Tag: 26.2

The Boston Marathon 2014

On By The Running GriffinLeave a comment

ImageYesterday the big day was finally here. It was time for the 2014 Boston Marathon! After months of preparation, significant effort to fundraise and more cold winter runs than I would have hoped for we loaded the buses at Boston Common to make our way out to the starting line in Hopkinton.

In 2013, Beth Ann was unable to finish the Marathon due to the terrorist attacks at the finish line. You can read more about our 2013 race experience by clicking here. Given what unfolded, this year I pledged to run with Beth Ann for the entire race and promised to her that we would cross the finish line together. What might have started out as just a “nice husband sort of offer” turned out to be one of the best decisions I could have ever made surrounding running a race.

As we lined up at the starting line, the emotion of hitting the Boston Marathon course was pretty overwhelming. I looked at Beth Ann and told her “We’re going to do this” and post fist-bump we were off. The first several miles of the race went really well; we hit a nice stride and the support along the course was nothing short of amazing. The course was jam-packed with supporters and whether they were a casual observer sitting in a lawn chair and clapping or a raucous college student imbibing the same number of beers as we would be running miles, the supporters were screaming from the start to the finish line and helped motivate runners along the way.

Thanks to the Thirsty Irish Runners for their support at the Mile 4 water stop. Perfect timing as we arrived at the water stop as Journey’s Don’t Stop Believin’ was blaring on their speakers!

Around Mile 10 or so Beth Ann started to experience some rather bad leg cramping and knee pain which really began to impact the run. As we continued along, there became a point where Beth Ann looked at me and told me to go run without her but I committed to cross the finish line with her. It wasn’t an option to leave her; we were going to do this together. As we continued along the course, we mixed running and walking to help ease some of the pain. After a couple of emotional breaks, I told Beth Ann we would get to the finish together and I was proud of her. We both reminded ourselves of why we were running (raising money for a cause so near and dear to us) and we knew the finish line would get here soon enough.

The Wellesley College girls were amazing as always and their signs were better than 2012 when I ran Boston before. The Boston College students cheered for us with the same fervor as if we were running neck and neck for 1st and 2nd place. The crowds simply did not let up and certainly did not disappoint.

Between Miles 23 and 24 were my brother, my parents and family friends. Thankfully, Owen had the requisite gummy bears to help fuel the last stretch and the cheers of my parents was an added boost. It was awesome to have them there. They spent a long day in the city waiting to see us get to where they were but having them there even for the brief few seconds we stopped to say hello meant the absolute world to both Beth Ann and I.

As we made our way to the Mile 25 mark the famous Citgo sign became visible and knowing the route, we knew we were close to the finish line. Making our way into the Mass. Ave tunnel where so many runners were stopped last year was quite an emotional fete and as we made our final right hand turn onto Hereford Street, I looked at Beth Ann and she said “Let’s do this.” We ran on Hereford and then made the final left hand turn onto Boylston. I’ll never forget the look in her eyes when she challenged me to sprint into the finish line and was so incredibly proud to be joining her crossing the Boston Marathon finish line. Racing down Boylston was quite emotional as we ran past where I was standing last year, the location of the two blasts and the sites that even for non-marathoners became emblazoned in the minds of so many. We did it! We finished the Boston Marathon! The time was 6:02:18 or 13:50/miles. Beth Ann beat herself up a couple times on the course and told me “It’s just not my day.” To that, I say hogwash. We finished the Boston Marathon, an accomplishment most people can only dream of. It was her day. It was our day.

ImageHaving the volunteer place the medal over each of our necks was also quite an emotional point of the day and one that I will never forget. We earned the medal this year and Beth Ann received the honor of having the medal placed around her neck this year that was so senselessly taken away from her last year.

So now, with the race behind us, it is time for rest, ice, refueling and thanking all of those who supported us. We have raised over $7200 for Tufts Medical Center and The Floating Hospital for Children. You can read more about our efforts here.

ING Hartford Marathon

On By The Running GriffinLeave a comment

ImageHaving never competed in more than one marathon in one year, I figured 2013 was a good year to push the limits. After having run a really strong Buffalo Marathon, I decided to sign up for the ING Hartford Marathon to check another race off the bucket list. Billed as a marathon that was flat, well-supported and a good time, the ING Hartford Marathon lived up to all of my expectations and crossing the finish line was a great accomplishment to chalk up for an all around great running year.

Friday afternoon we hit up the marathon expo to pick up my bib number and to scout out the various vendors present at the expo. There was a nice mix of local and national vendors present and and most booths had a free giveaway or a raffle that runners could enter.

Saturday morning, my father drove me from their home in Holyoke, Massachusetts down Route 91 into Hartford and we arrived with plenty of time to spare until the race started. The race started at the foot of the Capitol building and racers gathered in Bushnell Park for the pre-race stretching, food and drink. All of the various charities taking part in the race had tents available and there was a great atmosphere with music keeping the runners awake in the early hours. With a race time start of 8AM, the fall air was still quite cool and I kept layers on until it was time to drop my bag at the Bushnell Theater which was located right next to the starting line.

As runners lined up to start, a classy start to the race included a Connecticut State Trooper singing an amazing rendition of the Star Spangled Banner along with some quick speeches from the Mayor of Hartford and a representative from ING coupled with an invocation that was poignant for runners.

As the wheelchair participants made their way onto the course, the race announcer asked runners to look toward the steps of the State Library where young dancers wearing Run Boston Strong tee-shirts danced to an upbeat version of the Boston anthem Sweet Caroline. The sea of runners chimed in with the requisite “Bum bum bum” on queue.

Next it was go time for the marathon runners. We made our way through the downtown section of Hartford first running past a great contingent of fans with super signs and flags waving. (One of the best ones was “You run better than the government.”) Marathoners and half-marathoners split as we made our way out of the downtown area as the courses were different.

The first 13.1 miles of the race were a rather flat stretch of road and I felt really strong running the first half of the marathon. With some stretches within a park along the river paired to some running through an office park and then back into some residential neighborhoods, it was great to see a lot of people along the way cheering runners on with orange cow bells and blow horns. What was nice about the race was that there was great entertainment along the way ranging from two guys with guitars to a larger scale band to a group singing Hare Krishna chants. At the half-marathon mark I was running an 8:49/mile pace good for a half-marathon time of 1:55:19.

From Mile 14 to Mile 17 was probably one of my favorite stretches of the race as runners made their way through a rather scenic rural stretch complete with farms, large houses and an amazing contingent of supporters along the road. It was the perfect fall day to be running through such a neighborhood and really epitomized what New England running is all about. At Mile 17 I really started to feel some pretty good pain in my right ankle, though, and as we looped back toward Mile 20 I could tell my pace was going to be suffering. Fortunately I ran a moderately strong first 13.1 miles as from Mile 17 on I was running with a rather large amount of pain in my right ankle.

Beth Ann met me at Mile 20 with gummy bears in hand which helped put some sugar back into my body and helped me make my way back onto the pavement. Heading back toward Mile 23 there was a junk food station about 22.5 miles in where I grabbed some flat soda to again get some sugar into my system. At Mile 23 one of the volunteers helped get you through the wall cheering that we were “Hall of Famers” and almost there. A couple of less fortunate runners were being attended to by ambulances between Miles 23 and 25 which always helps put things back into perspective.

As I came upon the Mile 25 sign I knew it was just 1.2 more miles to go; unfortunately that included up an on-ramp bridge to head back into downtown Hartford and the ankle was hurting even more at this point. As soon as I crested the bridge, I knew it was time to kick it back into gear and push with whatever I had left in the tank. I ran a pretty solid last half-mile or so into the finish line and finished the race with a time of 4:33:31 good for 10:29/miles.

ImageAfter Buffalo, which was my marathon PR, the ING Hartford Marathon is my second best marathon time.  I wish my ankle was able to hold up a bit better than it did and as I type this recap today it looks at though someone dropped an anvil on my ankle but us marathon types are tough and I will be back running as soon as the swelling goes down.

The ING Hartford Marathon was a great race and lived up to all the good things I have heard about the race. Great race support, great fans, a really nice course and super amenities. If you are looking for a New England marathon to complete next year, give this one a shot!