735 Days
Two weeks after the 2015 Boston Marathon, I am finally finished with my thoughts about the entire experience. Those of you who know me are aware of the emotional challenge these last two years have been. They, of course, pale…
Category 2013
My legs were screaming to stop, but my brain wouldn’t listen
I am a practicing physician in southwest Tennessee’s Hardin County, and live in a small community just north of Corinth, Mississippi. I started running seriously later in life, and over an eight year period worked my way up from 5k’s…
Back at the hotel, our phones went wild!
My new boss called me on Monday evening to make sure I was OK. After I told him Kathy and I were not harmed or immediately affected by the blasts, he left me with a final statement/ directive that really…
At Mile 23: “Come on, Stay strong just a little longer.”
We took the family on a road trip to Boston trying to make running the Marathon into a family vacation. We headed out Friday morning for eight hours of driving towards New York. Just the day before I had run…
While the experience was forever changed by the 27th mile, no one can take away the first 26
Everyone warned me to go out slow, so I did. The first mile was an 8:23 or so; and I stood in awe at all of the people running and all of the people cheering. The weather was perfect, the…
My early splits were at the mercy of the pack. In the crowd, it was too risky to pass.
As I tapered the week leading up to the 2013 Boston Marathon, I couldn’t wait for the chance to write my post race report. I was so excited. I was healthy and trained for a sub-three hour marathon IN BOSTON!…
The downhill start made it easy and all the fast runners made me go faster than I should: I went completely out of pace
I think my brain was kinda like “I think I can, I think I can, choo choo!” It’s funny how when you run downhill for several miles, even the flat path feels like a wall. Luckily around mile 15, there…
Homeless In Hopkinton
The first person I spoke to from Hopkinton, Massachusetts the eve of the Boston Marathon was a cop. My good friend and running mate, Greg Heilers, had just dropped me off at the corner of Main and Grove Street in…
Playful Prelude, Somber Postscript
Follow That Unicorn! (Eleven days before) When I first took up running a few years ago, qualifying for the storied Boston Marathon seemed about as realistic as making out with Mila Kunis. This seemed especially true after barely completing my…
The second explosion was exactly where my family had been waiting
I’ll forever remember the 2013 Boston Marathon as the day I came way too close to losing absolutely everything, when my family was almost taken, leaving me with nothing, alone and broken. It started like any other race morning: very…
No One Ever Asked
March 25, 2013. I had no idea at the time my life would forever be changed on this date. It’s the beginning and I guess I’ll start there. All four of my children were in school and my husband Jeramiah…
In a “my legs are tired” way, not in a “I might die, need to walk, or maybe vomit” kind of way
Wow. Well, obviously the aftermath brought a lot more emotions and many things to process far more important than the actual race. Things I never dreamed I’d be considering when recording my first Boston experience. But her I want to…