My Boston Marathon: The Sequel

Eighteen weeks of training. 530.37 miles. Running in temperature ranges from the low teens to the 90s. Hills, hills, and even more hills. Looooooooooooong track workouts. Way too many treadmill runs. The verge of an injury which led to indoor cycling for cross training, with rides up to 2 1/2 hours. Ten marathons (four of them world majors) under my belt (spread from 2001-2025) with times ranging from my slowest (when I knew nothing about training, fueling, hydrating, or anything really) at 5:42:00, to a personal best of 3:29:21 (although my favorite will always be 3:33:33). All brought me to my (most likely, never say never I guess) final marathon; Boston, 2026.

But this weekend was about more than just Marathon Monday. It was a weekend-long celebration. A celebration of running, runners, supporters, and community. For us the celebration began Friday evening when we finally arrived in Boston after some flight delays. By the time we checked into the hotel and settled in it was too late to hit the expo so we decided to wander a bit, be tourists, and check out Cheers. After filling up on beer, chowder, and too much other food (got to start that carb load) we made our way back to the hotel, passing the finish line on the way. One thing that makes the Boston Marathon so special is that everyone has access to the finish line over the whole weekend. It’s a party kind of vibe with music always playing and tons of people milling around, taking pictures, and soaking up the atmosphere.

Saturday brought a 5K! 10,000 runners and the energy was electric. This year I ran with my guy which made it so much more fun. The course is charming, fast, and vibrant with tons of crowd support. It has the same finish as the marathon which just increased my anticipation for race day. But that was still two days away and first there was much more fun to be had. We headed to the expo where we literally just got my bib and left. I did not buy anything, I did not look at anything. I avoided the lure of so. much. merch. Pretty sure you could create an entire wardrobe and furnish your home with just Boston marathon branded apparel, gear, and accessories if you so desired. But I wanted to get in and out and avoid the crowds. Back to the hotel to clean up and then off to the Sam Adams brewery for a tasting and tour (carbs, right)? It was a beautiful afternoon sitting outside enjoying the 26.2 Brew while listening to live music. After that wrapped up the night with some food and drinks, but sadly no karaoke (we tried).

Sunday! One day ’til race day! The weather was gross. Rainy and cold, but that didn’t stop us from exploring Newbury St. In addition to all the stores I cannot afford (but don’t I deserve a Rolex for running a marathon???), different running brands had various pop-up shops and shakeout runs. There were people everywhere. I was pretty overwhelmed by the crowds so we only went in a couple of the shops. My wallet was safe as I didn’t buy anything and it was fun just taking in the atmosphere. We ate great on Sunday, with lobster rolls and chowder for lunch and the obligatory Italian dinner with a dear friend and a waiter straight out of central casting for Goodfellas (or any other mob movie). I was definitely jealous of the bottle of wine they shared but I was making smart choices and the company and food were great. Back to the hotel where I surprisingly fell asleep almost immediately.

Monday morning! Race day! Boston has a later start so I was able to have a more leisurely morning getting ready. Which meant more time to overthink about what to wear. The weather was going to be perfect for running and I had gotten dressed but was second-guessing my decision about the shirt I was wearing. But I had already pinned my bib and got it mostly straight, and it seemed like too much work to change so stuck with it. Ultimately that was the right choice. I was nervous about the bus loading because it was a disaster last year, and it was no different this year. I however arrived earlier this year, so was one of the first to get through the security checkpoint when my wave began loading. I was relieved to make it on the bus knowing I would have plenty of time in athletes village to settle in unlike last year when I was basically running to the start (many, many others were not so lucky). After the hour-long bus ride I had about 45 minutes before my wave would be called to the start and the majority of that was spent in line for the bathrooms. But I at least had the time to wait! Finally it was time to walk the .7 miles to the start. Such a different experience for me this year. I had a few minutes to just take it all in and reflect on what it took to get there and that in (hopefully) less than 4 hours I would be a 2-time Boston Marathon finisher. It was impossible not to be pumped up but I knew I couldn’t let the adrenaline get the best of me and cause me to go out too fast from the jump.

11:01 AM. The energy at in the corral was palpable. My wave starts. The weather was absolutely perfect for running. Chilly and partly sunny, with a tailwind much of the way. You could not have asked for a better marathon day (I felt like I was owed this after Berlin)! I had an A goal and a B goal for this race. My A goal was to be close to last year’s time and my B goal was to be sub 4:00 which I figured would be no problem but 26.2 miles is a long time. Plenty of time for something to go wrong. Also, even though I wouldn’t run it again next year, I did want to finish with a Boston qualifying time again. Boston is a tricky course and the first 6 miles are pretty much downhill, which is fun but will do a number on your quads if you’re not careful. I did my best to hold myself back during the first 10K with those downhill miles because I knew I would pay for it later if I didn’t. 20 miles to go. The last time I ever have to run a 20-miler! Felt pretty good for more than the first half. I hit that 13.1 mark, only a half-marathon to go! I kept a pretty consistent pace until those Newton hills (miles 16ish-20). My race actually went quite similar to last year, albeit a little slower. I slowed at the same spots and similarly picked up at the same spots, but this year the downhills had much more impact on my legs. Not quite sure why. Last year I had some downhill repeats in my training plan close to race day so maybe that made the difference. Running up the hills, even Heartbreak did not bother me. Of course I slowed a bit, but not significantly. But last year after the hills my legs felt heavy but not sore. This year, by mile 20, my quads were screaming at me with every step. Not enough that I was concerned but enough that my pace slowed more than I would have liked. Cardio-wise I felt like I could run faster but my legs just would not let me. When I realized I was not going to meet my A goal but definitely would meet my B goal I relaxed a bit. I started counting down once I hit mile 20. Just a 10K to go. Now only a 5K. I can do those in my sleep. Less than 20 minutes. The crowds those last few miles carried me through. I reach the Citgo sign which means 1 mile to go! Less than 10 minutes and I would be done. I was determined to finish strong as I once again made those famous turns; right on Hereford, left on Boylston. The home stretch (which is so. very. long). I knew my people were just past the 26 mile mark and knowing I would be seeing them kept me going for so long. I keep running towards that finish, see my peeps, and kick it into high gear (sort of, not really, legs still screaming) until I finally cross that finish line again, with a time of 3:47:16 (a qualifying time for me though most definitely not enough of a buffer to get in for next year). Not too shabby. I often cry when I finish a marathon. But not this time. I didn’t have tons of overwhelming emotions. Just joy and relief (relief that I could finally stop and relief that I never had to do that again). Got my medal, got my gear, and attempted to squat down to throw on long pants and change my shoes. Yeah, that wasn’t happening. I was in a world of hurt. My thighs were on fire! I slowly made my way back to the hotel where I reunited with my guy and friends, celebrated with a beer and tequila shot, and then after relaxing a bit went out for the best burger and parmesan truffle fries ever.

Truly a fantastic and special weekend and a great way to cap off my marathon journey. Not that I’m giving up running. Never! But shorter distances. Also running with a foundation called Athletes Serving Athletes (ASA) where I get to help those with mobility issues cross finish lines. I often feel aimless when not training for a race but it will be nice to run with a different purpose. I want to remember the reasons I began running in the first place. For the exercise, nature, scenery, peace, mental health, and the fun, without the pressure of pace and mileage goals. I want to explore the trails again. And with ASA I want to run for those who can’t. I still have running goals. Just a different focus.