Running Boston 2014

Boston was many different things for me this year. One thing it wasn't for many of us was a race. On Monday April 21^st the running community came together to show support for last year’s tragedy and to take back a great American race. Most runners I spoke with were there to show their support. There were 36,000 runners registered for this race and roughly 70% were first time Boston marathon participants.

I was very fortunate to be given the opportunity to participate in this year’s event. I was special on so many different levels. I was able to connect with friends, and meet new people along the way. Boston was in great spirits. The community was very friendly, and welcomed us with open arms.

Packet Pickup & Expo

I picked up my packet and walked around the expo area on Sunday. I took my time to visit all the vendors. This expo is like no other. It’s massive, and just about every shoe and athlete recovery/performance company was on display. I stumbled upon, and took advantage of a foot massage area, and a leg compression pant vendor.

The weather on Sunday was perfect. I was able to walk around Boston and enjoy the sites. With thousands of people in town I ended up having lunch at a small corner store which made outstanding sandwiches. Their seating was outside, and I got a chance to do something I rarely get to do, relax and enjoy the scenery.

Boston is a point to point run, and most athletes ride the bus from Boston to the start of the race in Hopkinton. Athletes hang out at the athlete’s village where there is food, drink and restrooms are available. It takes a whole lot of school busses, and detailed planning to move thousands of runners from point A to point B.

Athlete's Village

Departure times were handed out based on an assigned wave. My departure window was 6 a.m. to 6:50 a.m. Race time was 10 a.m. When I arrived at the athlete’s village I still had two hours to wait for the race to start. The morning was a bit cool, so athletes did what they could to stay warm. I was suited up in a pair of pajama pants, and a couple of throw away tops. Most runners laid out in the sun laying on top of cardboard boxes.

There was lots of nervous energy in the air. The weather would be a bit hotter than expected. It was a perfect day for spectators, but a bit too warm for runners. We were off promptly at 10 a.m. The first 8 ish miles are a descent, so it makes for a very fast race start. If you are not carful here you can easily put yourself in a bad situation for the rest of the race.

The vibe given off by the crowd for the duration of the 26.2 mile run was simply unforgettable. There were thousands upon thousands of spectators all along the route. Spectators play a huge role during races. Athletes feed off their energy to keep them going. High fiving the children is one of my most cherished moments. Not only do we feed off their support, but I know we leave a great impression for them. Hearing the crowd yell when you high five a child is pretty awesome. You know that made the child feel like the top of the word for that moment.

Mile 23 photo taken by my gracious host.

The time flew by as I made my way through the rest of the course. Two years ago when I ran this course it was a complete struggle to finish the last couple miles. I remember having to stop and stretch out calf and hamstring cramps. If I had not run into a buddy of mine last year, I probably would have stopped to walk.

This year as I made my way through the last couple miles I could feel the emotions of the crowd, and though I was not at Boston last year, I fell into the moment. Adrenalin, and emotions were rushing through my body, and carried me to the finish line. I cannot begin to fathom the feelings going through all the athletes, and survivors running Boston this year.

As I crossed the finish line, and made the long ½ mile walk back to my gear check in I was in a state of satisfaction. Life could not be any better at that moment in time. I had come to Boston to show my support, and Boston had shown theirs for all that made the journey. I hope I can continue going back to Boston for as long as my legs allow me to.

I’d like to congratulate all my running buddies who went out there and had an outstanding race. Several PRs were had on not so ideal running conditions. You guys are awesome!

Thank you for reading my blog entry. As always feel free to email me any questions or comments you may have.

..ej

ej@trilifeblog.com

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