BOSTON

Where to start.

Pre-Run - We had been in Brockton, MA for the first few days of our trip as it was dead set in the middle between Boston and Cape Cod. I could not be that close to Cape Cod and not go!! It has been on my life's list of places to see and I was bound and determined to go. The weather was rainy and windy and cold so we did not do any ferry rides to Martha's Vineyard or Nantucket so I guess I need to go again someday!!! We drove around the area and I loved it. The houses are so old and quaint and weather beaten. We saw some gorgeous places, had lunch at a little restaurant, spent about 2 hours in an antique store...cheaper than a museum and super cool to see all the stuff in there. My kids loved it too. There was an ancient typewriter that Mattehew called "An old computer." So cute. Lots and lots of stuff to see. Too bad the weather was so crappy because there was plenty of outdoor stuff to see but it was cold and wet and that stuff would not have been very fun!! The next day we drove down to Newport, Rhode Island. Another place on my to see list. On the way we took a wrong exit and ended up in Fall River, MA and there was the Battleship Cove. It looked interesting so we stopped in and toured the ships. Very, very cool. It was like a walk back in time. They had the ships set up as if WWII had just ended and the ships were left as is. I really enjoyed it. You could rent a cot and sleep on the ship for a night. The day we were there, they were hosting 600 boy scouts!! EEK!!

On Sunday we headed back up to Boston as Manulife had booked us a room at the Fairmont at Copley Square. The same hotel that Liz Taylor celebrated her 3rd honeymoon at. It was a beautiful hotel and lots and lots of history. We walked to the race package pick up, only a few blocks away. That was ultimate crazy. Too many people for my liking. And to haul two kids through that...yikes!! The hotel was the center of the run and many of the elite runners were staying there. The security was crazy!! Some of these runners are big celebrities....apparently. We had dinner with Manulife on Sunday night which was very nice and small and the guest speaker was Denise Robson. I had not heard of her but she is a 41 year old single mom of three and runs a 2:41 marathon. She only took up running 4 years ago when she was going through her divorce. She had a slide show that showed her at her very first marathon in cotton shorts and a t-shirt! She was very modest and had all sorts of tips for the course/run and she was very funny. And about the size of my 7 year old. She sounded like she was just trying to figure out this whole marathon thing as well. I enjoyed her talk.

To bed. I had a wicked, wicked headache the night before. I could hardly see straight. This always happens at that female time of the month. I hate it but not much I can do about it. I was wiped and tired and took half a bottle of migraine pills because sometimes those headaches can last for a few days and I had a friggin Marthon to run in less than 12 hours!!! shitty

THE RUN!!!

Manulife had secured me a vip pass so I had to just get up, walk out the front door of the hotel and there was a vip tent across the street. Water, gatorade, bagels, power bars....everything one would need. We waited just a little bit and we had buses come by and pick us up to take us to the start line. It was about an hour drive out there and I sat beside the coolest gal. She was also with Manulife and we got all of the company's problems solved in that hour!!! She was a great person and I hope to keep in touch with her. She did her first marathon on her 50th birthday last year!! In Hopkinton, we had the school gym to hang out in and kill time. Again, all sorts of drinks and food and our own bathrooms....no line ups!!! This was very interesting as some of the elite runners were there and it was super cool to watch them warm up. When you see those with numbers less than 100....you know they are fast!!! And they are ALL teeny tiny people!! I have concluded I will never be a fast marathoner unless I can shrink about a foot and loose 40 pounds. Seriously. There was a guy there that had WON the olympic marathon AND Boston in the same year...another guy slept on the bleachers the entire time...did no stretches etc. It was fun to just be in their company!!

When it was time for Wave 2 to head to the start line, again, we just through our bags on the vip buses and did not have to stand in line for anything. I hope this does not sound like bragging, but it was really cool to not have to think about anything!! Shaun and the boys even had passes to the bleachers at the finish line so they would not have to fight the crowds.

My wave was waaaaaaaay at the back with the rest of the invites/charity runners. People had costumes, signs, it was very fun. There were 6 guys in full army combat gear...they ran the whole distance!! In boots!! And 70 pound packs!! Shaun said the crowd went crazy nutso when they came to the finish. Even moreso than the winners of the race!! There were NO pace bunnies....someone had told me there would be pace bunnies, but there were none. Just an FYI for those of you who do this race someday!!

First 5km - Legs feel good. You know how sometimes your legs feel a bit heavy or tired those first few minutes of a race? This was NOT the case!! I was good to go from the start. I wanted to RUN!! But the plan was to go out sllllloooooowwwww. Even Denise, the night before, said "Those first 10km are a net downhill. Run them slow. If you feel like you are going too slow, that is the correct pace!!" So I just jogged along and high fived the kids and cheered and waved and smiled and let 100s of people pass me. Seriously, I was starting to think absolutely everyone was going to pass me!! To put this in perspective, my race number was 25994...there were 28000 people in the race...this was as if I started at the front of the local SK marathon...There were still almost 2000 people behind me!!!! WOW!!! And a sea of people ahead of me!! The entire run, there were 6-10 people around me. I was glad that I decided to carry my drink with me as for the first several aid stations, I could not get near them.

6km - 15km - Justin's advice was to take the first 5km super easy, just get my legs under me and let the crowds pass me. Done. Then settle into a pace that I think I can hold for the rest of the day. I was doing that. It was fun!! It was easy!! I was totally pumped and how steady my 5km splits were!! I was the BOMB!!! Ha ha!!

16km - 20km - Still feeling really good. I was shocked at how good I was feeling. It was like I was out for a Sunday run along the river bank in Saskatoon...except there were thousands of people cheering!! And police were everywhere!! I was having a blast. I was reading the signs people made, the Red Sox were playing and every so often someone had a sign with the current score, people dressed up in costumes, ran through Wellesly college scream tunnel...those girls were fun!!

21km - 25km - STILL running good!! I can totally nail this thing! I know the Newton Hills are coming, but I still feel really good!! WTF? I had so much confidence and I was on top of my nutrition and I was happy and I was RUNNING THE BOSTON MARATHON!!!

26km - 30km - A super steep downhill at 25km...my legs had started to get tired but I was still in control and pretty sure of myself. I was NOT going to let Heartbreak Hill break my heart!! and then OUCH...my right quad did not want to be part of the fun any longer...damn it was hurting...I had to stop and walk a few steps on that downhill and I tried to run again, but it was too much!! Shitty. I did NOT want to walk felt like I had very few options. Let's face it, I wasn't going to be winning any money at this thing and I did not really feel like having a bum leg for the rest of the summer and honestly, I was feeling like I was in uncharted territory with that downhill running!!! Like I had not trained for it at all!!

31km - 42km - The decision was made. Just get through this run. My leg was hurting and I felt like I was dragging it. I ran up the first 2 of the Newton Hills...but walked Heartbreak. I was kind of glad I did walk it!! The people and the noise and the craziness!! It actually was a bit overwhelming at times...you feel like you are at the Olympics...there were places where the police had to hold people back and we had to run single file!! That was NUTSO!! From about 35km to the end it is a gradual downhill....OMG my friggin quad on my right leg!! I had to put the pain aside and just get this mother f*cker done!! I was a bit dissappointed that I was feeling like I had not trained "properly" for this run but not much I could do about it...

Once we were getting closer to Boston, the crowds and the people were about 10 deep on the sides of the street. I was very happy Shaun had the boys in the bleachers so they could sit and see the race. I would have been worried if they had to be in that mob.

I ran the last mile. I think. I actually don't remember. You take a few twists and turns and that f*cking Citigo sign, you can see FOREVER!!!

Finish Line - Done!! I wasn't as emotional as I thought I would be. My leg was really hurting and two volunteers appeared on each side of me and escorted me to the vip tent...I just kept asking if I could sit down...all I remember is the guy saying "Let me look at you...are you okay? Do you need a wheelchair? What can I get you? Let me help you." Once I was sorted out, I just went straight to the hotel. My legs felt like they were on fire. I could not stop shaking. I was spent!!

Thoughts - This was a GREAT experience. I was so happy to have this opportunity. I may never get there again!! It was good to have my family there and know they were looked after. There was a delicious chocolate cake waiting in our room when we got back. Luke and I ate it ALL!! Ha ha!! I needed to get something in my stomach very quickly as I felt queasy and still shaky. I was disappointed with my leg for all of about 7 seconds...what's one to do??!! You just keep going, enjoy the experience, love the day, know that it will all be over very soon and savor every single last second as I may never get to do this again....