The 2025 Twin Cities Marathon was held on Sunday, October 5. My daughter-in-law Melea was running it, and my son Logan had strategically planned for her support to be at different locations along the route. Having run Grandma’s Marathon a couple years ago, he anticipated where she was going to need some motivation, where physically and mentally and thus emotionally one could really use hearing shouts of encouragement. So while this was her marathon, and she had to run it herself, my wife and I set out to be there for her in those locations that would be helpful when times got tough.
Our first spot was mile 15. The course route is along the Mississippi River for a while and then turns west before heading toward Lake Nokomis. A couple of miles over half way, we parked, grabbed our signs (“We believe in you, Melea!” “Keep going; you got this!”), and made our way to the course. Mile 15 is a fluid station, where volunteers have gathered, put out folding tables, filled hundreds of paper cups with water, and are ready to hold them out for much needed hydration. As the runners approached and passed, shouts of encouragement filled the air, cowbells and a triangle rang, and even a rubber chicken was used to cluck out noises that were intended to help all runners keep going.
One does not simply run a marathon. Months of preparation is needed to be able to participate. Building up mile upon mile until the race day is critical if one wants to finish the race. The training itself is challenging. Again, one does not simply put on some running shoes, plug in some earbuds, and go run 10 miles. There are no fluid stations on these days. With this many miles needed to complete to train, the weather needs to be monitored, enough time needs to be available, and support needs to be strategized if any at all. For Melea, Logan would ride his bike alongside or park the car in certain locations so he could give her water. He created a self-made fluid station.
Back at mile 15, others had made signs as well. Where watching, waiting, and hoping had been moments before, now there was boisterous yelling, positive screaming of names, and joyous applause as they saw their friend, partner, father/mother, brother/sister. As a spectator, a good section of the course and the runners can be seen from some distance, so most often the loved one is seen before being seen by the loved one, and when that reverses, the smiles truly explode: jumping up and down, ringing the bell, shaking the signs, and even quick hugs were such a blessing for those that were a part of this event.
September was Suicide Prevention Month, and October is Bullying Prevention Month, both very important and needing awareness and action to promote support, kindness, and acceptance. Being there for someone during challenging times and offering a shoulder or ear are important all year long. When gathered with others who are doing the exact same thing, this builds an impactful, strong community, where watching, waiting, and hoping turn to collaboration and results. It is not just talk; it is not just training. While we do not need to jump up and down, ring a bell, or make and shake a sign, think of what happens when we smile when we see one another, to call out someone’s name in recognition and relationship, and to offer words of encouragement or “water” to get them to the next “fluid station.” Is it hard for others to join in? I wonder and work at this not happening just one month or one time of the year but to encourage it among all staff and act on it myself as a part of our daily choices.
Thank you for partnering with us at last week’s Parent-Teacher conferences. Please continue to collaborate with us on areas in which we can improve and in areas that we can make even better. Let us collaborate to jump up and down and shake signs with you for your child. While your tween/teenager figures out how to run the marathon of middle school, I feel there are not many better places for support than Spectrum. Come be a part of the Annual Meeting on Thursday evening, or just find out about all the wonderful things we did last year and are now working on this year.
Weeks at a Glance
- Teacher Professional Development - Monday, October 20
- District Annual Meeting - Spectrum High School: Thursday, October 23 @ 5:30 pm
Open Enrollment
Help us spread the word to your neighbors, friends, family, and community:
Spectrum Schools is accepting enrollment applications for NEW students for the 2026-2027 school year. Applications must be submitted by January 31, 2026, to be included in the mid-February 2026, Enrollment Lottery. Applications due by January 31, 2026.
IMPORTANT: Siblings must submit an application to be considered for enrollment.
Sign up for an Information & Tour Session with the Spectrum Registrar or call 763-241-8703 for more details.
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