.
I asked again just before and just after the big day when the snow was but a distant memory, and many impressions of the race came in. The contributors include most, but unfortunately not all Flyers who ran. I was not able to get to everyone and I only found out a few names after the race was over.
I remember my first Boston in 1993, and much earlier (around 1950) when my father first took me to watch. I always get excited this time of year and if I can, I go and watch. This article captures some very special moments in the lives of many of our team mates and we'd like to share them with you.
Maybe next year it will be your time. I surprised myself when I first qualified, maybe you will too.
But before I present the Flyer participants, I want to make special note of the Flyers Cheering section. Everyone gets a lift when they see it. And for those exhausted Flyers, since it comes at a perfect time in the race – just prior to the Newton Hills – it manages to give them the lift they need to get up those hills. Thanks to all that come out to cheer on our team!
his is my 15th straight year cheering for the Flyers – yet I have not run a single one. I have run the last 9 miles 3 times as support and a sherpa. It's fun when people are encouraging you up the hills and you know that you've only run a few miles.
I went to my first Boston in 1996 when a very good friend of mine, who lives in California, was trying to qualify for Boston, finally qualified. I was also a very, very new Flyer at that time. I have friends that live in Newton and so I already had a place from which to cheer – the perfect place – around the 17th mile.
It was so much fun that it became a tradition for me to go to Boston and cheer with my friends. Other Flyers started coming to our spot, and it very
quickly became the Flyers Cheering Section. Doing what I love to do (cheering for a race) with Flyers and other friends is a great way to spend a
Monday. As for me actually qualifying to run the whole race, hmm ... maybe when I'm 80 years old .
We travel to cheer because of the people on the team; to see all of you go by and to be excited for you as you pass (with 25,000 of your closest friends and fellow runners). This spot would not be nearly as good if not for the participation of many of the team, some trying to follow their runners from spot to spot, some waiting to jump in to run with their runner, and some just out to see everyone. So thanks to all the Flyers and Flyer friends helping make this a true Flyers Cheering Section.
I must mention this would not be nearly as easy without the help and friendship of my friends in Newton, Martha and Jay. They have been cheering
for the marathon for a long time – Jay has been doing it since he was a child in that area. Their generosity of things (like the tables and chairs
and food) and of spirit (their own fun and help for our Flyers team) make the day so much easier. For that, we all benefit.
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y father has stood patiently on the side of the road for 10 of my 14 marathons with The Baggie in hand, waiting anxiously for me to appear,
in need, perhaps, or not, of the contents (icy hot, body glide, gu, advil etc). Not as moving as Team Hoyt for sure, but a heroic effort in my book.
This year I sent my ‘Road Crew’ to perch near the Flyers banner as a place easy for them (thanks to the instructional emails) and then me to find. They found the spot alright, and found the Flyers full of camaraderie, an offered chair, many stories & friendly faces. All in all y’all made it as special a day for them as it was for me (ok, I was a few minutes slow, but who’s counting!?)
So, once again, I’m reminded how special it is to be on a team in general, and a Flyer above all!
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t was wonderful to see you (albeit briefly as I flew by). I had a wonderful race and now have wonderful memories. What was I thinking? I had forgotten the
real impact of the consecutive hills before heartbreak...ugh! What a 1,2,3 punch. The day started with a bit of an adventure, even though I was one
of the early birds at the bus loading we managed (through amazing bus loading artistry) to get put on one of the last buses, then our driver got lost
and we headed way out to Worcester. We made it to the race with 30 minutes to spare and the gun went off as we were heading to the corrals.
Just too much excitement. I settled into a nice pace which I held onto until the halfway point, then slowly but surely the race became more difficult.
I did not do the time I wanted but it did not matter. I was thrilled to be back at Boston after so many years. It was really great to see you all out there!
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t was definitely a boost to see the Flyers Cheering Zone before the rough stretch that awaited up the road.
I might have to approach this one for the ‘experience’, something I‘ve been wanting to do with a big city marathon but have never had the self-restraint to do so.
You may have heard that I was one of those crazies (but not the only one!) who ran the Exeter Marathon 2 days befor Boston. (See the B2B report in this newsletter for the complete story on that.)
I spent the rest of Saturday after the Exeter race in Rhode Island with my little brother and his family. I tried to imbibe as
much protein as I could before needing to switch to carbs the next day in preparation for Boston, as per Tim Decker's advice. My protein consumption
culminated Sataturday night with Newport Creamery's one pound 'Holy Cow Burger', which they call the best, biggest, and beefiest burger on the block,
complete with bacon, cheese, lettuce and tomato – but I ordered it on whole wheat toast to keep it healthy
[Editor: ROTLOL!] – and I ate the whole thing!
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got up early monday morning after a torturous sleepless night thinking I'd made a big mistake in attempting the double and might need to
DNS or DNF. My legs felt like painful cement blocks (as in, I could barely step into the bathtub to take a shower or walk down stairs) and
I'd had insomnia the entire night before, which almost never happens, especially before races when I usually sleep pretty well. What was I
thinking in signing up for all these @#+ races?
But then I remembered that I was also signed up to run Big Sur's special anniversary year B2B, and I'd be automatically disqualified if I didn't finish Boston. After all that work to get a B2B number (many thanks to Sungwon's efforts), I knew I had to just toughen up and get out there.
I took Boston slowly. My minor injuries from stupidly racing the prior weekend had given me enough of a scare that I didn't want to risk getting
a real injury. Also, as each mile passed I was so amazed to be running at all, that I didn't feel much pressure to speed up. I ended up running
my worst ever Boston marathon in terms of time, and one of my worst marathons period. But I ran a negative split, really enjoyed the course, and
miraculously my legs felt BETTER after the race. I could actually walk down stairs pretty easily whereas I couldn't do that just that morning.
My expectations going in were so low that I was ecstatic and immensely grateful to finish.
Honestly, now I'm a little nervous. Between stomach flus, colds, and a missionary trip to Haiti, training hasn't gone as planned. It could be going
better, but hopefully I'll get in a couple of good runs in the next few weeks :) I'm leaving for Haiti on March 13 for a week!
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particularly enjoy this race because it passes through the section of Boston where my grandfather was born (Brookline). Papa ran track in high
school and was a big part of my early running years. He passed away 19 years ago but I still find myself asking him to help me through his
neighborhood – and I usually need all the help I can get towards the end of the Boston course! For his memory alone I will continue to run
Boston as long as I qualify. It may not be my fastest effort but for me there's more to Boston than my time.
Even years that I've been in comparatively horrible shape, I still look forward to my annual pilgrimage to Boston. It's just not spring until
I've run Boston. My overall speed is good, having slipped a little bit from the end of 2009. But the long runs are probably a little behind schedule.
Hopefully, over the next few weeks I can make up for that.
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hanks again for all the support. We really appreciate it.
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t was perfect weather for the marathon.
After an ankle sprain and only 6 weeks of training, I was trepidatious approaching marathon day. I knew I would not break any personal records
there so I focused on the crowds and enjoyed the fact that I could run. I didn't look at any clock and ran according to how I felt. I was in tears
crossing the finish line and learned that I ran a 4:32 about 2 hours later!
The NY Flyers were so supportive the entire weekend!
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his was my second Boston marathon but my first since Dan and I moved to new Hampshire. Living on a big hill and the challenging running courses
here definitely helped me prepare. The Boston prep 16 miler at the end of January and the Eastern States 20 miler in March are two must runs!
I had a number of issues getting to the start but managed to get it all sorted out and be in the corral with 20 minutes to go. Seeing the flyers
before heartbreak hill was awesome and re-energized me.
The Flyer dinner beforehand and especially the post-party celebration after were highlights. Thanks to Deb again for organizing these. I also really enjoyed meeting Flyers I didn't know. Pretty cool to connect with other Flyers in Boston.
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really appreciated getting to the start line with Deb Meyer. She was great to hang out with on line for the bus, on the long bus ride, getting
ready together in athlete's village, and then walking to the start line corrals together. Thank you Deb!
I really appreciated the Flyer cheering station. Knowing that they would be there right after mile 17 was a big boost for me. I was so happy to see the Flyers there!
I had a great first time Boston experience. It was a beautiful day for a long run . And it was wonderful to celebrate
this awesome day with the Flyers!
I was elated to requalify!
However, I lost about five weeks of training after injuring
my foot in January so I am not in what one would call optimum shape for this one. So I enter the race with some question marks. I do feel though
that I've regained enough running shape to participate (goals adjusted accordingly, of course) and have fun.
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hank You all for being out there. It was wonderful to see such great team spirit. You all made me feel proud to be a Flyer!!!
Norms
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don't enjoy running marathons. I used to like the training, the whole goal setting thing, achieving the "impossible" (well, super difficult),
yada yada yada. I am over that, and really just don't enjoy them. Last year, when I got faster and qualified (seemingly out of nowhere), I started
to get more excited, but soon after, I started to get slower again. So, during training, my heart wasn't really into it. This caused me to run
slowly. That's pretty much how I trained – to finish, not to go fast.
Having said that, the Boston Marathon was the best running experience I have ever had. The crowds, the course, the weather, and the hype blew my expectations out of the water. Because of that, I also never want to do it again, because I don't think it can be any better.
The spectators made the race for me. There were times running through the college towns that I felt like I was playing in the Super Bowl. You could hear their screaming a quarter mile away. Everywhere, it felt like everyone TRULY wanted ME personally to do well. It was a strange feeling that is hard to explain. It was as though everyone in Boston believed they owned the race and they were inviting us to be their guests and enjoy it. There really weren't any parts of the course where you couldn't at least see the next spectator. Running by the Flyers was great – knowing that you guys were coming up really kept me going after about mile 13.
I am very glad to have gotten the chance to run this great race. It was even worth my being a nervous wreck for the 4 days (My boyfriend might say
16 weeks) leading up to the race. I am still getting chills thinking about it. While I don’t plan to run it again, I hope to go up again and cheer
on other people in the future!
Training is going well. The training run that I had done on the Boston course 2 weeks ago really allowed me to see if my goal was reasonable or not, which assured me that I am right where I wanted to be at a month or two before the race.
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his one was for all the flyers out there who said I can. Who said I can sub-3 by putting down my camera and racing the race – as a race.
Who said that they believed in me before I even believed in myself. For those who tracked me online and congratulated me with 100+ facebook messages!
Everything was a blur; for the first time I had actually focused and ran the entire marathon seriously. It was all business! It was so great to see all of the Flyers out in their usual spot and the banner hung high, and getting really ampted up by seeing them, but calming myself down because I knew what to expect afterwards: the Newton hills and Heartbreak Hill.
I left it all out there on the course, on a perfect day to run.
Thank You all for being there and again, I could not have done it without any of you supporting me along the way through the years!
My training this year has not been as rigorous as last year but am doing more cross training (like swimming). I am running only 5 days a week (hence less mileage) than last year. I started following the Rookie marathon training calendar posted on BAA web site. I can’t believe this is called “rookie” while it asks to run between 50 to 70 miles per week!
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[After running Big Sur 6 days after Boston] Not only did I have the "privilege" to run two very tough courses back to back in 6 days but also
enjoyed immensely running through two very distinct and historic courses. Boston, obviously without having to explain, is one of the most
prestigious and historic race in America.
I wanted to thank so many Flyers who sent best wishes and kudos before AND after both races. Special thanks to Ed, Richard and the cheering squad
of Mile 17! It meant so much to read their notes and see their remarks on Face Book. Thank you and thank you!
I don't feel as excited this year, perhaps because my training isn't going as well and I'm not quite reconciled to running a slower than usual marathon.
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have a very minor health condition – on occasion, my normally low blood pressure drops to a very low level which could lead to fainting.
There are medications to treat this, but the downside is a dampening effect on one's energy level. So I have been off the meds for
over a year, with my doctor's consent.
I began to notice that I was loosing energy around mile 10, when I couldn't keep up with runners around me. I walked at mile 13 and stopped at the medical tent at mile 14 to have my blood pressure taken. Since it was very low, they gave me an IV. After an hour, my blood pressure returned to normal. The doctor recommended that I take a bus to the finish, but after some negotiation agreed to release me with the assurance that I would drop out at the Newton Fire Station, where my friends were waiting.
Aside from medication, proper hydration is key for runners with low blood pressure who have a propensity for fainting. I was actually fine after the IV. I'm also fine with a DNF, since I wasn't willing to risk a recurrence. The only time I had a pang of guilt was when I spoke with some of the slower runners still on the course who were absolutely determined to finish despite pain and exhaustion.
[We all wish Isabel a full recovery and many strong races in the future. On April 25th, Isabel served as a pace
leader in the More Half-marathon (see picture) so we're happy to see her back in action. – The Editor]
I feel like everyone should run one event in their life for charity. It’s really interesting and fulfilling, and people have been SOOOO supportive and SOOOO generous. Hopefully in a year, after I finish my 50 states (Massachusetts will be state #39) and I stop running 10 -15 marathons per year, I'll try to qualify.
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nfortunately, I was very sick with what felt like an upper resperatory bug.
Its the first time
I've run a marathon sick, but I still had fun
overall during the marathon and over the weekend.
I've used the Tucson marathon as my qualifier since 2001, and would recommend it to anyone who likes downhill races. But there is no group out here nearly as fun as the Flyers. I'm a little bit more worried about my training for the Wildflower half-ironman on May 1st, as I've only swam 8k since Jan 1. I gave up racing Boston 10 years ago. Now I just enjoy the experience. As for training, you can’t beat the San Diego weather. No lack of hills either.
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should have kept running with Tim – I'm sure I could have run better if I had someone to entertain me.
I feel prepared, yes, I packed my registration card and power gels and pace bands and some other stuff nearly 2 weeks before race day, so
as far as neurotica goes I seem to be fairly well prepared. So I'm not worried, but I always feel anxious before every race.
My training went fine. I worked hard, I'm not hurting, Flyers group training runs were very fun and helpful (thanks Jim and Francine!), and
I'm enjoying tapering.
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came past you guys at mile 17 in a hot pink shirt and green shorts – not sure if you all recognized me – my family ended up about 200 yards before
you guys (they were afraid of walking so far down and not making it back to the city) – but they made it to the second spot just before
Charles Gate so it worked out perfectly.
My best memories from yesterday were just the unbelievable crowds the whole way along the course it was amazing to have that kind of support.
And at mile 25 when I could barely keep my feet going in front of me there was another runner just in front of me doing cart wheels right down
the middle of the road way – the crowds went wild cheering – he probably did 4 cart wheels, it made me smile and that was what I needed right then.
It just was an unbelievable day.
My greatest moments of Boston this year started when Janet Hanson came in for the 5K on Sunday morning (fresh off her Exeter marathon!) and I was able to watch her and a good friend from college in the race – great pre-marathon excitement as runners cross the actual finish line. Janet then stayed for the day as we headed to the expo and ran into several other Flyers, capped off by a great pasta dinner that night with Flyer friends.
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hanks to my hotel and bus buddy Jodie Fischer, we ventured to the marathon together with just enough time to hit a port-o-potty, check our bags
and line up. My race highlights included seeing Joe and Sungwon repeatedly on the course which kept me going (esp on the hills!), catching Ed and
the Flyer spectators at mile 17 was HUGE before the hills, and having my friends and family at mile 20 and 23 helped pull me through to the finish
in my goal time of 3:35!! The weekend came to a wonderful close with celebratory drinks at the Westin hotel bar with a great Flyer turnout, everyone
donned with their medals, where we shared war stories of a great race with many PRs! Another fabulous Boston weekend thanks to so many Flyer friends
who ran or supported the team!
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henomenal weather and a great weekend with all my training buddies and good
friends. I was so pleased that the many hours of hard work in the cold,
running with my boys (DJ, Edddie and Gordon) in combination with Toby and
Joe's speedwork paid off. Although there is still room for improvement, I
was esctatic with my results and looking forward to next year's race. It
took me 5 times to get it right!
Many thanks to Richard, Dan and Ed and the other Flyers who provided support – it was so great to see your smiling faces before hitting the hardest part of the course.
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wanted to add something quickly about running boston without wearing a watch! And how that both ellicited comments and how I think that it is a
very freeing way to run a race (though I tend to always run 8 minute miles anyway) - especially during hte hills and at the end of the race
when I didn't want to see how slowly I was running.
And also I ran part of the race side by side a man who was running his 41st marathon. He was a character. He was wearing a shirt that said Yale on it
and I asked if he went to yale and he told me that it was the shirt he wore during his senior year of college in the 70s!
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oston, yes Boston! When I am in Boston, it’s the best marathon in the world, but when I’m running NYC, it’s the best.
Boston 2010 was fabulous! The crowds were wonderful, the workers so motivating, fellow runners were energizing (except the guy that told
me to stay in my lane, I was merging on a curve and bumped him, said I was sorry, he said I should just run straight, I explained how I was
going to run 26.2 and he was going to run 26.8 without running the tangents, he did not like it – so when I passed him at 22 miles I
exclaimed “hello again non-merger”, that was really bad wasn’t it? I just couldn’t resist, I was kicking that last 5 miles in and I
was elated that I had so much left!). And best of all, I was blessed to have a great run.
I am grateful to my husband, Mark, who helps me find the time to train, and to my two favorite fans, Zoe and Nina Frances, my daughters that think a mom that runs is great! Also, I am grateful to such a wonderful running club, the Flyers that I have joined. So many of you have made me feel more a part of your family each day and I look forward to training with and knowing you all better in the near future!
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or a first time Boston marathoner, things could not have gone better – perfect weather, amazing crowd support, and a PR. Makes all those snowy
long runs this past winter well worth it.
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hat a difference for 2010! Actually hung out a little bit at Athlete's Village, got sunscreen from
some guy and made my happy way to the start with friends. It was DRY – we had perfect weather. I have never experienced such crowd
support with barely a
break from Start to Finish. The water/gatorade stops seemed to be constant along the course, with countless volunteers. Highlights: the biker
dudes on the left in the beginning, blasting music from the deck; the kids bouncing on the mini-trampolines lined up on the left side about halfway
through; the screaming girls at Wellesley, and getting a big hug & kiss from Ed Altman at 17 1/2!!
Thanks to the Flyer who snapped a picture of me – my husband says it's goofy but I made it my Profile picture anyway! I left the city over 9 years ago, but it's always so great to see my old Flyer friends at the races. Thank you to all for keeping up the Flyer spirit and running an amazing club.
Training is going well. We started early and have been doing lots of tempos, speedwork, long runs. There are nights (freezing rain, wet snow, wind and cold) when we are basically the only runners in the park, sloshing up and down the hills. The support and camaraderie is very important, I find. It keeps me going. So if I PR in Boston I will credit these fellow Flyers and our speedwork coaches Joe and Toby who are always there. If I fail, it will be their fault, of course.
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oston 2010 for me meant many things. Hills. Nerves. Pain. Sunburn. Hills. Camaraderie. Great crowds. Hills. Many lovely women pleading to
be kissed by sweaty runners.
But mostly, this marathon signified for me the end of self-doubt and the beginning of real confidence in my own running. There was no wall, running this PR felt good, and the recovery was quick. That's what my first Boston - and most importantly the speedy people who ran with me, you know who you are - did for me.
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oston this year was a great experience for me. I did it three years ago and the course beat the daylights out of me. Just trashed me. This time,
I went in having learned from my mistakes. I ran a conservative race. People passing me left and right, but I knew that all that downhill would
haunt me at the Newton Hills, so I ran conservative. Briah Hsia passed me at like, mile 2. And Jamie Dunham at mile 14, both looking strong. I ran
the first 15 miles, with one thought on my mind – Flyers at mile 17. This was my landmark spot. That and getting to mile 21, when the hills would
mostly be behind me. Saw the Flyers cheering zone at mile 17 and I think it gave me an adrenaline rush to help thru the next 4 miles of Newton Hills.
Thanks Team!
Boston this year was a very positive experience for me. New York this past November was awful for me, cramps, walking, swearing I'd never run again, and I went into Boston with trepidation. However, it was a great race, and put me back on a positive mental note about marathons. And, bonus, I qualified for Boston 2011!
Thanks everyone for all your support.
Prior to today I was happy that I was able to set and achieve a stated goal. The Boston Marathon is one of the few road races with a qualifying time requirement and thus an inherent catch, not present in other races. Now, eight days from the start, I am excited to be a part of this celebrated event. It has been a tough winter and my training has been a mixture of the good, bad, and ugly with injuries and motivation being the normal culprits. While I don't know what to expect on race day, I am sure it will be an awesome experience with slew of Flyers in the race and on the sidelines along with thousands of drunks, coeds, and crazies lining the course to cheer me on.
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fter getting back from Boston I was found to have a stress fracture in my foot!
My thoughts on the injury: If I had to guess, it was probably caused by too many runs on the roads this winter and also by running in flats on the concrete during the NYC Half 4 weeks earlier. I try to train mostly on the dirt but the snow/ice this winter made that difficult. All my 20 milers were on asphalt.
The night before the race it started to hurt quite a bit. I iced it all night and in the morning. It bothered me during the beginning of the race but never enough to force me to quit. I also assume adrenaline helped to mask the pain.
The severe pain and inability to put much weight on it didn't really occur until the ride home on Amtrak. I'm heading to the doctor tomorrow so I will hopefully have a more precise diagnosis of my foot which seems much better.
[Note: We hope your foot heals soon and await your return to active duty – The Editor]