It’s been a while since I’ve crossed anything off my “Buried Life List;” so, it’s been a while since I’ve had anything to say…
WARNING: This is going to be more of a ramble, as I cannot describe this experience with anything witty.
On April 19, 2011, I ran the Boston Marathon, number 12 on the list.
WARNING: This is going to be more of a ramble, as I cannot describe this experience with anything witty.
On April 19, 2011, I ran the Boston Marathon, number 12 on the list.
I’ve debated for a while how to write this, because the experience really is so hard to describe in words. I guess, then, the best way to describe it is to tell the stories that meant the most to me!
I stayed in a hostel…yikes! That forced me to meet new friends; thus, making much of the blog a story of me and my new friends!
The morning before, I was going out for my day-before-marathon-keeping-loose one-miler. As I was about to head out, a guy saw me and indicated I should tag along. As we began to run, it became evident said guy did not speak English. But, we understood left and right and numbers. I believe he was from Italy, and as we ran, we found out he qualified with a 2:22 marathon (that would be one hour and eleven minutes faster than my qualifier). Yep. That’s a different league. Pretty sure I would never have had the opportunity absent Boston.
I spent that day at the expo, and met a new friend (Christina) to have the pre-marathon pasta (pronounce with a short “a” like cat) dinner.
The next morning, Christina and I set off for the school busses that drive us 26.2 miles outside of Boston where the race begins. We met another Christina on the way…
All three of us split as we all were in different corals; so, now it’s time to run!
I stayed in a hostel…yikes! That forced me to meet new friends; thus, making much of the blog a story of me and my new friends!
The morning before, I was going out for my day-before-marathon-keeping-loose one-miler. As I was about to head out, a guy saw me and indicated I should tag along. As we began to run, it became evident said guy did not speak English. But, we understood left and right and numbers. I believe he was from Italy, and as we ran, we found out he qualified with a 2:22 marathon (that would be one hour and eleven minutes faster than my qualifier). Yep. That’s a different league. Pretty sure I would never have had the opportunity absent Boston.
I spent that day at the expo, and met a new friend (Christina) to have the pre-marathon pasta (pronounce with a short “a” like cat) dinner.
The next morning, Christina and I set off for the school busses that drive us 26.2 miles outside of Boston where the race begins. We met another Christina on the way…
All three of us split as we all were in different corals; so, now it’s time to run!
I was pretty sure I would cry the entire time, or at minimum, when I finished. I only got a little teary at the beginning…HOLY MOLY I’M RUNNING BOSTON! Then, the adrenaline kicked in…
The race was something else. The most difficult race of my life. I left EVERYTHING on that road (where at one point is only 22 feet wide). I did not feel much, I just knew I had a goal, and it was that finish line in Boston, not the little towns we run through. No feelings, no emotions, no hunger, no pain…
The race was something else. The most difficult race of my life. I left EVERYTHING on that road (where at one point is only 22 feet wide). I did not feel much, I just knew I had a goal, and it was that finish line in Boston, not the little towns we run through. No feelings, no emotions, no hunger, no pain…
The memorable points of the run were the guys jetting across the road to kiss the Wellesley girls, screaming “Sic ‘Em Bears!” around mile 16 to the random guy holding up a Baylor sign, and then Heartbreak Hills (yes, there are three…not one!). It’s the most AMAZING elation when you reach the top of the third one, the sidewalk chalk marking the end of the uphills…all down here from here. Conquering most runners’ arch nemesis! Then, the last 5K (where you enter Boston) is the most amazing experience I’ve had to date. The tens of thousands of spectators in Boston scream “USA” the entire way. I could run the Olympics for that!
Then we cross the finish line, and spectators, runners, random people on the street congratulate all the runners. THEY WANT THE RUNNERS THERE! It’s so much a part of that city! I got a little choked up at finishing, I knew I was within seconds of my goal (3:29:45, and I finished in 3:29:44). Side note: I thought that was sub-8, but sub-8 is 3:29:35, that’s next time!
The after party was spent with the second Christina. Burgers and beer, drinking at Fenway Park, and seeing the elite athletes at the House of Blues was fantastic! The next morning, it’s walking off the race (so you can move the rest of the week). I went from the Sam Adams brewery (met a couple of guys who run tris, and one happened to work at the same firm as I in DC), and finally to the North End for the most amazing canolis (3) EVER.
Alone, but making friends (that I’ll probably never see again), this weekend was top two of my life. Top celebrating the gift God has given me. It was worth the pain, sweat, blood (that’s from the three falls), and tears from training during busy season…and not sleeping. Let’s HOPE I’m accepted next year to run! WORTH.EVERY.MOMENT.
Then we cross the finish line, and spectators, runners, random people on the street congratulate all the runners. THEY WANT THE RUNNERS THERE! It’s so much a part of that city! I got a little choked up at finishing, I knew I was within seconds of my goal (3:29:45, and I finished in 3:29:44). Side note: I thought that was sub-8, but sub-8 is 3:29:35, that’s next time!
The after party was spent with the second Christina. Burgers and beer, drinking at Fenway Park, and seeing the elite athletes at the House of Blues was fantastic! The next morning, it’s walking off the race (so you can move the rest of the week). I went from the Sam Adams brewery (met a couple of guys who run tris, and one happened to work at the same firm as I in DC), and finally to the North End for the most amazing canolis (3) EVER.
Alone, but making friends (that I’ll probably never see again), this weekend was top two of my life. Top celebrating the gift God has given me. It was worth the pain, sweat, blood (that’s from the three falls), and tears from training during busy season…and not sleeping. Let’s HOPE I’m accepted next year to run! WORTH.EVERY.MOMENT.
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