The Inferno
To race in the Boston Marathon, you need to run a qualifying marathon faster than a “qualifying time” which depends on your sex and your age (unless you agree to raise lots of money for approved charities). I just squeaked…
Category 2012
I remembered watching three years earlier, wondering if I would ever have a shot at the finish
We fired up our watches, exchanged some last minute good lucks and took a minute to soak it in. This was it – we were lined up to start the BOSTON MARATHON! I think one of us said, “Well we…
In the last two miles, it finally sank in I was going to finish this marathon
Any story of Boston 2012 has to begin with the weather. Runners anywhere on the Eastern Seaboard were well aware of the brutally hot weather forecast for Monday, April 16th. At first I thought weather.com was playing a cruel April…
With the heat, my only goal was to finish with a smile on my face
Growing up, running had always been my passion. Something I truly enjoyed, and something I seemed to be good at. Running doesn’t discriminate. There are no “cuts” from the team, you don’t have to be a certain height or weight,…
Record Hot Weather Provides A Different Experience
If you ever wonder how weather affects people’s moods, look no further than the 2012 Boston Marathon. For those not aware, Marathon Monday in 2012 was one of the hottest on record with temperatures near 90 degrees by the end…
Foregoing the race, and embracing the experience
I truly believe anything is possible, if you want it badly enough. For me, qualifying for (and running!) the Boston Marathon was a big dream for many, many years. I’m sure people thought I was crazy talking about BQ’ing when…
“I was too dehydrated to even cry…”
For years I wanted to just qualify for Boston. Unlike some novice runners who say they have never heard of the race, running Boston has been my strong desire ever since my first marathon back in 2006. After taking nearly…
Dancer in a Heat Wave: Pain, Agony, and Distress on the Road to Boston
When I first set out with the intention of running the Boston Marathon for the Alzheimer’s Association in memory of my dear grandfather, I had some idea of the challenges I would face in my training and fundraising. Some, but…
One Red Grape
You could see it coming: An early spring heat wave, making its way from the Great Plains eastward across the central United States. The unseasonable weather spared neither north nor south as it baked its way across the country. With…