New England Running: The Boston Marathon!

Disclaimer right at the start: I was spectating, not running.

Patriot's Day parade that we found in our meandering

But gosh, it was great to be there today. Knowing how much the spectators' cheers have pushed me along in the races that I have run, I enjoyed being able to yell for the runners today. My mom and I took the commuter rail into South Station and meandered around for a little bit before we headed down to the finish line. We were there before the wheelchairs passed, and even then, there was not much space on the fence at all. We found a spot on the corner of Commonwealth Ave and Hereford that wasn't too crowded and camped out for a few hours to watch the race.

As far as the elite runners go, the Americans missed it again. But just barely in the women's race! I was getting updates on my phone throughout the morning, and it was exciting to see how closely packed everyone was leading up to the last few miles. It was more exciting to see everyone pound by pushing for the finish.

view from our corner

Now, in all of my years in Massachusetts, this has only been the second time that I have watched the Boston. And the first time hardly counts, because I was in 8th grade and not at all appreciative of what a marathon is. I don't think that it was until I was older that I realized that the Boston Marathon is The Marathon. It was always just the marathon in our good ol' capital city, and I didn't comprehend that this was the race for which people spent years training, traveling from all over the world to compete in the most elite marathon.

Thinking about this on the train today, I found myself wondering why I haven't made more of an effort over the past few years to be present at the Boston Marathon. Why doesn't anyone? If you live in Massachusetts, you have a fantastic world event right in your backyard, available for your viewing pleasure at absolutely no cost. You can stand alongside the road, mere feet away from some of the fastest runners in the world. (The winner of the men's race was averaging about a 4:42 mile- I couldn't run that fast if I was running from my death.) Being in Massachusetts and having the ability to go into Boston for this race is something really special, and I'm so glad I did it this year before moving away.

It was also some inspiration to try a little harder, push myself a little more, and take my running a little more seriously. I would love to run the Boston someday, just once. If I find it too hard to qualify, I fully intend to run for charity. But it'd be sweet to get a qualifier. I'd have to shave quuuuite some time off my runs, but perhaps if I actually stuck to a training schedule, it could be possible.

Oh, it's good to have dreams.

-R.