Monday, April 20, 2009
133th Boston Marathon
1 year ago I was a participant and this year I had the privileged to cheer on the runners from the finish line side of the Mass Ave underpass. It was great to watch history with Ernst Van Dyk's 8th win, to witness the three way battle between Salina Kosgei, Dire Tune and Kara Goucher and to see Deriba Merga power his way to the finish. As with any major spectator event, there is always some interesting marketing ploy and this year did not disappoint, see picture below:
It was really great to walk out from a Comm Ave apartment. watch the runners go on by and then return to the stoop to grill up some delicious food. I am now looking forward to next year's marathon experience.
Labels: Boston, Marathon
Monday, March 02, 2009
Tisk, Tisk NBC
Dane Patterson, who lost 100 pounds in just eight weeks, was eliminated from The Biggest Loser last week. To close the show, they show a
Where Are They Now segment and in this clip Dane is apparently now an above average marathoner. They showed him crossing the finish line to the
January 31st Desert Classic Marathon in Phoenix in a time of 3 hours and 53 minutes. That's pretty damn good for a guy who is still larger than most people.
The truth is his "finishing" time was 5 hours 53 minutes and in order to complete the race in the maximum allowed time of 6 hours, he got a ride for 3 miles [17 to 20] so that he could be an official finisher. As a two-time marathoner, I feel sad that Dane didn't have the self-worth to just walk out the remaining miles and be satisfied with completing an incredibly difficult distance. As for NBC, this is not the kind of press the 4th place network needs. They blame an over zealous field producer for the misrepresentation but I think the blame should be spread around equally and this may signal a dramatic shift in viewing habits for those who seek inspiration in the Biggest Losers, which is very sad.
PS: Whoever provided the film that showed him coming in just under 4 hours [apparently the bulbs in the clock were not "working properly"] should feel the most shame because it had to have been doctored a little for this many people to not see the real time on first viewing.
Labels: Marathon, TV
Friday, April 25, 2008
A few more pictures from the race
Labels: Marathon
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
My Boston Marathon
Yesterday I started and completed the 112th running of the Boston Marathon. Living so close the the starting line gave me the opportunity to leave my house about the same time as the wheelchair division was heading out to Boston. Since I went by car, thanks for the ride honey, I was not allowed to be dropped off at the Hopkinton High School but rather about 1 mile from the runners village. Not a big deal I thought and on my way I went. I turned back to wave at Lisa as she returned home and when I turned around I heard some call out to me. I turned back an four guys were behind me and they asked if I wanted a ride. Normally, one would probably decline such an offer but on race day it seemed like a good idea. They had stashed a mini van on a side street just past the police barrier and they drove all of us up to the house just before the school - that was nice. I spent about 45 minutes in the runners village which had large tents, water, Gatorade, bagels, bananas and power bars for everyone.
Around 10:15, I headed down to my corral - #23. We stood there for about 10 minutes before we were able to start walking to the starting line. Once I [and everyone around me] reached the painted stripe on Main Street Hopkinton, we all began to run. For the first 10 miles the course covers the suburb towns of Hopkinton, Ashland and Framingham. On that part of the course you see many families watching in small gatherings at larger intersections. It was nice to see so many little ones out there looking for a high five from an average runner like myself.
Once past downtown Natick, you get to the meat of the course across Wellesley which I never knew was such a large town. Just past mile marker 12 you can begin to hear the famed screaming Wellesley students. Lined up in front of the school is a wall of screaming women all encouraging the runners on. They seemed especially interested in the male runners but that could just be me. Past the school is the half way marker which felt great to get past.
Once you pass the 15 mile marker in the center of town, the real race begins. The next 6 miles take you through Newton, over 128/95, and 4 climbs which conclude at the top of the famed Heartbreak Hill at the west end of the BC campus. This is a very difficult stretch of road to run after you have already pumped out 15 miles and really took a lot out of me. Most of this section of the race I don't remember how many spectators were watching because most of the time I had my head down, listening to music and thinking about a shirt I saw that read "Pain is temporary, Pride is for ever!" as I was just trying to get past the hardest thing I have ever done.
Once I got over Heartbreak, it is all downhill to the finish but I was literally spent. I thought running downhill would just be a easy run into town but once I got to the bottom of the BC campus and the road flattened out before me I now realized how tired I was and how far 4 more miles really was.
As I ran, jogged, and walked the rest of the distance through the finish line I felt frustrated that my legs wouldn't carry me any further but confident that I would finish, eventually. My team of runners including Suz who joined me at mile marker 15, Kym & Bob who jumped in at BC and Lisa & Sandy who hoped a fence in Kenmore Square really helped me endure the final miles as my legs grew weak, began to cramp and fatigue. Without my team, my time would have been over 5 hours but they kept me going and for that I say a huge THANK YOU! And to the thousands of people who line the course from Hopkinton to Boston [especially all those college kids at Wellesley, BC and BU], thanks for all the encouragement, cheering, and high fives [which I must have gotten hundreds and hundreds] thank you for keeping this old guy running all the way from one painted stripe to the other.
The the shirt was right, the pain will fade but the pride will shine on and I am now one of the few, the proud, a finisher.
Labels: Marathon
Monday, April 21, 2008
4 hours and 44 minutes later...
Labels: Marathon, Running
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Heartbreak Hill [will break your heart]
Yesterday after work I took a fellow runner's good advice and ran the newton hills [3 out of the 4 anyway] to get a sense of what is in store from me next Monday.
As you can see, there are some lovely inclines between miles 16 and 21 on the Boston Marathon route. It was a nice 9+ mile run yesterday and I thought it was a good primer and workout. Now how will I feel next week after running 16 miles to get to the same part of the course? I'm betting I will have a completely different outlook on those five miles of road.
If you ever want to experience this run for yourself, you might want to hook up with
these guys who run in and around
the hill every Sunday.
Labels: Marathon, Running
Monday, April 16, 2007
Would I Do It
Lisa asked me this morning if I had trained for this year's marathon, would I have gotten up and ran in this spring nor'easter we are current having? I'm really not sure. Chicago was hard enough with the 26.2 miles and the very cold day [40 degrees/30 mile an hour wind] but today's Boston Marathon is something else. Sure the miles are the same but here the course has some hills so just that makes this race probably more difficult than most.
Today's conditions at start time: 48 degrees, 26 mile an hour wind, and heavy rain - now that is down right awful running conditions. At last year's Harpoon 5-Miler it rained a little harder than it will this morning and that was the most unenjoyable run I have had in years so facing this course today would be the biggest mental challenge and for those who are brave enough to take on New England's most famous foot race on a day where mother nature is really showing her full force, I say god bless and good luck. You are all my hero today.
Faced with getting out of bed and strapping on the shoes this morning, I'm not sure I could have done. I just don't know. Godspeed to each and every champion who runs the 111th Boston Marathon today!
Labels: Boston, Marathon
