just a paragraph ago, but please consider donating to this cause in addition to whatever other causes you support. Thanks!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for giving a voice for Chad.
I am a cousin of his and we are all in deep shock and sadness.

His wife ran the race with him today as well as his older brother, a decorated veteran.

The Scheibers of Traverse City, Michigan can use all of our prayers.

Chad's infectious laugh and amazing love will be missed.

Anonymous said...
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Amy Guth said...

Scott, my thoughts are with you and your family this evening.

Katie Schwartz said...

Ames, I'm glad you wrote about Chad.

Scott, I am so deeply sorry for your family's loss. It's horrific and tragic. You are in my thoughts.

Anonymous said...

I was there supporting a good friend and I can verify it was a scorcher! Our spectator tent also ran out of water! The friend was one of the 300 who ended up with medical attention-and ultimately admitted overnight to the hospital. He said there was NO water until mile 6. He lasted until mile 10 when the heat overtook him. The medical tent looked like a bad MASH episode. Inexcusable!! BTW-our friend got readmitted to the hospital after driving home with my husband for 5.5 hours.

Joe said...

Scott, my heart goes out to you and all of Chad's family, friends and brother officers.

Thanks for that post Amy. I'll look around the law enforcement sites and find out if anyone's setting up a benefit for the family or for a charity.

Sunday was a brutal day. It was my third Chicago marathon. The last two I ran were so well-organized that it was shocking to watch the water stops break down into chaos like they did. I started out running a 10:15-10:30 pace, and just 30 minutes out of the starting gate the first two water stops were almost completely out of fluids. I found out from runners who were 15 or 20 minutes behind me that by the time they got there they had NO fluids, and a lot of these people ended up running the first 7 miles before getting any fluids.

I posted about it over at the compound.