Trails are hard!
7 years ago already?? where does the time go?
Aamos - when I ran Boston in 2008, our bus driver got lost. He eventually stopped and asked directions, and then re-routed, but then found that the road was blocked. We ended up having to get off the bus and walk the last couple of miles to the starting area.
Need a fast half for late fall. Then I need to actually train for it.
Hi friends - it was a fabulous weekend here in Boston!! I managed to spend some part of every day in Boston enjoying the pre-race excitement.
Ran the BAA 5k on Saturday with about 8,000+ other runners all enjoying the Boston excitment!! Meeting up with the Somerville gang and then heading to Robin's partay was a blast!!
My volunteer job was different than I expected on Human Chain 3 - we didnt really need to be in our place until they started loading the first wave, so a few of us went up to the start line to watch the mobility impaired runners and all the different cycle starts. One look at all of these amazing athletes and it makes you want to scream when you hear a perfectly able bodied person say I could never run a mile. In human chain 3 we manned the last corral for every wave, then "swept" the runners up to the starting line making sure noone with higher bib numbers tried to jump in. After the last runner crossed the start line, my job was supposedly done - not to be this year!! We rode the bus to Copley and then I went with 2 other friends to meet a friend working the information booth in the family meeting area. It was like the walking wounded there - so many runners looked awful. They were cold, looking hypothermic, cramping -- terrible. Ironically, my 2 friends that I went with are also nurses and I felt like we were doing medical triage. The runners already had the foil ponchos on, but we had extra foil sheets that we would wrap and tie around their waist to help keep the wind of their legs. We also sent some off with the medical volunteers to the med tent. It was a crazy day out there. On our ride home a couple of our runners needed a little close attention as well - took a long time to warm them up. We did have one of our runners taken off the course at mile 10 - she was so hypothermic they took her to the hospital - poor thing.
Overall it was a great day despite the ridiculous weather conditions. The only downside for me -- I ended up with the stomach bug last night I was so sick and stayed in bed all day today -- really hope I didnt pass any germs on to everyone I was in contact with yesterday.
denise
MM #5615
I think it is really cool how so many of you gave up your day to help out at Boston, yesterday. Very cool.
The true rock stars are the volunteers and that some are right here in RA is even more awesome! And soon Maraposai is up as the RD of her great half-marathon in her hometown and then there are the every weekend volunteers we have here and more. I am sorry I missed coastwalker, deez, and lamerunner on Monday, but I know you were working hard!
My huge thanks to everyone who gives back to this hobby and sport we love.
Tselbs! I've loved all your travel photos and it looks like it was a marvelous trip! Where in Switzerland? I was born in Stafa (near Zurich) and lived there until I was five years-old. we moved to the states in 1969. A Swiss marathon is on my list!
I have lots of memories from yesterday and all good. I came in with about 50 runners from Western Mass on a bus sponsored by a local running club. That's always nice since we have a nice warm and dry spot for waiting and then after the race, the bus is parked just beyond the family meet-up area and near a hotel that lets us use the restroom for cleaning up etc. I was SO COLD shuffling from the finish line to the bus this year and once I heaved myself up the bus stairs I just wanted to get my dry and warm clothes on. I just put a blanket over myself and changed there---oh my goodness. I'll never get a job with Cirque du Soleil.....it took what seemed like an hour to contort myself out of my race togs and into my dry stuff. Loss of fine motor control and sports bra extrication does not work well together. I just started laughing.
My plan was/is to Run Boston, Race Vermont City Marathon and then race even harder at the Chicago Marathon. Step One worked...we'll see about the rest! A friend just posted a shot of me and ultra-Amy at mile 19 (on FB). We ran with each other step for step and had the same finishing time....love that. You can check out "my time to crush Heartbreak" face or maybe it's my "where's the escalator face?"
No run for me today. Into execu-drag and meetings in CT. I walked Hudson once I got home and the 3 mile amble was just right. Hudson will be four years-old on Friday. time flies!
For all those at Robin's party who met my childhood friends Val and Lee (from Portland, OR now), Lee ran a 3:15 and I am guessing he'll be back!