How do you even approach writing down a day like this? I'm still not sure but here's one humble account and perspective of what was for me an unforgettable day.
I first have to acknowledge Chris Pusey and Scott Keate for finding and setting us up in "southie". The house and neighborhood we stayed in were so wonderful. It enriched the experience exponentially. What a cool family to just offer up their home to renters for a weekend. It really felt like an extension of home. I imagine that a hotel would still be great, but to have the extra space to breathe, and talk, and cook, and be alone when needed... well I'm just incredibly thankful. The "family" while we were there was myself, Scott Keate, Reed Seamons, Dan Varga, Rob Rohde, Ryan Johnson, Paul Fulton, and Curtis Eppley. I can't say enough good things about these guys. So I will just say thank you to all of them. Matt Poulsen and Fritz were there in spirit :). They were on all of our minds while we were there and were missed, but the thoughts of what great people and competitors they are strengthened me. I have so many great stories from our time there, too many for a blog entry. I'd love to share some miles and some of those experiences with friends :). The dinner we had together the night before was a real highlight for me. I loved being able to sit down and have a good meal with everyone in a home setting... so cool. I didn't sleep much that night. I wasn't nervous or anxious, I just couldn't drift off. We were up at 4:30 eating laughing and talking. The whole vibe of the city the days leading to the race are incredible. Race morning that level was turned up another notch. Emotions were high. We missed the first bus to the loading area but were soon there with a sea of people waiting to load the buses. The conditions turned perfect that morning, blue clear skies with a touch of clouds. It was going to stay cooler too so that was a bonus. I rode the bus with Scott and got into my little zen place with some epic classical and tried to envision my race in the most positive light that I could. I thought about some possible struggle points but decided that whatever happened I would not quit, and that I would not stop smiling and being thankful. It was my goal to make a positive impact on some people and draw from the Boston energy well when needed, to dig in to the experience. As we got closer it finally sunk in what I was doing and where I was. It's strange to me that a bus ride could end up as a pretty powerful experience but it is what it is. Scott is a fireball of positive energy too so perhaps I was gleaning some of that from him. We got to the school, found Kevin, and all set up away from the crowds out front in the grass. So many people... I've never seen that many people in one place. There was this older asian guy in a swan costume that stood out. He did not speak any english but was as happy as I was about me asking for a photo. Little highlights like this all day long.... Finally it was time to line up and I still didn't have a real "goal". My training has been a patchwork quilt of rest, recovery, do what I can cross training, and finally some running the last few weeks so I had no idea where to start. I thought my realistic window was 2:45 - 2:59:59 but it wasn't until the walk/jog down to the start that I decided. Somehow this silly idea came into my head to run 20:00 5k's and speed it up a little at the end. The thought of those 20's seemed really easy (of course they did but they're not lol) so I got suddenly super confident that a 2:46 was in the bag. <-- oh silly man... Closing in on that 1st corral I started crying happy tears again because I am a bit of a baby but got it back in check and settled in close to the front. I wished Scott well and lined up with Kevin and three online friends that I got to finally meet and hang out with over the weekend. Chris from Houston, Caleb from North Carolina, and Tim from Paris. (I took advantage of the opportunity to meet so many great great people that I have corresponded with online the past few years and finally met face to face.) The national anthem was another highlight (more tears and a charge of awesome energy) and soon after the gun went off. Goal for that first mile was 6:40 and I hit it perfect in 6:41. A group of Curtis, Reed, Ryan, and I were together and all decided that 2:45ish was a good place to be for the day and decided to stay together. It was at this point for me that the experience of Boston pretty much took over. The crowds have to be experienced to be understood. I have never seen anything like it. I was high fiving little kids, thanking military personell, thanking volunteers, smiling and making eye contact with people.... it's all just overwhelming pure positive energy. At times I forgot I was running and just tried to soak as much of it up as I could. I took a gel at mile 5. My plan was to gel every 5 miles, the first two no caffeine, the next two with, (i was packing 5 in my extra pocketed shorts) and use the last one with a double shot of caffeine if I needed it toward the end. The next miles slowly and progressively got faster and were right on pace for the goal. 6:24, 6:23, 6:12, 6:20, 6:14, 6:16, 6:19 were miles 2 - 8. Just after 8 miles Reed said "go Hoyts!!" and I looked to my right and I was right next to Dick and Rick Hoyt. I immediately started welling up with tears again and told them thank you. So much cheering... so much energy. Servicemen running in fatigues and full backpacks in step. An awesome double amputee running on prosthetic legs. People running for causes. The easter bunny running in costume throwing candy to the crowd. Unbelievable. Reed, Ryan, Curtis and I just kept smiling at each other and remarking how incredible it was to be there.. 6:19, 6:22, 6:24, 6:13 were 9-12. Gel at 10. Wellesley college is around this point and the sound is deafening haha. So many girls. So many wanting kisses. There was this kid with black hair between the small gap of Reed and I and he has the biggest smile on his face... just going from girl to girl... loll. I slapped as many fives as I could through here but no kissing.. promise. My favorite signs through here that I can recall are "Kiss me I don't speak english" (written in english lol), and "Kiss me I'm really drunk". We came through the half with the group intact and feeling good in 1:23:45. Perfect. Just have to hold it together comfortably and have the legs to attack the last 5 miles and we're there. 6:31, 6:24, 6:32, 6:20.. miles 13-16. Gel at 15. This is where we finally split up a bit and my training reality started to set in. I'm pretty good at listening to my body. Throughout this whole race not once was my breathing the least bit out of control, which was a weird sensation. My legs felt ok at the end of mile 16 but normally they feel much better than this. For some reason I did not at all begin to worry or despair. I just smiled and silently thought to myself.. "here we go". Mile 17 was 6:43. The first of the inclines was not too bad. I'm optomistic even though I know my legs are going. I had been drinking quite a bit throughout the race but still felt thirsty. This made me smile. I knew it was coming. But I kept smiling and focused on things that made me happy. Friends from home. Funny stuff that we had done over the weekend. Silly thoughts of Dan hypothetically diving into the girls at Wellsley. Mile 18 6:48 still keeping it together. I am still high fiving kids, smiling at people, thinking about the kindness shown to each and every runner. Mile 19 6:38. Gel here. Cheers of "go Utah!", "let's go 391!". So helpful. So needed lol. I'm ok but starting to hurt. Mile 20 6:57. I am still thinking I can run 2:48 here lol. I laugh because at this point my glutes and my hamstrings are all done. Never had any problems during a race with hammies. Weird. Done, like cheesegrater done. I will not stop running today is my thought. Mile 21 7:11. 2:50? :). Breathing fine, legs will not turn over. Normally this would be a downer but I find it impossible to be down given how awesome it is through here. I tell myself most everyone else is struggling here too. That works for a minute. Then I pass these two girls. One says "Let's go! You got this! You are looking strong!" Right as I pass her friend starts laughing. I think to myself, "what they just said is "dude you look horrible, please don't die". I begin to laugh again and try to pick it up. Then I see Reed and I smile. It's someone I know so now I need to catch him. As I get close he starts to walk. I shout some encouragement and he returns the favor. We are going to get it done. I think we are about to go up heartbreak but I'm not sure. I'm trying to climb, thinking about the stairmaster sessions, but my legs just won't turn. I start to chuckle again. Especially when I think of Fritz hammering the stairmaster with no hands. I dig in and find a gear and start moving really well. Just as I'm over the top of the hill my right hamstring cramps. I have never had cramps and it is not cool. My leg is stuck straight and I can't bend my knee. My quad is twitching like crazy. I am now sit/laying on the pavement. There goes Reed. People are yelling for me to get up. Telling me I can do it. I smile and muster an "I'll be ok". But I still can't get up. An officer comes over to me and says that there is a med tent less than a quarter mile away. He tells me he is going to help me up and take me down there. I look up, tell him thanks, and then I told him that I appreciate him and what he's doing but he's not taking me anywhere today. He says ok and gives me a wink a a smile. This is one of my favorite memories from the race. So this guy and his kid come up and hand me a bottle of water. I had replaced my gels I had taken with powerade caffeinated gels they were handing out earlier. I took all three powerade gels and downed the whole bottle of water and stood up. As soon as I stood people went nuts. I now feel like a rockstar. I have a smile on my face and tears in my eyes as I tell the guy thanks and slap his kid five and start running. There's the marker, mile 22 8:52. About a mile later my left hammie cramps. I'm at the aide station and pound a couple more cups of water and start running again. The crowds and runners at this point I'm sure are going to will anyone struggling to the finish. I can't run fast or I'll cramp again so I find the new line just under cramping and sit on it. I will not run over 3 hours today :).
I hit the stretch at Beacon street and I see the Citgo sign. I remember a Saucony post from earlier that said "I eat Beacon street for breakfast". My legs are fried on Beacon street became my slogan for that stretch, I smiled some more and waved my hands and the crowds go crazy. I laugh and am filled with gratitude. I am humbled by the day. 7:04, 7:18, 6:52 were 23-25. That last mile is incredibly special. So many people there and so much good energy. I make the turn onto Boylston and see the line and so.many.people. Wow. No words. 7:04 mile 26. .4 at 6:49 pace to finish. 2:56:00
I agree with Scott in that people are stripped down to their "raw" being at the end of a marathon. For a few moments there are no personal barriers up and everyone is the same. Everyone is exchanging encouragement. The post finish area of a marathon is quite the place, and Boston is the tops in this regard of the races I have finished. The sweetest old woman placed a finisher medal around my neck and told me that I had a great smile. I told her that hers is one I will never forget. This was the most satisfying marathon I have ran. I am so pleased with how it turned out given my injury in January and the lack of real training. Overjoyed. ------------- What happened next was quite the experience. We had got on a bus to return to our house and were directed down a street with so much foot traffic. An officer stopped the bus and the result was an argument between the officer and a lady on the bus, with the driver asking for assistance. The officer shut the bus down and called for a transit supervisor. Scott tried to mediate a positive solution with the officer but he wasn't willing to participate. He told us to pull the bus over and as we were pulling the bus to a stop we heard a loud boom. It startled everyone on the bus, the driver thought we had been hit by someone. None of knew what had happened. A few minutes later people started to flood from the square. A city worker had come and boarded the bus. He told the driver that he thought an electrical transformer had exploded near the finish area. We were going to remain on the bus until we were cleared to move but we decided to leave the bus, and try to catch a different one at the station. We still weren't clear on what had happened. We actually used twitter to get what little details we could.Scott was soon relieved to hear that his parents were safe and we had got word that all others we knew were also safe.
Over 2 hours later, after a long walk, a train ride, and another long walk we were nearing home. At the base of the hill before the last bit to the house the bus we were originally on drove by in the other direction :). When we got back to the house we were subject to the same media coverage as the rest of the world and couldn't believe to hear what had happened. We spent the next several hours connecting with family and friends while watching the coverage and trying to recover. So much has been said at this point. I agree with what Scott shared at the end of his report, it's written very well. Scott's report Many of you have already read through it. I also want to share a post made Tuesday by my friend Bill. He's lived in Boston his whole life and is a multi marathon and multi Boston marathon runner. Yesterday there were several tributes but the whole of the running community in Boston got out to run. Bill's post is the following: "I wonder if the person that planted the bomb was on the Charles tonight.
If so, I'm guessing it must have felt a little like the Grinch on
Christmas morning. I mean if the goal was to break a city's spirits,
then the sight of runners of every age and ability looking more
determined and unified than ever must have really hurt. If you're trying
to break a city with as much heart as Boston, my advice is it would be
easier to go count grains of sand on a beach somewhere. Having lived
here my whole life and knowing that these are the type of people where
many would have wrapped that little 8-year old child in their arms to
protect them if they had only known, there was no doubt that they were
going to be out there today. If there was ever a place where cowardly
acts get drowned out by the selfless character of its people, Boston is
that place." This paragraph above is a testament to the spirit of the people in the great city of Boston. Scott and I had an awesome day yesterday there. Such incredible people. Strangers greeted us and I'm sure many others with tears and told us they were happy we were safe and asked us to please come back. So tough. The entire community there is so tight... Amazing stuff. I would really like to line up in Hopkinton again. Next year will be something very special. I want to say thanks for the outpouring of love and concern for our little group while we were out there. My thoughts and prayers remain with the families of the affected, on both sides of the spectrum.
I don't have much to share going forward except this.... Get out and run. Easy, hard, long, short, alone, with people. Just get out and keep putting one foot in front of the other. It's what we do. It's what we will continue to do. It's what we will always do.
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