Click HERE to see the full gallery of photos from this day (41 photos), including high-res versions.
![Image](http://www.jonathanhawkins.net/photos/albums/screamineagle/normal_eaglemarathon_000.jpg)
Here is another shot of the lightning from the previous evening.
![Image](http://www.jonathanhawkins.net/photos/albums/screamineagle/normal_eaglemarathon_003.jpg)
Now it's time for the real reason behind this trip. No, not The Boss...
![Image](http://www.jonathanhawkins.net/photos/albums/screamineagle/normal_eaglemarathon_004.jpg)
The group gathers near the park offices.
![Image](http://www.jonathanhawkins.net/photos/albums/screamineagle/normal_eaglemarathon_007.jpg)
Judy wasn't doing the marathon, but they let her drive us back to the Screamin' Eagle.
![Image](http://www.jonathanhawkins.net/photos/albums/screamineagle/normal_eaglemarathon_015.jpg)
There it is, getting warmed up and ready to go.
![Image](http://www.jonathanhawkins.net/photos/albums/screamineagle/normal_eaglemarathon_016.jpg)
Time to get started. The coaster was running well, but I found that I had to use the grab bar to keep my back off of the seat on every ride.
![Image](http://www.jonathanhawkins.net/photos/albums/screamineagle/normal_eaglemarathon_018.jpg)
Here is Dave enjoying himself. He took only a couple of his breaks. As for myself, it was a very rough morning. I was feeling sick for the first few hours, but I was determined not to be the first to lose it. Luckily, I was not. The first person to exit the marathon departed after losing his breakfast in the train on the brake run. Somewhere around the fifth hour, I did the same, although I made it off the coaster and to the exit ramp. It was the first time I've ever gotten sick like that on a coaster. I think the heat had a lot to do with it, as it was well over 100 degrees during the day.
![Image](http://www.jonathanhawkins.net/photos/albums/screamineagle/normal_eaglemarathon_019.jpg)
Did I come back? Of course. I didn't come all the way out here for nothin'. After receiving a round of applause from the entire train, I got back on. My stomach was just fine from then on.
![Image](http://www.jonathanhawkins.net/photos/albums/screamineagle/normal_eaglemarathon_021.jpg)
Here are Dave and Judy at lunch. This was the first time Dave had gotten off of the coaster, aside from when they had to clean the vomit out of it.
![Image](http://www.jonathanhawkins.net/photos/albums/screamineagle/normal_eaglemarathon_022.jpg)
It was time for our dinner break in the evening. The general public got to use our train while we were gone.
![Image](http://www.jonathanhawkins.net/photos/albums/screamineagle/normal_eaglemarathon_023.jpg)
Yes, this is an exhausted bunch. But, there are still 18 hours to go. Note the towel Casey has around his neck. The park gave these to us in the middle of the afternoon soaked in ice cold water. It was heavenly.
![Image](http://www.jonathanhawkins.net/photos/albums/screamineagle/normal_eaglemarathon_024.jpg)
Dinner was down the walkway at the Moose Lodge (or something like that).
![Image](http://www.jonathanhawkins.net/photos/albums/screamineagle/normal_eaglemarathon_025.jpg)
I ate my dinner pretty quickly. Where could I be going?
![Image](http://www.jonathanhawkins.net/photos/albums/screamineagle/normal_eaglemarathon_027.jpg)
Yes, that's right. I have decided to use part of my dinner break to get my missing credit from Six Flags St. Louis: Batman.
![Image](http://www.jonathanhawkins.net/photos/albums/screamineagle/normal_eaglemarathon_028.jpg)
Yep, I also took a quick ride on The Boss. I am in fact an idiot.
![Image](http://www.jonathanhawkins.net/photos/albums/screamineagle/normal_eaglemarathon_029.jpg)
Here is the sign that was at the entrance to the queue to try and inform people of what was going on so they wouldn't get pissed off.
![Image](http://www.jonathanhawkins.net/photos/albums/screamineagle/normal_eaglemarathon_030.jpg)
It's the middle of the night, and the coaster rolls on. I did manage to grab a brief nap on a bench during one of my breaks. Some people (such as Dave) actually were able to sleep on the ride! I slept on the brake run, in the station, and going up the lift, but I have no idea how they were able to sleep during the course. One guy was out cold for hours!
![Image](http://www.jonathanhawkins.net/photos/albums/screamineagle/normal_eaglemarathon_031.jpg)
We made it through the night! Maintanence had to do their morning check of the coaster, so we got to have breakfast. This ended up being the second worst part of the marathon for me (after the vomit incident). Apparently, when we took the extended break, all of my bruises softened, because the first ride after the break was the most painful coaster ride I have ever experienced.
![Image](http://www.jonathanhawkins.net/photos/albums/screamineagle/normal_eaglemarathon_033.jpg)
We got an unexpected break in the morning when a storm rolled through the area, and the ride had to be shut down.
![Image](http://www.jonathanhawkins.net/photos/albums/screamineagle/normal_eaglemarathon_034.jpg)
Waiting around for the ride to re-open.
![Image](http://www.jonathanhawkins.net/photos/albums/screamineagle/normal_eaglemarathon_035.jpg)
Some people took the opportunity to get some rest.
![Image](http://www.jonathanhawkins.net/photos/albums/screamineagle/normal_eaglemarathon_036.jpg)
Here I am in the rain delay.
![Image](http://www.jonathanhawkins.net/photos/albums/screamineagle/normal_eaglemarathon_037.jpg)
We did it! 30 hours later, 14 of the 20 completed the marathon. I am still surprised that I was able to make it, especially after throwing up in the early hours, but I stuck it out, and it really was a lot of fun. I am told that the train smelled absolutely horrid when we got off. Afterwards, I was so sore I could barely sit down. The park was incredible. They provided us with snacks and drinks throughout the 30 hours, and all of the employees were incredibly enthusiastic and helpful. We also made out like bandits with prizes. I came away with a season pass for this year and next year, a piece of Eagle track, a pack of souvenir maps from every Six Flags park, and an Eagle goodie bag! It was unbelievable. The 14 people who finished had their names put in a drawing, and one person won $1,000, while three others won $100! Unfortunately, I didn't win any of the money. A photographer from the St. Louis newspaper came out on Thursday, and a cameraman from one of the local television stations came out on Friday. We also had a few people from local radio stations join us for a 30 lap mini-marathon. Unfortunately, I don't think the park got quite the coverage they wanted because everyone was covering the devestating storms that came through.
![Image](http://www.jonathanhawkins.net/photos/albums/screamineagle/normal_eaglemarathon_038.jpg)
We got in vehicles, and it was time to be shuttled out of the park.
![Image](http://www.jonathanhawkins.net/photos/albums/screamineagle/normal_eaglemarathon_041.jpg)
After passing out at the hotel for a bit, I came back with Chris, who was at the park for the day. I needed to get my season pass processed, and I didn't want to ride any coasters (especially not the Eagle!), but Scooby Doo would do. awesomefied dark ride.
![Image](http://www.jonathanhawkins.net/photos/albums/screamineagle/normal_eaglemarathon_045.jpg)
We also rode the Mine Train, which nearly killed me. I had aches and pains in places I didn't even know existed. Someone on the train in front of us threw up, which brought back bad memories from the day before (which seemed so long ago).
After that, it was time to go pass out at the hotel again. For whatever reason, Dave and I had decided that it would be a wonderful idea to do Adventureland in Des Moines the very next day. The marathon was tough, but also a lot of fun, and I got to meet some cool people. Would I do it again? Maybe. But not for a while, though. And I probably won't be riding the Screamin' Eagle for a while, either!