As always—unedited and unformatted
Dear Boston,
I love you. I think I have been trying decide how to acknowledge my feelings about the Boston Marathon 2020. Do not get me wrong. I am definitely hoping that on 9-14-20 I am running the Boston Marathon. I also know that it is an absolute privilege to run any marathon—especially the Boston Marathon. And more than running a marathon—I hope students are back in school, grandparents can hang out with their grand-kids, people can be back in work, health care providers can take a breath and care for themselves, partner’s can go with their partners to doctors appointments and births. So I know that the Boston Marathon in September will simply be a bonus. And if Boston does not happen in 2020 it will be because the health of our world is so much more important than 26.2 miles with 25,0000+ runners and over 100,000 spectators and volunteers ( If you fact check, I took a guess at these numbers).
So, selfishly, today I had a moment. I know I love Boston and to quote my neighbor K. Segerson—you just don’t know what you have until it’s gone. I am so bummed to not be going to Boston this weekend. My flight was supposed to leave tomorrow, 4/18/20, for Boston. And Dale and I were supposed to go to to the expo Saturday, Sox game Sunday, Race Monday and all the treats. Well, that did not happen and instead I spent time on hold with Capital One and navigating my ticket and points. Ended up with a credit for a future United Flight . . .hoping to use in September.
On 4-15-20, it was the 7 year anniversary of the 2013 Boston Marathon. And I was able to re-read my post that I wrote following the 2013 Boston Marathon thanks to facebook. The Boston Marathon is always the 3rd Monday in April and Patriot’s Day in April. As a result, thanks to Facebook memories, this week I have been inundated with memories of my favorite weekend of the year. And I love it. And if you have unfollowed me or unfollow me–I get it. . . So, if you are even still reading my ramblings—I am going to do my best to take you down memory lane of Boston my 12 Boston marathons. And my hopes for my 13th Boston.
2004:
I qualified totally randomly back in the day—when you could be 19 and you had to run a sub 3:40. In October of 2002 I ran a 3:36:19 at the Chicago Marathon. And learned that meant I qualified for Boston. To be honest, I really had very little idea about the Boston marathon. And the qualifying window must have been open for way longer because my first Boston was April 2004. Barb and Randy showed up along with the Schnieders who would be come an integral part of my Boston Marathoning experience. Shro came all the way from LA and Yael and Derrick from Camp Shalom just happened to be living in Boston. I do not recall a ton of details of the race but I know my mom ran into Leah Knobler at a bathroom in Wesley—I think it was hot? And Legal SeaFood was the place to eat. I ran a 4:12.
2006:
Well—I think in looking back 14 years later—Boston represents so much more to me than the running. Boston 2006—we were less than one year out of college. The girls that were there with me this weekend are the girls that continue to be the b-e-s-t best support network I could ask for. Boston 2006-Roar was living in Boston so it just made sense that Krista and I would run Boston and Sara would come!! Krista and I had both qualified in Madison 2005—how else does one end their senior year of college?? Barb, Randy, Mark, Mary, Bill, Roar, Justin, Adam—sometimes you wanna be where everyone knows your name. Krista and I crossed the Boston Marathon Finish Line together—in my 12 races—the only time I have crossed the Boston Marathon with a bestie—a life long bestie—that is. 3:42.
2009
Well, I am not sure why I decided to go back to Boston in 2009 and I am sure glad I did. This was the first on now 16 marathons that Danielle and I would run together. Our families life long friendships, in my opinion, have been made even stronger by our marathoning obsession. This was the first. And we both crushed it. For the foreseeable future, my PR lives in 2009 and I am a-ok with that! 3:11.
2010
Well, after 2009, and some fast times in 2008, I thought I could only get faster and got myself a coach. I trained like a maniac and significantly lowered my times in the mile and 400s and 800s. That said—did not necessarily translate to the marathon. Which is why you have to love the marathon. Sometimes your brain and legs just don’t show up. And that sucks. And it’s ok. It keeps you coming back. I ran a 3:21 and let me tell you—10 years later—even if I ran a 3:29—I would be estactic. I am grateful to have ever been upset about a 3:21.
2011
Well. . . this was an interesting year! I knew I did not feel well and did not help that the night before the marathon the fire alarms went off in our hotel. Turns out, I ran that marathon not at 100% physical health—did not find out til a few weeks later—that said, I remember in that marathon learning to run for the loving of running (or jogging) and being grateful that my parents continued to come out and support this obsession. I a ran a 4:01.
2013
Posted what I wrote the night after/early morning after 4-15-13. Not savvy enough to know how to link it but read if you want! Every year when this post comes up in my Facebook memories—I wonder why it took such a tragic event to make me reflect on the joy that running and friendship and Boston brings me. . .(3:20)
2014
Well, Boston and the Boston Athletic Association, they know how to show up, keep you and all the volunteers and spectators safe, and show up. Following Boston 2013, I ran Cincinnati, Chicago, New York. All of those races did what they needed to respond to the security needs of Boston 2013. Boston 2014—there were some changes and yet everything was even better and louder. Meb won. And fans and volunteers showed up in ways that were better than ever. Physically, I was hot and tired. Mentally, I was overcome with all the feels. Ran a 3:36.
2015
Such. A. Fun. Year. Running allows for all of your worlds to collide and that definitely happened in 2015. Starting with Dani Rose—lifelong pal (her brother and I have known each other since we were 6 months old), Jess—been friends since Mr. McInery’s class in 1st grade and track and cross country teammates, Tanya—Vegas running buddy who finally got me to believe in myself and my speed, and Jason—Equinox member with maybe even more energy than me. Was a fun and rainy day and ran a 3:28.
2016
Honestly, the first word that comes to mind is hot and out of shape. Not a lot of details on this race other than I could not hang with Dani Rose and being so warm. All I remember is being hot. And I hate running hot. Still know was a great weekend!!!!!!! 3:41
2017
Well, this particular weekend—what a good one. I found an amazing group of strong, fun, intelligent women to train with in Chicago throughout the winter and Melissa and I got to run together on a very HOT day. The day before the race—I got to take selfies with my heros—Des and Meb. Another reminder of just the awesomeness of the marathon community. Melissa and I ran 25 miles together and sang show tunes, danced and honestly—just look at our pictures. They say it all. 3:26
2018
People who ran Boston in 2018 will tell you the weather was horrendous. The day before we ran into Meb on our shakeout run by one of the bombing sights and got our very own pep talk–all the feels. On Marathon Monday, many will talk about the wind and diagonal rain was horrific and how made for a very diffcult race. I will tell you this—I ran the first 23 miles like a boss. Pretty sure it was our magic pink dish gloves. When I learned that Des Linden won the race as the first American woman since 1983—I was at mile 13 and some change—I took off like I had 100 yards to go. While I crashed at mile 24, I would not change a thing. This race defined women’s American running for what it is now and the grit and sportsmanship that Des showed that day has continued to define how American Woman’s Distance running is progressing and I am just so honored to have run on the same course as her that day. 3:28
2019
Well, and I feel my eyes welling up with tears again, going to Boston with Dale and Arielle was absolutely magical. From the Expo to the Sox Game to the general goofiness that we all bring—was another amazing weekend. Our matching unicorn tanks and love for running outweighed any negativity that we had about the heat and humidity. None of us were satisfied with our times and none of us cared. 3:39
2020
Well, the meme that talks about having a lot of anxiety about a lot of things and yet never being anxious over a pandemic—relatable. Boson 2013 has made me well aware that all of us and any of us are vulnerable to a myriad of scary moments. To list all of the different things that could happen to any of us at anytime are overwhelming and provide no source of comfort. That said, a pandemic, a quarantine, something that never cross my mind. And here we all area. Some of us in a much more comfortable, secure position than others. I have 0 words of wisdom in a non-quarantine time. And in a quarantine time, I have even less. I do know I am more fortunate than most and keeping that in perspective as I feel my feels about not running Boston in April 2020. I hope to run in September 2020 and even more than I hope to run in September, I hope for many, many things–including families can be together, students can be in school, hospitals can healthily manage their own staff and we can all enjoy a beer together less than 6 feet from each other.
Boston, I already know whenever we meet again, it will be “Hands, touching hands
Reaching out, touching me, touching you”
50+marathonsandrunning 