Remembering Boston 2014, part 1

Boston 2015 approaches, and I can't help but think back to last year. The previous year too, of course and always.

Boston 2014 was my fourteenth marathon and my eighth Boston Marathon. I know the course like I know the back of my hand. I have my favorite parts: mainly from mile 13 on, particularly Kenmore Square to the finish. I have the parts I try to block out: mainly the first half, which feels like it lasts for days, especially Framingham where it seems all the spectators smoke, and that one section of concrete desert, around mile 16 that goes up and over 128.

I knew going into the race that it was going to be a slow day. The truth? I didn't care one bit about my time. I ran to say thank you: to the parents, grandparents, little kids, drunk college students, police officers, volunteers, everyone else lining the course, and to the American Liver Foundation, for getting me to my first Boston Marathon starting line in 2001.

I was geeked out. I wore a fanny pack so I could carry my aging cellphone and the heavy charger that kept it working. My plan was to stop and take pictures along the way, so I could remember every moment. I've been looking at those pictures these last few days. Figured it's time to share them. They're not great photos, but they bring back some awesome memories. Here's my visual take on that day. Because blogspot is being weird and/or I am an idiot when it comes to technology, I'm breaking this up into sections. Here's the second part:

http://alwaysatthestartingline.blogspot.com/2015/04/remembering-boston-2014-part-2.html


Woke up at 5 and found this note, left on the kitchen counter for me by my older daughter. 

The kid gets me. 

   Then I got dressed.

Lots of sadness. Lots of gratitude too. 

A friend drove me to the EMC parking lot off Route 495 in Hopkinton, where many runners catch shuttle buses to Athlete's Village.

About 7:30 a.m. Security was tight.

We used to get these great bags for storing our pre-race/ post-race clothes. We used to have baggage buses that would take our things to the finish line. Last year, anything we took with us to Athlete's Village  -- in our small, transparent bags, had to stay behind. Our pre-race clothes were either donated to charities or tossed. We had no bags waiting for us at the finish line. Safety first.

That red sweatshirt was older than me.

For more: 

http://alwaysatthestartingline.blogspot.com/2015/04/remembering-boston-2014-part-2.html