The Ohio Sci-Fi and Horror Marathons

As I get my kids ready to go to school, and prepare myself for work, I find myself realizing that in 24 hours, I will be standing in front of the Grandview, freezing my butt off, looking forward to seeing old friends, and (gently) mocking dazed newcomers, as we welcome them to the fold of the marathoids.

I find myself thinking about films of years past, remembering various line-waiting anecdotes, remembering the first marathon I ever made it to, contemplating the few horror marathons I've had to miss, and asking myself "Why do I do this to myself every year?"

None of us are getting any younger, and although I'm still a fairly young man, 24 hours in a theatre is a much bigger trial now than it was when I was 21. Most of the films can be seen on DVD or Blu-Ray, and my couch is comfier, the food is both better and cheaper, and the picture quality isn't significantly diminished.

But then I look back at my memories from the 'thons and remember what I love about it. The experience of being in a theatre with hundreds of like-minded people. The contests, Bruce and Joe's intros. The trailers and shorts. And the feeling of community.

You are all my tribe, and collectively, I love you all. See you in 24!

One more day indeed. Since this is my 17th overall marathon. I'm now 30 years old and begin to wonder when I'll retire from this biannual celebration science fiction and horror. When I read this weeks The Other Paper Joe Neff was 11 when the first Horror Marathon in 1988 and Bruce is in his 60's and I might be able to continue.
Now every year around this time I take Fridays off to do errands and try to rest up before the madness begins. Most likely I'll wake up at 3am after 6 hours of sleep then watch Elvira while it is recording on my DVR so I can get ready and leave my apartment by 5am. .

I will show up no later than 7am. See some old faces, drinking coffee.

Note the weather isn't that bad. It supposed to reach 70 degrees tomorrow.

Very well said. I started going to both marathons when they started back in 87/88. Unfortunately, for reasons I'm still unsure of, I missed the marathons for about 15 years ... come to think of it, that was the time period that I met the woman who I would eventually marry (and divorce). But in 2006, I rediscovered the joy of these marathons and have attended religiously for the past 5 years. The only way I can see myself missing another marathon is if I'm physically unable to get myself to the theater and sit my butt in a chair for 24hrs.

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Remember ... no matter where you go, there you are.

What time do the veteran's suggest I arrive? Maybe I'm just too new at this, but I think getting there five hours before the things starts is a little excessive. I might just be underestimating the attendance.

You're not. It is excessive.

But there are two reasons I do it. The first gets back to that sense of community. If you become a part of the 5-7 a.m. crowd, we will quickly get to know you. It's generally the same faces there. And the catching up is kinda fun. Games are played. Reminiscences happen. We talk about the films, films from years past, and things on TV and in the theatres. If "Marathoid" is the tribe (kinda like being "American"), then "5 a.m. crowd" is the sub-tribe (like being "From Columbus").

The other reason is that as much as I love the marathon and the community experience, I don't like being touched by anyone I don't know. So I don't like sitting in the long rows of seats. I always aim for the side aisles (the 2-seat wide sections along the edges). And there aren't a whole lot of those. By getting there that early, I know I'll get the seats I want. And if I'm going to be sitting in that seat for an entire 24 hours, then I'm going to be picky about it.

If you're not as picky - or if you tend to gravitate towards seats no one wants (the front row, for example), then there certainly isn't any reason to arrive that early. I would say that *most* people don't show up until 9-10. That always seems to be when I notice the line ballooning, anyhow.

Me? I'll be there between 5 and 6, as usual.

I usually get there about 10 or 10:30 and there are about as many people behind me as ahead of me in line when the doors open.

Terry's time is more along with what I go for. I've gotten to marathons just as the doors were opening before.

I couldn't do the early morning line thing. I'm starting out 90 minutes away from the theatre, so I'd have to get up a lot earlier. There's no way I could be in line at 5am and be able to stay awake through the whole marathon. Well, I don't stay awake anyway, but getting up 5/6 hours earlier would be stacking the odds against myself even more.

I think that every time too. Just 2 weekends ago, I was at the Chicago marathon thinking that. But after a few hours' sleep that afternoon, I was thinking of a way to make it out to Columbus this weekend. It truly is something impossible to describe to a newbie. Have fun.

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"I came here to chew bubble gum and kick a**. I'm all out of bubble gum."

Getting ready to head out the door for Columbus, and finding myself agreeing with everything A said. =)

See you all tomorrow (tho I probably won't be there as bright and early as some of you hardcore types ).

Sleep is the most important thing one can do before the Horror Marathon. I just awoke from a five hour nap and after Smallville I'll try to sleep for another six hours. Get up around three am.

Since the downtown Columbus is in heavy construction I have to walk to High and Broad to catch the bus to West Fifth and Grandview.

I like to get there early so I can get an isle seat since it work out well last year.

Those are the seats I go for as well (for the same reason). I usually get there around 10:30 and I've always been able to get seats there.

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Remember ... no matter where you go, there you are.