Race Day!

We did it!

Despite the crazy heat on race day (and I won't minimize it...it was unbelievably hot,)  the Boston Marathon far surpassed my expectations.  I will try to sum it up the best I can on this blog post, but I'm certain that I won't be able to sum up the experience with words.

Dana-Farber Check-in:

After school on Friday, I made my way downtown to the Mariott Copley, which served as the Dana-Farber headquarters for the marathon.  Since Dana-Farber had 550 people running for them on Monday, they needed to create their own headquarters, and they had their own check-in, to make sure that all of their runners got all of the information they needed.  It was overwhelming downtown, so I was glad that I decided to do the Dana-Farber check-in and the expo on separate days.

When I finally found my way to the Mariott, I saw Jennie at the door and relaxed because she was so familiar.  We hugged and wished each other luck, and then I went into the check-in.  I just kept moving from one station to the next, not fully examining everything they were handing to me, just knowing that I would get it to go through it when I got home.  The final stop is where I could pick up cheering materials, and I sure picked up a lot.  Once I had everything in my bag, I hopped in my car, made my way home, and crashed for the night.

Expo:

Saturday I woke up, geared up to pick up my number and take the expo by storm.  It was the only event I had on the docket for the day, and I figured I had a good plan!  I was told that it gets really busy in the afternoon, so I managed to get to South Boston by 10am, so I would be able to have a little more room to move around.  After driving around the area for a few minutes, I was able to find meter parking just 400 yards away, and so I pulled in, put some coins in the meter, and felt a wave of excitement pass over me.  I was going to pick up my number!

Once I walked into the building, my excitement turned to anxiety, as I felt I was swallowed into the crowd that plowed toward to number pick-up area.  The walls towered around me, with Boston Marathon murals plastered around the room.  I followed the number assignments, waited in line, received my number, and shuffled along with the crowd to get my t-shirt and swag bag.  As I pulled the drawstring on my bag, I noticed that my hands were shaking, and I ripped the bag!  As I continued to shuffle with the crowd into the rest of the expo, I gave myself a pep talk to pull it together, and enjoy myself.  And although I was still anxious, I did manage to bring my blood pressure down a notch, and walked through the entire expo, picking up a bumper sticker AND an official jacket.  I got home exhausted, and glad that I had the rest of the day to relax and enjoy!

Pasta Party

The pasta party was my only event on Sunday, and something that I was looking forward to A LOT!  Will and I drove to Brighton and picked up Mary at her place in Brighton, and headed to the Mariott.  We met Meghan Bonomolo (my 3rd guest,) outside the Mariott, and then headed to the pasta party.  When we first walked in, the pace setter board was to the list, and thanks to all of your help, my name made the list of people who had raised more than $8000 for cancer care and research.  We then moved to  the right of the hall that was covered in ribbons with everyone's honor cards.  We had the opportunity to create cards for those whom we were honoring in our runs.  It was amazing to look at everyone's honor cards, and I was able to find ours and point them out to my friends.

The party itself was incredibly moving, celebrating the runners and the research being accomplished with our fundraising, and the children who are part of our partner's program.  It also celebrated the lives of the children who were part of the partner's program who have passed away this year.  It really showed how important our fundraising really is.


Dana-Farber Refuge

Being dropped off in Hopkinton.

Race day was finally here!  Will drove me down the street to the DFMC Refuge - parish hall in Hopkinton - a stone's throw from the start line.  I entered the refuge around 7:30, found a seat with some veteran marathoners, taped my ankles, drank my gatorade, and slathered myself with sun screen.  Around 8:30 the buses from Boston started to arrive, and that's when I started to see more familiar faces. I also got to meet Lauren, Romy, and Tony, my friends from Daily Mile.  It was a great time relaxing with my Dana-Farber teammates.  At 9am, we headed outside for a team picture, and we started to bake in the sun.  I knew that we were headed for an even hotter day than I originally anticipated.


Starting Line

At 10:20, the Dana-Farber crew moved like a mob toward the starting line.  I headed over with my friend Chris, hoping that I would find Jamie when I got there, but I had no idea what kind of mess the start would be.  I shouldn't call it a mess, because it was actually incredibly organized, it was just impossible to find anyone among the thousands of people.  I was so glad that I was next to Chris, and we actually ran the first couple of minutes together until he dropped back and I realized that I was on my own.

The First Half

Wellesley

I'll be honest.  The first half was lonely.  I knew that I needed to keep hydrated, but after grabbing gatorade at the first two water stops wasn't enough, I grabbed a bottle of water handed to me by a spectator and dumped the entire thing over my head.  From that point on, my goal was to keep my body coated with water (which was difficult because it evaporated within minutes.)  Around mile 4 I saw the first person being carried off in a stretcher, and decided to dial it back even more.  The BAA estimated 2500 had to be carried off the course on stretchers due to heat related illness, and I feel like I saw a good number of those in the first half of the race.  I just kept my head forward, and reminded myself that my goal was to keep running and finish the race.


Wellesley to Newton

Wellesley was my toughest point of the race.  I still had not seen any spectators that I knew and I had already run more than half the marathon.  It was getting hotter and hotter, and despite the number of people who cheered my name (it was written on my shirt,) and cheered for Dana-Farber as I passed, it was not the same as seeing a familiar face.  As I scooted out of Wellesley, I didn't even notice the dramatic downhill, but I sure noticed the first of the Newton hills.  It was around this point that Jamie put her hand on my shoulder, and told me that she wasn't doing too well.  I told her that I had never been this hot in my life, and it was reassuring to know that I was not the only one that was having a tough time.  Jamie and I would spend the rest of the race passing each other back and forth.

Finished the first half and going strong!

I powered slowly up that first hill, and rounded the corner at the fire station, and that's where I saw my coach, Glen.  He asked me how I felt, and I could tell by his face, I didn't look that great.  I knew I had to pull it together.  I was in the Newton hills - the section of the course that I ran at least twice a week.  I told Glen that I was hot and rolled my eyes, grabbed a popsicle handed to me by a spectator, and headed up the next hill.

Newton Hills

As I crested firehouse hill, I ran toward my old apartment where I lived when I finished grad school and started at Bigelow.  I remembered the killer party that we had that year as we watched the marathon, and just as I started to drift into memory land, I spotted Sue Cohen and her husband sitting next to the carriage road in beach chairs, and I got so excited!  My first spectators!  They stood up and cheered, and I cheered back, high on adrenaline and good vibes.  I was ready to take on the rest of the course.

As I passed Jim Kelley's statue and mounted the third hill, I was feeling great, high fiving students, parents, and friends that lined the course.  To most, the Newton hills is the hardest section of the course, but this was my turf, and I owned it!  I passed some more students holding a hose near the base of heartbreak hill, and gave out some high fives, when I heard the mom say, "I thought you were..."  I figured she wanted to grab a picture of me with the kids, so I looped back, and four 6th graders hopped on the course with me, saying that they were going to run heartbreak hill with me.  After a few more yards, four 8th graders joined us, and we flew up the hill, passing and weaving, chatting the whole way. The kids told me that they wanted to run the Boston Marathon for a charity when they got older, and I started to get a little teary.  When we reached the street light at the top, Eliza said she wanted to keep going, but when all of the others jumped off the course, she said she had to head back.

Final Stretch with Mary

I said goodbye, and as soon as I did, I spotted Sue Levy cheering me from across the intersection.  I gave her a hug, and flew down the hill toward BC, stopped to hug and chat with Patty Summa and her husband, Randy, and high fiving all of my friends camped out at Missy Costello's house.  I was on a roll at this point, and high fived hundreds of BC students, as I headed toward Cleavland Circle, where my family was stationed.

Cleveland Circle and The Road to the Finish

I flew by my family, as they were posted on a downhill, and my sister hopped on the course, just as I passed a few more friends.  My sister wore a shirt that said, "Cheer for Megan," and people did.  She grabbed me water and gatorade, and got the crowds going as we headed for the Citgo sign.  These miles seemed to take forever, probably because we were running much slower than I am used to, but we finally got to mile 25, where all of the kids from the Jimmy Fund were stationed.  I ran over to the fence for more high fives, and then prepared for the finish.

Kenmore Square was deafening, and just as I was about to turn onto Hertford St., I saw my friend Jen hollering from the other side of the fence.  I gave her a big wave, turned down Hertford, and then again on Boylston, where Megan Bonomolo cheered us in.  Mary and I finished the race holding hands.  4:24:07 - not too bad for taking it easy on a 92 degree day.  It was an amazing day, I finished on my feet with all of my toenails, and I couldn't wipe the grin off my face if I tried.  What an amazing day.

We finished!

After Party

After the marathon, my sister hosted a great after-party at her place in Brighton.  It was great to head back to some great food and hang out with my friends and family for a little longer.  Thank you, Mary, for putting it together for me!

Reflections and Thank You

This has been one of the most amazing experiences of my life, and it would not have been possible without all of you.  Together, we have raised over $9000 for cancer care and research, and I was able to train for and complete my first Boston Marathon.  Yes - I said first.  I plan to run another two marathons this year - Sugarloaf in May, and one more in the fall (either New York or Bay State.)  Even if I Boston Qualify (which I hope to do,) I will be running for Dana-Farber again.  I don't want to run just for me.  I want to run to make a difference.