heres to the fans

the photo for this post has been updated.  showing the fans that supported me at the NYC Marathon and how happy I was to have them there.  Each one helped me through this race.  Even the people I didn't even know, but were cheering.  

Heres to the fans
To the ones who stand on the sidelines cheering everyone on
You have no idea how much you mean to the runner
You have no idea how much you lift them up
And help carry them along

Your cheers
Your words
Your smiles and high fives
They take that runner further than they thought they could go
You help them keep going

Heres to the fans
The ones who wait
The ones who stay
The ones who scream as loud as they can
To people they do not even know

You make a difference
You matter
You are heard
You stick with that runner as they struggle up that hill
They play your cheers
Over and over in their head

Heres to the fans
The ones who show up in the cold and the heat
The ones who make signs
Ring bells
And lose their voices
From cheering

You bring hope
You bring smiles
You bring an energy 
That would be missing without you
You are as much a part of this race
As the runner is

Thank you for showing up
Thank you for cheering
Thank you for taking the time to be there
Without you a runner would be running silently
You bring emotion
You bring life

Heres to the fans!!