The Before (very brief):
I
think the best feeling of the whole weekend is the moment that I got my bib
number on Friday and felt that I really did belong in the Boston Marathon. They
really gave me a bib! And not only that, but then they gave me the official
Boston Marathon tech shirt. Everything just happens so fast. The moment that I
had been waiting for since September of 2012 was really happening all at once.
It was really time to do this.
After
getting the bib and shirt, it was on to the expo to end all expos. There were
so many booths and so many free samples of things being given away; it was a
runner’s dream. Until, there was a small fire and everyone in the expo floor
had to be evacuated. This was upsetting to a lot of people because we didn’t
know it was a small fire until we were out of the building. With everything
that happened in 2013, no one really knew what was going on but to run.
Later
that day, I was finally able to meet up with Miss Kacey. When you are apart
from your running friend since January, three months is a really long time. I
was so very, very happy to see her.
Saturday
morning, my dad and I ran the 5k. It was my first outdoor run since Disney in
January, and it was just meant to be a shake-out run to get used to the roads.
It was my dad’s first 5k since January 2013, and he wasn’t sure is he could
finish, but he did. No matter what was going to happen in the marathon, I had
run a race in Boston.
Saturday
night was our MM meet-up. I still don’t know how God led me to this amazing
group of people, but I am so incredibly fortunate and lucky to have them all.
It’s odd for me to think that one year ago, I barely knew any of them, and now
they are some of my closest friends. Running really does change lives.
Sunday
was Easter, so my dad and I went to church at a chapel…in the mall. It filled
up really fast and the 10:30 a.m. mass was specifically the runner’s mass. I
had a very productive day planned after church – heating pad, laying in bed and
watching Tangled and Frozen, which happen to be my two favorite Disney movies.
I could watch them both on repeat for days. Then it was time to head to the
Pasta dinner. We were able to get a cab and the driver dropped us off a block
away, so we had to walk to get there. By the time we got there at 5:50 p.m.,
the line was already wrapped outside of the building and around two corners of
the block. We made it pretty close by 6:30 and told our wait time would be
about 15 minutes. When it reached 7:00 p.m. and we hadn’t moved an inch, we
left. It was pretty cold in the shade and my hip and knee were starting to
bother me; it wasn’t worth it and I had food to eat in the hotel room.
The Race:
The
morning of April 21, 2014 was the day I had been waiting for probably my whole
life, but didn’t really know it until after I ran my first marathon. The dream
was to run the Boston Marathon, and it was becoming very real. The walk from
the hotel to the buses was a bit chilly, and I got to Boston Common about a
half hour before I had to be there. After the second wave was boarded at 7:30,
they started to call for all runners. I hugged my dad and took off for the
buses. I don’t know what fate had in store for me that morning, but out of all
the tens of thousands of runners, I got on a bus that a friend was already on.
Seriously, the chances of that happening are so ridiculously low.
The
bus ride to Hopkinton took about an hour and I think I fell asleep because I
don’t really remember it all too well. One moment we were in Downtown Boston,
and then we were there, at the start of the race. It was so great having
someone there to talk to and be with at the Athlete’s Village. There was no
need to panic or freak out. After relaxing for a bit, we got back in the
bathroom line, and there, out of nowhere, was my bestest running friend, Kacey.
All the stars had aligned for this day, because really, what are the chances of
this happening? We were able to get some pre-race pictures and hugs – the way
everything was supposed to be.
Being
in Wave 3, I had to wait until they called for my wave to go to the starting
corrals. When they finally called for Wave 3, Corrals 1-3 – everyone in Wave 3
started walking to the corrals, so it was a bit of a mess. I knew what time it
was and I knew that Wave 3, Corral 1 left at 11:00 a.m. exactly, so I was
booking it to the corral. I got to Corral 1 with about 5 minutes to spare,
which is good because it leaves very little time to panic. The announcer
started the countdown and announced there was one minute to go and the only
thing going through my head at that moment was “this is really happening. I’m
going to run the Boston Marathon RIGHT NOW!” The next thing I knew the gun went
off and the announcer wished us all good luck.
The
spectators were lined all along the course from the start line all the way to
the finish. I stuck to the right side of the road for most of the race, which meant
there were a lot of spectators with their hands out waiting for the high-five
as the runners passed by. I think my about mile 8, I had to stop slapping hands
because it was getting exhausting. The ones I remember the most where the
little kids being instructed by their parents on how to cheer and how to put
their hands out, and my favorite that was in the first mile, someone was
holding up their dog and extending the dog’s paw. I loved shaking that dog’s paw! And I loved seeing all the many dogs along the race course.
The
first few miles flew by very quickly and my first goal of the race was to make
it to the mile four water stop to see Miss Buttercup herself. It was a very
good thing that she was right at the front of the water stop handing out cups
and I found her easily. She says I almost knocked her over when I gave her a
hug, but I think that she was mostly surprised.
It was a magic hug that powered me for the next few miles.
There
was a point in the first ten miles that I felt I was flying a little faster
than I had planned and for a few minutes, the thought had crossed my mind that
maybe, just maybe, I could get a PR. I knew better, but it was nice to
entertain the thought. I few days before the marathon, I watched the course
video at the expo, so I knew what was coming. What I didn’t expect though were
the little baby hills within the first few miles. Who put those there? I tried to take advantage of as much of the
flat parts as possible, but really, I wasn’t thinking too much about my time; I
just wanted to absorb every moment and enjoy every step. It wasn’t about time,
it was about finishing the journey.
The
first town sign I saw was Ashland at about mile 4.5. I was so excited to be
able to check off one of the signs. I had already crossed the 5k marker, but I
was anticipated every 5k point because I knew so many people were following me.
It’s odd to be stalked. Every time I got to another 5k marker, I stomped on the
timer mat to make sure my presence was known. It made me smile more.
I
really can’t say enough about the fans and spectators for this race. There were
water stops every mile, but so many people had their own water and food stops
throughout the course that we were never without. I really liked getting the
bottles of water after the 10 mile point since they were easier to carry and
drink. Also, the sponges and the wet naps were so great because the sun was
really starting to pound down.
One
thing I really noticed throughout was that everyone on the course was very
respectful. There was no weaving or cutting or pushing. Everyone was placed in
their wave/corral according to their time and it is amazing how well it works
when no one is able to be dishonest about their time. (RunDisney – take note.) When the heat and the course started taking
their toll, there were still people around me that were keeping my same pace.
We really were running together.
Before
even getting to Boston, the plan in the back of my head was to walk up the
hills. I knew that my knee and my quads would not be prepared for the hills and
if I wanted to be able to still run to the finish, I had to save myself on the
hills. I was aware of the Newton hills that started at mile 16, so when they
hit, I started walking them. I had no idea just how many hills there were from
mile 16 to Heartbreak at mile 20. All of the bad marathonfoto pictures that
were taken of me occurred when I was on one of my hill death marches. From mile
16 to just after mile 20, the plan was walk the hill, run for a very short time
on the flat parts, walk the hill, and repeat.
Did
I mention it was hot?? For those of use Northerners that had a rough winter,
starting to run at 11:00 a.m. in the sun was really starting to take its toll
by about mile 16, just in time for the hills. There were quite a few people that were
starting to slow down also quite a few walkers. The hill before Heartbreak at
mile 19 was pretty big, and in my opinion, just as bad, or worse, than
Heartbreak; yet, one foot in front of the other and just powering through. By
the time Heartbreak was conquered, it was all downhill from there…well, kind
of.
There
is very little I remember from mile 20 to 24. I do know that there was mostly running
but walking as well as the conditions started to get to me. So it was great to
be able to see another friend along the course at about 23.5. I saw something
in the corner of my eye that was orange and waving, so I turned around. There
was Pat, so I ran back and gave her a hug. It was that moment that I know I was
going to finish this marathon.
I was walking
through all the water stops and taking water at every stop, but there comes a
point when you can only drink so much luke-warm water before you just don’t
want any more. At the mile 24 water stop, there was a small group on the
sidelines that were handing out freezy pops. Those pops were a little taste of
heaven at mile 24. My teeth didn’t want to chew the ice, but I was able to suck
all the flavor out and spit out the ice. I know it might not seem like much,
but that little ice pop might have saved me.
It
was about mile 24 when I saw the Citgo sign and knew it was almost over, but it
was still pretty hard to believe, and there was another stupid little hill
going into Boston. Who put that one there? I remember seeing the mile 25 sign,
and when I ran past it, I slapped it. Only about one mile to go, but it was
getting rough.
With about
a mile from the finish, I started walking to conserve my energy so I could run
to the finish, and this random guy in the crowd near Fenway pointed at me when
I was going past. He said, “I believe in you. You’ve got this, you are going to
run to the finish!” I looked at him like he was crazy, but said, “okay, if you
say so!” I started running and never stopped. I was then on the same course
from that the 5k took a few days before, and when I started the downhill to go
under the overpass, the song One Moment in Time came on my ipod. It was the
song I finished my first marathon to in 2012 (and absolutely no correlation at
all, Whitney Houston died weeks later). Then I passed the 1 km to go point and started
crying. I made it, I was going to do this.
I kept
on running up the little hill and kept thinking ‘right on Hereford, left on
Boylston.’ After making the right on Herefore, I knew it was so incredibly
close. I was running up the Hereford hill and just listening to the crowd roar.
Then came the moment. The moment that I took the left on Boylston Street and
saw the finish line. It is something I won’t ever forget.
As I
was running down Boylston, just before the 26 mile point, my right knee started
to give out. For the first time since January, I had to put all my weight on my
weak left leg so I could continue to run, but it didn’t matter. I was running to
the finish line if it took a 20 minute pace. It was also at this moment that I
was lifting my arms up and down to get a reaction from the crowd. When I did
this, I heard a ‘beep beep beep’ chime on my ipod that it was switching songs.
What song could possibly be better than the one that was one? That’s right, “Let
it Go” came on my ipod. I started crying again and cried (and maybe sang) all
the way to the finish. I distinctly remember the words “let it go…can’t hold it
back anymore,” and I pushed and ran as hard as I could to finish. I could not
have scripted it any better.
I know
as time passes, I will forget every little moment, every step, and even just
how hot the sun was that day. But, I will never forget how it felt to hear the
cheers, strangers yelling my name, the one moment when I turned onto Boylston Street
and saw the finish line, and finally, the moment in time when my dream and my
reality merged into one when I crossed the finish line. No matter how many other marathons there are
in the world, there is only one Boston. I am completely honored and humbled to
be a Boston Marathon finisher, and that is something that can never be taken
away.
Even
if the road was hard to get to Boston, if God leads you to it, He will bring
you through it. And no matter what, we never run alone. We run with our pasts,
with those that have gone before us, with our families, with our friends, and
with each other. We run as one.
