The Last Mile of the Boston Marathon

Boston got rainy and stormy for about an hour this morning.

Good thing it was the hour while I was inside getting ready for work! The rain stopped by the time I left the house, but it still made me want to crawl back in bed.

Before running 6 miles this morning, I had 2 Nature Valley bars (free samples from the Golf Tournament).

This morning’s run included running to and from Healthworks, and the rest took place on the treadmill. You would think after being deprived of TV and internet at home, I might want to turn on NBC or CNN to see what’s going on in the world. But no – I watched MTV music videos and totally spaced out while I was running. I guess that’s what I needed today? I also did 20 minutes of weights and abs while at HW.

Breakfast today was organic yogurt with raw oats, Yogi cereal, Bear Naked Granola, flax seed meal, almond butter and sliced banana.

I was still hungry after eating this so I had more cereal, granola & almond butter with milk. I ate more than I normally would for breakfast, but it kept me full until lunch time. (Normally I need a piece of fruit or something around 10:30 to tide me over.)

Today’s colorful lunch: Sandwich with turkey, hummus, spinach & cheddar. Carrots & hummus. Apple. Blue tortilla chips.

I think the rest of yesterday’s eats are lost (or on Ben’s computer by accident). It was nothing too spectacular – popcorn and cheese as a snack, chicken/veggie stir fry for dinner, and cereal with Teddie peanut butter for dessert. Nothing you haven’t seen before on the Runner’s Cookie!

Speaking of cookies, that might be next on my list of things to bake this weekend

I will also be baking these cookies to send off to someone next Monday or Tuesday for Tina‘s Blog Bake Sale, which is raising money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training for the Honolulu Marathon. I think having bloggers bake and people bid on the goodies is a really fun and creative way to raise money for an amazing cause!

I also really wanted to participate in this bake sale because my mom ran her first marathon (Disney) for Team in Training. I remember how hard she worked to raise money and how meaningful it was for her, as well as the trip to Disney to watch her run. Team in Training will always have a special place in my heart.

As I talk about on my Marathoning Page, I can’t imagine I would have gotten into running so early in life had it not been for my mom. After watching my mom run the Boston Marathon, then going to college in Boston and getting to know and love running around the city more and more, qualifying and running the Boston Marathon became sort of a natural goal for me.

I ran Boston twice with my mom for an unofficial charity affiliated with Boston College, and my third time I ran it as a qualifier. All three were incredible experiences in their own ways.

When I take my afternoon walks at work (to maintain sanity), sometimes I walk the last mile of the Boston Marathon course, and I think how lucky I am to live here and be reminded of those incredible running experiences all the time!

One day a couple of weeks ago, I took a long walk to break up the work day and brought my camera. I had no plan, but this is where the camera lens went…

The Boston Marathon has screaming people the entire 26.2 miles of the course. I have never heard of any other marathon being quite like that. Especially once you hit Comm. Ave., the crowd really starts to be big and loud.

After passing the screaming (intoxicated) Boston College students, the crowd on Beacon Street, and reach Kenmore Square, you know you are about a mile away.

Spectators flood this lovely area in the middle of Beacon Street while runners are galloping (or barely walking) on the right side of the road.

The screaming people continue – they help immensely to numb the pain. When I look back on running Boston, I can’t remember feeling pain as much as I remember hearing (almost constantly) people screaming my name (which I wrote on my shirt in tape – a crucial move). I will never again underestimate the motivational power of hearing random people yell for you when your body feels like it might collapse. It’s very powerful.

Follow that sign pointing to the left and run under the Mass. Ave. overpass.

Come up on the other side.

Gaze at the pretty brownstones. (Can I live in one of these, please?)

Look for those street signs! Right on Hereford.

Left on Boylston. Almost. There.

Pass by Hynes Convention Center (where the ridiculousness that is the Boston Marathon Expo takes place the 3 days prior).

Wave to the Prudential Center.

(Side note: I should go to this if I ever get out of work early enough on a Thursday!)

Resist the urge to shop (on marathon day this is much less of a concern).

You know you’re at the finish when you see the Boston Public Library.

And Marathon Sports.

YES.

Indescribable feelings follow.

I love walking this mile and remembering everything all over again! Do you ever go back to places that bring back memories?