The Boston Marathon!

It is with a very heavy heart that i'm writing this post..... i've already forgotten about my heavy, sore legs!  I just took a shower after arriving at my place nearly 4 hours ago.  it almost felt like 9/11 ---- i couldn't tear myself away from the TV and media coverage... i fixed a peanut butter sandwich with some things i had in my place even though i as not really that hungry.  the only difference from 9/11 was this time is that I WAS THERE!  I finished the Boston Marathon in 3:48 (unoffical time) - i'll be honest - it wasn't my goal time.  I had hoped to finish in 3:35 but after what happened at the finish line of the marathon - makes my feelings of my race seem not so important.  i will say that the hills were a huge challenge. i did ENJOY the entire experience of the race as i promised myself that i would ENJOY every mile.  (except for the events that followed my finish).  i actually kept my head up and looked around throughout the race (something that i don't normally do when i run..... nose to the grindstone is how i usually run!)  i will say that heartbreak hill was not nearly as rough as i thought it would be..... the few hills (i lost count on how many) BEFORE heartbreak hill were much more difficult!!  as for the events at the finish line - i had NO idea what had happened.  i was picking up my gear bag that i had checked prior to the race ---- i was standing with many other runners as the explosions happened.  We all looked towards the explosion and immediately thought a cannon had gone off in celebration of Patriot's Day here in Boston.  We all picked up our gear bags and headed towards the subway a couple blocks away.  As we arrived in Subway, it was very crowded - although this did not surprise me at the time because the marathon was finishing up and the Sox had just won their baseball game in addition to the fact that it was Patriot's Day and most people had the day off work and school.  They said the station was closed and i thought - OK - maybe the station is just too full.  so i walked back up the stairs and asked someone above where the next station was (i left my cell phone back at my place so i didn't have my Google Maps!).  i started walking to the next station, as i arrived there - they said that station was closed also but did not say why.  so i just decided to walk back to my apartment... it felt like 15 miles but i think overall it was about 3.5 miles.  i arrived back to my apartment to find many texts on my phone as well as one from Ross that said call me ASAP.  he never uses the words ASAP with me so i knew it was important.  he told me what happened and i was shocked!  God was watching over me in more ways than one today and for that i am so thankful!  Life is a Gift! 

here are some pictures of my Boston Marathon experience this weekend before the marathon!  A lifelong dream of mine to run The Boston Marathon.


the expo!



my first glimpse of the finish line - i had tears in my eyes when i saw it for the first time :) so honored to be here!

number pick-up!!!





Boston Commons

The state house - the tour guide told us on the last day of the governor's reign, he walks out of the door and down the steps  (this area is blocked off every day but this particular day)  and into Boston Commons area ... to walk among the common people :)

the tour guide describes how the rich people of the town bought raised cemetary plots so they could go down into them and visit their loved ones and have them all buried in one spot.







the church where the lanterns were placed for Paul's midnight ride

The sight of the Boston Massacre ... the tour guide mentioned that it started with some heckling of the guards and snowballs being thrown...

Paul's house

I participated in the Freedom Trail 5k tour of Boston on Saturday.  The tour finished with a boat ride back to Boston.

Boston Marathon Logo :)

The finish area is revealed

Boston is one of the 5.... well 6 marathon majors now.  Toyko was just added.  Chicago (done!), Berlin (done!), New York (will do November 2013!) and London ... and Toyko (hope to do one day)

On Sunday, I voluneered at the 5K race at the mile 2 water stop.  I loved being able to pay it forward!

Top 3 men finishers of the 5k

i listened to a panel of writers from Runner's World speak about the marathon, running gear, etc.

Met Bart Yasso - famous for his Yasso's.  (12 - 800meter runs on a track used to predict your marathon finishing time)


empty fuel bottles!

the guy on the left MUST be an engineer!  blowing up a garbage bag to use as a pillow!  genius!  either that or a veteran Boston Marathoner.  maybe both!

ONE of the athlete's village tents and "camping" area.  there were 2 of these camps set up at the start of the race.  although we didn't "camp" there - we had to sit there before the race started because we were bussed from Boston to Hopkinton.  I had to be on the bus @ 6:30am, but had to wait for 1 hour 45 minutes to actually board the bus to ride to Hopkinton - then it was about a 45 minute ride to Hopkinton.  then i camped out until my race started around 10:20am. 

i snapped a couple pictures of the Boston Commons area filled with runners waiting the busses to Hopkinton.  Almost ALL of Boston Commons was filled with runners!  crazy!

more runners - and also glad i was not the only one taking photos :)