Because It's Boston!
Posted on 1/20/2015 by dsjohndrow
I am not talking about the Patriots. The Boston Marathon has taken place for over a hundred years. In 2014 I was a part of it. More truthfully I was a part of it in 2011, 2012 and 2013. I ran it in 2014 and I am signed up to run again in 2015.
It's one of the Top 10 largest marathons in the US and one of the Top 5 in the world.
Why is Boston so important? Why are the Beatles so important? The Boston marathon changed the face of running. It is the first and longest running marathon ever. And as far as I can tell, it's the first major marathon to even have a woman run with a number.
I am no expert - nope just an old, ex-fat guy who runs.
I have done two of the biggest marathons in the world, I am in the lottery for New York for 2015 and I'm registered for San Diego. Why would I run some of the world's biggest marathons? Because I can? For the finishers medals? Because I didn't die from obesity and heart disease? Because I am beating cancer?
Seriously, I run because it makes me feel good, really good! It's where I feel alive.
Last year Boston was a horrible experience for me. I had trained really hard and had a calf strain which I was getting chiropractic treatments for 2 weeks before the big day. I fell on black ice a few months before and broke my collarbone. On race day I did feel pretty good. The sun was out and it looked like we had a tailwind as we made our way from the sticks of Hopkinton to the city streets of Boston.
The problem with the weather was that we had trained in the 20s and 30s while on race day it was 72!
The beautiful day for spectators for which there were about a million, was just too hot for me. The sun was relentless. At mile 19 I slipped on a pile of drink cups comingled with water and wax heated by the noonday sun. It caused a tibial fracture just above my left ankle.
So what does one do for 7.2 miles after fracturing their tibia? Mostly walk. Walk with pain.
I was glad to meet up with another friend on the course and he wasn't in much better condition. It was my 2nd marathon and his 79th. Some days are tough runs even for the experienced.
In the end, we finished together and man, I was glad it was over!
An excerpt from my newest book.
It's one of the Top 10 largest marathons in the US and one of the Top 5 in the world.
Why is Boston so important? Why are the Beatles so important? The Boston marathon changed the face of running. It is the first and longest running marathon ever. And as far as I can tell, it's the first major marathon to even have a woman run with a number.
I am no expert - nope just an old, ex-fat guy who runs.
I have done two of the biggest marathons in the world, I am in the lottery for New York for 2015 and I'm registered for San Diego. Why would I run some of the world's biggest marathons? Because I can? For the finishers medals? Because I didn't die from obesity and heart disease? Because I am beating cancer?
Seriously, I run because it makes me feel good, really good! It's where I feel alive.
Last year Boston was a horrible experience for me. I had trained really hard and had a calf strain which I was getting chiropractic treatments for 2 weeks before the big day. I fell on black ice a few months before and broke my collarbone. On race day I did feel pretty good. The sun was out and it looked like we had a tailwind as we made our way from the sticks of Hopkinton to the city streets of Boston.
The problem with the weather was that we had trained in the 20s and 30s while on race day it was 72!
The beautiful day for spectators for which there were about a million, was just too hot for me. The sun was relentless. At mile 19 I slipped on a pile of drink cups comingled with water and wax heated by the noonday sun. It caused a tibial fracture just above my left ankle.
So what does one do for 7.2 miles after fracturing their tibia? Mostly walk. Walk with pain.
I was glad to meet up with another friend on the course and he wasn't in much better condition. It was my 2nd marathon and his 79th. Some days are tough runs even for the experienced.
In the end, we finished together and man, I was glad it was over!
An excerpt from my newest book.
The second list (top 5 in the world) is about it being THE marathon to run, not based on size.
All that said, congrats on continuing to qualify for Boston - that's a great accomplishment. I'm going to enter the lottery for NYC next year, but I don't think I'll ever be fast enough to qualify for Boston.
Good luck!
You are a rockstar!