Language in the Streets - Human Emotion Part 2

In my last post I alluded to a second set of pictures from my meetup.com photo session regarding Human Emotion. At long last, here they are. The group wandered from our starting point at the Marshall Field's clock to Buckingham Fountain and the finish line of the Chicago Marathon. I knew that the marathon was running that day, but I had no idea what a chaotic and crowded scene it was going to be!
I'm not much for big crowds. Not only am I pretty claustrophobic, but I tend to feel really disoriented and lost - I'm so short, I can't see much but sky or sidewalk when I'm trapped in a big crowd like that, and it makes me feel somewhat panicky. I just couldn't handle being smushed into the throng of people right at the finish line. Instead, I backed out of there, midway to the fountain, and hit human emotion paydirt, so to speak.
Just a hundred yards from the finish line was where many of the competitors were meeting up with family and friends and I was able to see emotions running the entire gamut from elation, tears, to grimaces of pain. Having absconded with any type of comepetitive physical sport throughout my life, I really didn't have a true understanding of how much the human psyche can push, beyond all physical limits and pain, to strive to accomplish the goal of "finishing" something as momentous as a marathon. I hold these athletes in the highest regard - I am just amazed at the drive and determination shown by so many. It was also so heartwarming to see the encouragement and support given by their friends and family as they breathlessly announced "I did it."
Originally, I was going to post comments for most of these pictures, and then I realized - they really don't need it - each tells it's own story without needing any words from me.
Enjoy! Feel free to post comments at the bottom of the blog, let me know what you think!