The big day finally arrived, and yes, I was nervous. I didn't get a ton of sleep the night before, but I didn't expect too either. I had to be at the bus loading area between 6:30 and 7 am, so Bob and I left Danvers around 5:30. Somehow, even after taking the route out of Danvers the day before, we still got lost. Fortunately we had some maps that I studied so I could help direct Bob as he drove. We made it to the Boston Commons area just in time, and I was able to quickly jump out of the car and get to the buses. It was a chilly morning, but I was dressed in warm clothes and I had a blanket with me too.
While standing in line to get on the bus, I befriended a lady from Canada who was running Boston for the third consecutive year. Her name was Diane and she was incredibly helpful and nice. We sat next to eachother on the bus and hung out before the race. She gave me some advice and tips, and also told me to make sure I picked up a copy of the Boston Globe the following morning (all the runners and their finishing times would be published in a special section of the paper). The bus took us to Hopkinton where the athlete villiage was (the picture above was taken there). It was fun to hang out, eat breakfast, and meet other runners. I always enjoy conversing with other people beforehand because their stories and experiences fascinate me. I managed to go to the bathroom right before, drop off my gear, and then headed over to corral 4 for the start of the second wave (start time at 10:20).
The temperatures were surprisingly warm and I appreciated having some tail wind to help coom me off. I even stopped to hydrate more often than normal due to the heat. There were tons of spectators along the entire course, saw some interesting sights and people (some drag queens were along the route), and tried not to pay to much attention to the time. I have given up running with a watch because I would just rather run what I feel instead.
I think these pictures were taken around the halfway mark which came after passing Wellesley and watching some of the guys stop to kiss some of the girls on the cheek (it is a tradition and girls are competing for kisses). The rest of the race took us through Brookline, Newton, and finally to Boston. Around mile 17, as predicted, the crosswinds flooded the course. It was refreshing but a little bit challenging, too. Just past mile 20 was when I hit Hearbreak Hill. I honestly didn't even realize I was on it until I saw the signs and the chalk pictures of broken hearts on the street. The hill was really nothing...I think it's just difficult for some people because it comes so late in the race. There were moments that I wanted to stop, but I know that it actually hurts me more to stop and walk then it does to keep jogging/running.
During the last mile, I managed to pick up the pace and race through to the finish. After making it across the finish line, we all had to walk quite a bit just to get water. At that point I had to stop and sit down. After a marathon, I have learned that I just need to lay down for about 10 to 15 minutes and then I can move again. However, that really wasn't an option considering that I was in a street with a bunch of other finishers. I got up after a couple of minutes of stretching and made it to the blankets. I guess it was pretty obvious that I wasn't doing too well because a med person came and asked me if I needed help. As soon as I started to talk I suddenly started to hyperventilate and I could barely breathe (this has never happened after a race before). My hands started to go numb and I could feel that my body was ready to collapse. Luckily, I was able to get in a wheelchair, and as I was being taken to the med tent I got my finishers medal. By the time I got into the tent, my teeth were chattering and I was still struggling for breath. I was moved to a cot, covered with blankets, and my vitals were all checked. After laying down for a bit and focusing on my breathing, I finally got to a point where I felt okay to get up and walk.
This is just a taste of the crowd I had to walk through to get to my family. The meeting area was alphabetized by last names, so I was really glad my name didn't start with a "Z."
My mom spotted me first, and Hayden was so cute and concerned about me that he ran up to me and hugged me. My family knew when I finished thanks to the AT&T text messaging alert system. My sis, Brooke, got the texts and then called my mom/Bob to let them know where I was at (Kyle, who wore his Boston Red Sox hat that day in support of Marathon Monday, also got updates sent to his phone, too). Once we made it to their car, I changed into my nice compression recovery tights and just relaxed. We decided it would be best to go back to the hotel and grab some food later (I can't eat right away and I didn't eat till four hours after finishing the race). I also found out that my official finishing time was 3:42--I didn't Boston Qualify, but hey, I was already lucky enough to run it.
Today, after a 4 1/2 mile run, getting ready and breakfast, we headed back to Boston for our last day of sightseeing. We got on the Trolley (which seemed to a long time before we caught one) and headed to Quincey Market. We did some shopping and even found this huge Christmas store with tons of ornaments. I ended up getting a "New Driver" ornament and had it personalized with Hayden's name, Boston 2o11, and the Duck Tour. I thought it would be a fun memory of his first driving experience.
Everyone say, "Cheers!"
After our shopping adventures, Hayden got some ice cream.
When we were done at Quincey Market, we got back on the trolley and made it to Fenway Park (home of the Boston Red Sox).
We got some fun photos, then walked our way back to the Pru. It was starting to get late, so we drove back to Danvers so we could get packed. We had an early flight the next morning, so we tried to get to bed as soon as we were done.
