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The mid-marathon proposal: how NOT to pop the question

One NYC spectator got more than he bargained for when his mid-race proposal went viral

Marriage proposals have become a thing you see at almost every marathon, but at the TCS New York City Marathon on Sunday, Dennis Galvin couldn’t wait for his girl to get to the finish line. Here’s what happened: Kaitlyn Curran was about 26K into her first marathon. Galvin staked out a spot, and when she ran by he called her over. He then got down on one knee, presented her with an engagement ring, and popped the question. Curran got flustered, cried a bit, said yes, hugged him, and then went on her way. 

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Galvin’s cousin captured the moment on a cellphone video, which found its way to Twitter, where it was picked up first by CBS Evening News and then by Sports Illustrated. The video is painfully awkward, because, you know, she had to go and finish what she started. Galvin probably got a shock when he saw the comments, and the SI story, which were mostly negative.

But in fairness, he deserved it–for interrupting Curran’s big race, throwing her focus off, and costing her time (around 43 seconds). Both women and men piled on, calling the stunt “more selfish than cute” and criticizing Galvin for “making it all about him on one of the biggest days of her life.” Several commented that proposals are appropriate at the finish line, but not in the middle of a race, and one or two pointed out that he could at least have taken her sweater, which she had tied around her waist. 

We have to agree. She had enough on her mind. Was he afraid she wouldn’t finish? Or was he afraid that if she weren’t too distracted by the enormity of the race to think straight, she might not say yes? Or do these comments simply reveal our snobbery towards the obvious non-runner?

For all we know, she may have been (and still is) delighted. Listen, we hope they’re very happy. But the bottom line is, whether it’s yours or someone else’s, respect the marathon.

 

 

 

 

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