Marathon Monday - The Boston Marathon

I'm not easily suckered, or so I'd like to think. I found a marathon training plan that both scared and intrigued me and looked like it just might work. It was endorsed and "used" by many of the professional marathon runners and coaches.... just like LeBron James "uses" Icy Hot and "eats" McDonald's to make him play so well. While the endorsements were a turn off, I did respect the coach who put it together, and I stuck it in my  hip pocket for future use.

The movie that inspired a movement, or at least gave it a name, was The Bucket List...things to do before you kick-the-bucket. I've always been a goal oriented person and have set many goals to complete in each area of my life. On the fitness side, when I turned 30 years old I set 5 races to complete before I kick-the-bucket thinking they would take many years to complete, The Boston Marathon being one of them. After completing Ironman last November (4th event of the 5) I was ready to take a break after having had the most wonderful experience and was ready to bask aftermath of training and my new found fitness. I was also ready for a financial break from these races as well. The life experience and insights into myself I gained were priceless, but that doesn't mean they weren't pricey.

Along came my same friend who opened up a New York Marathon spot for me (2nd event of the 5) and offered me a spot in The Boston Marathon. While many who run Boston qualify with a blazing fast time for their age group, there are many spots given to charities and sponsors, and that's how I was going to get in the race. While I'm no slouch at running, I wasn't yet at a place in my life to totally sacrifice my family, business and everything else to reach the 3:05 qualifying time needed for my age. I was happy to take the wonderful gift, however there was a caveat, you start in the back. I was ok with it, and I started in on the new training plan to get me ready.

Meeting many wonderful and crazy-fit people at our hotel and in the line for the bus marathon morning, there were many experienced runners around and there wasn't the usual nervous energy race morning. There was an intensity in the air from all the type-A personalities, but it was calm and positive. Eventually I left Athelete's Village and was in my corral.... in the last wave, in the last corral. Before our gun went off, at one point I looked behind me and there was nobody! 27000 people and I was starting dead last. The great part about that was I was with all the charity runners. Team In Training, Hole in the Wall, American Cancer Society, Boston Children's Home and many many others. It reminded to be thankful for the ability to even be able to run and enjoy what I love.

As we all began to run I already began to feel the weight of the masses and starting in the back. Many slower runners, and runners dressed as Elvis and wearing skirts and flags, etc, etc. While I know and love this aspect of big races, this time I wanted to see what I could potentially run. Spending much of the first three miles weaving back and forth on the road finding gaps and stopping short and speeding up I knew I was spending a lot of extra energy. Then I noticed a gentleman just easily cruising along on the berm with about my same speed. I worked over towards him and together on the outside of the madness we passed 1000's. He was from Denmark (so said his jersey) and he spoke no English and it was pretty nice run with somebody and have no obligation to talk in the moment. He eventually stopped at a water stop and I kept going and now the crowd had thinned a little bit.

I was able to hit my pace and was feeling very good by mile 8. I had made up for lost time and was on track to hit my goal time! What kept playing in my head was this new training plan, in which you only run up to 16 miles and no further. There was a lot of weekly mileage however no 20 mile runs, no 3 hour runs, just 16 miles. Though I followed the plan to the letter, I was very curious to see what happened after mile 16.

The streets were lined with people the entire race and lots of polite applause and witty remarks and funny and inspirational signs. However nearing the Half Marathon mark I hear high pitched screaming. As I crested a slight hill I saw the streets on either side packed with the Wellesly Girls College (all of them I believe)! They were all screaming so loud and jumping up and down holding signs that said "Kiss Me I'm going to be a Chemist" or "Kiss Me! I'm going to be Meteorologist," or "Kiss Me and Run Faster!". While it was a fun spectacle to see I kept to the middle of the road as to not get caught up and slowed by the eagerness of others taking them up on the offer.

Easily crossing the Half Marathon mark and blowing through the 16 mile mark the next landmark was Christie who was supposed to be waiting to see me at mile 18. I starting looking for her green jacket at mile 17, but the problem was that all the volunteer jackets were the same color green. I spent the next 3 miles looking for green jackets and just when I had given up on seeing her in the masses of people, there she was at mile 20. After a quick hello I ran on to look for the infamous Heartbreak Hill which I had read was at mile 21.5.

I was keeping a pretty good clip when a lady passed me just blazing it and I sped up and ran with her and complimented her on her pace. And she told me she wanted to crush heartbreak hill. I responded that I couldn't wait to tackle it as well. She looked over at me and said, "Honey, this is it, we're almost done, there's the top!" Then I looked down and saw chalk drawings of hearts with cracks and saw a guy pounding a drum at the top of the "hill" to simulate the "Heart beat." I guess running in Middle Tennessee has redefined my expectations of hills. I thought to myself, if this is as tough as it gets, I've got it!

I've said it before and it still holds true, the greatest part of a Marathon is not when you finish but when you realize you're going to finish. That happened to me at mile 24. My legs were tired, but so is everyone else's. My quads were sore, but I could tell they weren't going to cramp. I saw the famous Citgo Sign meaning there was 1 mile left, and after taking inventory of my body, I felt pretty darn good! I took off because This Is Boston! The coveted Boston Marathon where people strive and claw and strain themselves to even get the opportunity to pin on a Boston bib. I wanted to leave with no regrets.

The last part of the course was winding until I finally turned the corner to see the finish line and I gave it all I had even though a new personal best time was in the bag. Now, at that point my "all out" may not have looked like much, but I was wide open, and when I crossed the finish line I was so glad it was over, not because I wanted to quit, but I was so happy that I could say I gave it my all at The Boston Marathon.