We started out with the crowd (
we being me, my sis Anne, and her friend Meg. we ran into Trish at mile 5 and ran with her too) - not much choice on the pace, but we were right around 8' pace. We decided to try to run 1:45 half, then 1:50 2nd half - the course is much more difficult on the back half. So we were good until about mile 9 - we were heading for a 1:44 and change for the half, but then my sis started to get hot and tired - we backed off for 2 miles and then re-paced until the half for a 1:46. Then it was mile by mile. We ran into Newton together and I felt great on the "hills" (bumps more like) but I got ahead of her after the aid station at 17. My Bro and sister in law were at mile 19.5 and I stopped and gave hugs and waited for the little sis there. Then we headed up the biggest hill together. I thoutht she was right behind me, but lost her at an aid station around heartbreak. I had to just run over the damned thing and at this point - mile 21 or so I didn't know if I could wait. I was getting a little tired myself and slowing down didn't feel good on the quads - so I decided that I would run to mile 26, then wait for her. I got to Fenway, stopped and took it all in. Just before turning onto Boylston (the finishing straight) I stopped and waited for my sister - for 3.5 minutes. It was 3:36:30 into the race... I didn't know if she was walking or if I had missed her, but decided that I should go at 3:40. My parents were in the GRANDSTANDS and I waved to them madly as I trotted across the BOSTON MARATHON finish line!! Awesome race!!!

Finish instead of waiting. Now I kind of regret losing her at all, but I also regret not getting the "official" PR and qualifying for next year.

Walked, walked, walked...


It was a FUN day and not a race for me. I think a 3:30 would have been doable if I had wanted to do it.


This is BOSTON baby!!!

I LOVED the fans, the college crazy kids with the beers, the Sox fans with dry erase boards along the course updating us with the score of the Sox game (8-3 was the final - go Red Sox!) I LOVED the kids who wanted high fives and the ones handing out freeze pops and oranges. I LOVED the old men and women cheering for everyone. I loved the guy running in the Sponge Bob Squarepants suit. I hated the guy running in the Yankees uniform, but loved that the Boston fans still cheered and/ or boo'd him. I loved the hills (I was ready for some uphill after all of the down) I LOVE sealevel, I loved the chaos. I loved that I ran the BOSTON MARATHON in 2008, but most of all I LOVE the support I got from EVERYONE