Boston Marathon Race Report. (Skip to #7 if you want to know what really matters.)
1. Definitely the most amazing atmosphere I have ever experienced in a race. Qualify, find a way in, do what you have to… The Boston Marathon is awesome.
2. Best organized race – from the information mailed out prior to departure, to the transportation to the startline… well thought out and smooth. All with 9,000 more runners than usual… impressive.
3. Without a doubt the greatest number of fans I’ve seen at a race. Every inch of the course was lined with fans on both sides. Boylston was insane – apparently there were so many people the police had to stop letting people onto the street. I saw the infamous video from last year and there were 4x as many fans on Boylston this year – Boston Strong!
4. Best Fans – The girls at Wellesley College and the Boston College Screaming Eagles. Loud! Awesome!
5. For me it was a battle. I had severe pain from inside my socket that began at about mile 9. Which left 17.2 miles of gutting it out, mentally willing myself to keep gingerly putting one foot in front of the other. I had a sense this might happen – things hadn’t been smooth going into the marathon, but I had hoped it would happen later. Anyway, you play the hand you’re dealt, so I did… but this particular hand made this by far the hardest race I have fought my way through (and there have been plenty of tough ones!)
6. Which means I am very proud. I wasn’t fast (4:50), it was brutally hard (lots of blood) – I could barely run the downhills and flats (too much impact) and uphills are, well uphill – they’re hard. On this day keeping moving was a big enough challenge. They say “Pain is Temporary” but 17.2 miles stretches the definition of ‘temporary’. “Pride” will definitely be “forever” though!
7. My challenges in a footrace really seem quite insignificant in the grand scheme of things… And this race, more than any other I have participated in really was about the big picture… A city, a country, a running community coming together to heal. Bostonians seem to heal with a real in-your-face, Boston Strong brand of defiance – it’s very cool.
Last year’s tragedy effected every runner on the course, many of whom had dedicated their race to the victims, creating shirts or wearing ribbons, and many of whom had returned for a do-over – with a happier ending. Of course, being a big sap, I found myself mopping up tears numerous times over the last week or so – reading or watching videos about Martin Richard’s family (at 8 he was the youngest victim, his sister lost a leg, his mom lost sight in one eye, and his dad had an eardrum rupture) and the other victims, like Jeff Bauman – the now famous guy we saw gruesome photos of in a wheelchair after losing both legs in the blast, and the hero that probably saved his life, Carlos Arredondo, the guy in the cowboy hat pushing that wheelchair. Martin’s presence was definitely felt on the course in the form of hundreds of runners representing TEAM MR8 – which served as a constant reminder for me. So, all in all, it was the perfect race to suffer because it was impossible to feel sorry for myself – I just needed to think about the Richard family or Jeff… truly inspiring.
8. Best Ending – The great news is that, by all accounts, the race was a spectacular success. Right down to the storybook ending of American Meb Keflezighi winning, his race number adorned with the names of the 4 victims. This was the first time an American has won the Boston Marathon in 31 years! Great timing Meb! Just what these proud fans needed!
9. THANK YOU to everyone who reads my posts. Your comments, ‘likes’ and support really do make a difference – I feel very lucky to have such a big cheering section!
Lastly…
10. I’ve forgiven Boston for the stinkin’, dirty Bruins and their cheap, bullyin’ antics in defeating the Canucks for the Stanley Cup a few years ago. That took a while to let go… but I am at peace now.
