Marathon
I'm sure you've had plenty of time to stare at my "youthful" face here and are anxiously awaiting to read something really interesting. So we'll continue (and hopefully finish) our story on Boston.
Funny thing is....it's been so long I forgot what I had written the last time, so I had to go back to the "archives" and check it out. I'll blame it on "old age".
So yeah, Fenway, the beers, the atmosphere and the pizza after the game were awesome!
The following day (Sunday) we got up bright and early, went across the street to Starbucks and head breakfast. The day was basically spent sight-seeing and dragging my "bil" on the Massachusetts sub-way station....which really was an experience...my sister got a little nervous when I kept snapping shots at the stations. We had a really good lunch at the hotel pub and then carried on with some more sight-seeing. The next day was race-day, so we really couldn't do too much. The evening ended early (for my sis) with a trip to the store to get some munchies and wine (of course).
Bright and early she woke and was headed out the door by 5:30. All runners (all 26,000) were put on school bus after school bus and driven (a total convoy) 26.2 miles north to the starting line. "D" was scheduled to start at 10:30. Basically they take the "elite" runners (a handful) and start them at 9:30ish (they separate the men from the women but because there's fewer, it's by only a few minutes). The next group (which my sis missed only by 119 people) ran at 10:00 and she ran at 10:30. I think at this point I had had my shower and was watching the run from the room. My bil and I went our own ways to catch whatever tiny glimpse of the runners that we could.
The streets were complete chaos.
Imagine 26,000 people running and another 60,000 (or more) lined up to spectate....not to mention the scads of people who were involved in ensuring the run goes smoothly...the medics, the police, the volunteers, the photographers....endless.
It took me 20 minutes to walk (work my way through) a single block. I found a spot that I could actually see the pavement and decided to wait there. I managed to catch a glimpse of pink run by me....that was "Kara", the Oregon hopeful (she came in third....not bad for a 30 year old, pretty girl). So now I had probably another hour and a half to wait for my sister (she actually thought she wouldn't that great at this run...it was cold and windy, and she woke up not feeling that great). So I skimmied down another couple of blocks.
I found an opening and I thought, "this is where I'll stay put".
A freezing hour later (my eyeballs were continuously doing the "side to side" move, as runners kept running by), and after many covered in dried salt, blood, sweat...some who looked like their muscles would never untwist from the horrible cramp they were in....my sister runs by. Calm, in good pace, almost smiling.....she passes by....and I...barely get a shot. She was 2 minutes away from the finish line....it took me 30 minutes to get back there. 45 minutes later we all meet up. I gave her a big hug and we headed back to the hotel. Her time....better than ever, at 3:29:01...not bad for her third ever marathon, huh?!
We had lobster, and she had wine that night. Most enjoyable day.
Funny thing is....it's been so long I forgot what I had written the last time, so I had to go back to the "archives" and check it out. I'll blame it on "old age".
So yeah, Fenway, the beers, the atmosphere and the pizza after the game were awesome!
The following day (Sunday) we got up bright and early, went across the street to Starbucks and head breakfast. The day was basically spent sight-seeing and dragging my "bil" on the Massachusetts sub-way station....which really was an experience...my sister got a little nervous when I kept snapping shots at the stations. We had a really good lunch at the hotel pub and then carried on with some more sight-seeing. The next day was race-day, so we really couldn't do too much. The evening ended early (for my sis) with a trip to the store to get some munchies and wine (of course).
Bright and early she woke and was headed out the door by 5:30. All runners (all 26,000) were put on school bus after school bus and driven (a total convoy) 26.2 miles north to the starting line. "D" was scheduled to start at 10:30. Basically they take the "elite" runners (a handful) and start them at 9:30ish (they separate the men from the women but because there's fewer, it's by only a few minutes). The next group (which my sis missed only by 119 people) ran at 10:00 and she ran at 10:30. I think at this point I had had my shower and was watching the run from the room. My bil and I went our own ways to catch whatever tiny glimpse of the runners that we could.
The streets were complete chaos.
Imagine 26,000 people running and another 60,000 (or more) lined up to spectate....not to mention the scads of people who were involved in ensuring the run goes smoothly...the medics, the police, the volunteers, the photographers....endless.
It took me 20 minutes to walk (work my way through) a single block. I found a spot that I could actually see the pavement and decided to wait there. I managed to catch a glimpse of pink run by me....that was "Kara", the Oregon hopeful (she came in third....not bad for a 30 year old, pretty girl). So now I had probably another hour and a half to wait for my sister (she actually thought she wouldn't that great at this run...it was cold and windy, and she woke up not feeling that great). So I skimmied down another couple of blocks.
I found an opening and I thought, "this is where I'll stay put".
A freezing hour later (my eyeballs were continuously doing the "side to side" move, as runners kept running by), and after many covered in dried salt, blood, sweat...some who looked like their muscles would never untwist from the horrible cramp they were in....my sister runs by. Calm, in good pace, almost smiling.....she passes by....and I...barely get a shot. She was 2 minutes away from the finish line....it took me 30 minutes to get back there. 45 minutes later we all meet up. I gave her a big hug and we headed back to the hotel. Her time....better than ever, at 3:29:01...not bad for her third ever marathon, huh?!
We had lobster, and she had wine that night. Most enjoyable day.
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