My First Boston Marathon

My Race Report

April 15, 2019

The journey to Boston for most runners is a long and bumpy ride. For me, it started on Patriot’s Day in 2015 when I was a spectator and support for my husband, Phillip in his first Boston Marathon. I remember standing on Boylston Street along with a couple thousand other spectators waiting for their person to pass by on the way to the finish line. I was positioned about 1/2 mile away from the ultimate goal - the 26.2 mile mark of the world’s oldest and most highly sought marathon. I was amazed to see that the field of runners included folks of every skill level from the speedy elites to the everyday Joe who did not look like a “runner.” There was so much love and respect across the entire city of Boston for each and every person who finished the race, the notion was born in my mind that day that maybe I could run a marathon and just maybe I wanted to try to qualify for Boston someday.

Fast forward to March of 2018 at the Wrightsville Beach Marathon. I did it; running my 4th full marathon and earning the coveted BQ time with a 4:03:03. I was elated, exhausted and eager to experience the Boston Marathon from the other side of the fence, as a runner!

I woke easily at 4:00 am Monday April 15, 2019 to the sound of my phone alarm. We were staying at a VRBO in The North End called the Little Italy Retreat. Our daughter Kelsey and 3 month old grandson Davis were sleeping in the next room. Phillip got up early with me to make sure I made it to the 6:00 am charter bus that my friend, Pam and I had reserved in case of lousy weather. I ate 1/2 a bowl of protein oatmeal with almonds and cranberries, 1/2 a banana, and drank a cup of coffee with milk and sugar before we left the condo at 5:10 am. We took the T from North Station to the Arlington stop on the Green line. We came out right next to the buses that were being used for gear check and I was the first person to check in at my bus. I was a bundle of happy and excited nerves! I arrived at the Park Plaza Hotel at 5:50 am, found Pam and everyone else waiting on the bus and I joined them! There were 4 Without Limits athletes on the Bull City Track Club bus: Pam, Heather, Mark and myself. We boarded the bus shortly after 6:00 and the rain and thunderstorms let loose. We were so happy to be warm and dry on the bus with our early departure.

Onto the bus I brought my Brooks Ghost 11s and dry socks in a bag (in case my feet got wet before the race), a throw away rain poncho, a throw away neon green jacket, 2 airlines blankets, arm warmers, cheap gloves, a 20 oz. Gatorade, a 16 oz. soft flask with Skratch and Osmo mixed to drink over the first 6 miles, and lots of carb foods. I ate the following items: 2 Annie’s organic strawberry frosted pop tarts, 1 banana, 1 oz. of pretzels and all of the Gatorade. I stopped eating at 8:30 am, took my Imodium and 1 Tylenol and stopped drinking by 9:45 am. I visited the portajohn 2 times and the bathroom on the bus once just before we started our walk to the start. Pam and I kept each other company until we crossed the start line. I was so happy to hear and see dear friends, Tim and Susan O’Leary in Hopkinton just before the start. Their support and cheers were the highlight of Hopkinton!

Temperature was 57 degrees and cloudy, a light wind from the SW. The B.A.A. made a decision to start wave 4, the one Pam and I were in, immediately after wave 3 because of the storm that was predicted to greet us in Boston that afternoon, so the time I crossed the start was 11:03 am rather than 11:15 as scheduled. There was no time to visit the John at the start and this worried me for the first six miles as my bladder felt a little full. Each mile I passed the potty stops, I questioned myself about whether I could or should go on and ultimately the urge passed as the sun came out and the temperature started climbing towards 70.

My body and my mind were strong over these early miles. I took in the beauty of the countryside and the small towns we ran through. I had read so many books and articles about the race, that some of the sights seemed familiar. Hopkinton, Ashland, Natick, Framingham, Wellesley, Newton, Brookline and Boston: there were people lining every roadside, cheering and calling out names of whatever you had written on your shirt. The local colleges, sports teams, and local charities were all well represented and got lots of cheers. I had attempted to write my name on my bib, but it was not easily seen or read.

I had been warned by Phillip and our friend, Charles to hold pace at 9:00-9:15 minutes per mile over the first 6-8 miles so that I would not burn out my legs on the downhills in the first half. I managed to run my goal pace and hit the 1/2 marathon mat at exactly the time that Coach Tom Clifford had predicted. This was amazing but I was so worried about what I would have left for the hills and the finish, I let doubt and fear slow me down. It was so important that I run till I saw Phillip and PJ, I kept pushing, but by mile 17, when I saw them I was starting to struggle. Legs, feet, blisters and hips were all starting to sing and it wasn’t a good song! I reached the fire station and Commonwealth Ave at mile 17.5 and knew the real race was just beginning.

I slowed down in miles 17, 21, and 24. As I reflect on it now, my race plan unraveled on those 3 miles. The crowd support on the Newton Hills was amazing but once I started walking on the uphills, it was hard to shift back to running. There were so many other athletes walking that when I picked up the pace, I had to start weaving around them. My mental game was talking to myself, remembering the strength of my mom who was fighting cancer, and chanting “you can beat this hill” as I crested Heartbreak Hill. Another runner, named Kim, reached the summit with me and when I started to walk to recover, she said “don’t slow down now, we have been together for the entire race, stay with me.” Her encouragement was a real boost and I stayed with her for the next 2 miles. She pulled away in Brookline as I was slowing more than she did for hydration and I was looking for Maggie, Kelsey and my sweet grandson Davis in front of Maggie’s apartment. It made me so very happy to see them and get a hug from each. In that same mile I heard Phillip’s friend Corey yell my name and looked over to see him smile and wave. What a nice surprise and jolt of energy!

I saw the Citgo sign ahead and kept plodding on. The rain had picked up from a fine mist to a good shower, and there was some wind but it was not bad at all. I had trained in worse! At mile 25, I took my glucose gel, checked my watch, and decided I was going to get my over 60 BQ for 2020. I was not proud of the way I ran the last 8 miles but was sure that I had enough gas in the tank to finish strong on Boylston. The funny thing was Phillip saw me walking up Hereford St and called me out for it later. The rush down the hill to cross the finish line was glorious. I was done! 4:12:37, not my best time but I enjoyed every moment of it!

In my checked bag, I had placed my WB marathon pajama pants, a fleece jacket, rain jacket, mittens, oofos sandals, and my phone. My plan was to go to the meet up bench in the park, get my warm, dry clothes on and call Phillip and Phillip Jr if they were not there. I was cold as I walked the 2 or 3 blocks to gear check and very glad to put on my comfy clothes. I shared the bench with 2 men who were waiting for their people and called the guys on my cell phone. They were close and would get to me in minutes. Kelsey and Maggie were stuck on the subway, so we decided I should walk the 2 miles back to the North End. It was slow going, but I know the walking helped to loosen up my very sore legs and hips.

I was so happy, so relieved, praising God: I had finished the Boston Marathon!