Running Boston Five Years Later

I found a note yesterday that I had written, in the days following my first running of the Boston Marathon five years ago, to an athlete friend from college. The note went like this:

Yeah, I ran the first 5k at my 5k pace. Knew it, but couldn't stop myself. Until I stopped myself. Came in with a respectable time and learned a lot. Lost a lot of time in self-doubt, but I guess that's all part of it. The Portland Marathon was such a breeze compared to Boston. I was happy the entire way. This was a tough course, very hilly. And it was BOSTON and so many fast runners--anyone not so experienced in racing was liable to go through similar. Wanted to beat my Portland time, but just missed it. I could do the "if onlys..." for hours, but need to use this to learn. I did qualify for Boston next year. Also am in NYC marathon in November, if I want to be. Thinking to sit both of them out and work on speed training and having fun. Thanks again for all off your support and wise words. - r

Running THE BOSTON MARATHON while such a new and naive runner made my journey forward a little more challenging than it might otherwise have been. But who really knows. I had no idea that PRs were not a given in every race. Or that 26.2 miles contained many many smaller moments with which to contend. Or that I should wait a month before starting my first speed training class so that Boston training wouldn't include recovering from an overuse injury. For months and months following what felt like a badly run race, I  struggled mightily with my lazy, sabotaging, monkey mind. Lying in the grass mid-run seemed far superior to finishing the race at hand.

But I wouldn't change a thing over these past six years. Not my first running of Boston. Nor my journey to tame my negative thoughts. Nor my decision NOT to run Boston again until I was older and a more seasoned racer. And on and on. 

As I prepare now for my second running of the Boston Marathon, I remind myself that: 1) I am ready; and 2) it is just another race.

During this morning's four-mile run, I felt as if I was carrying a bag of bricks along with me. So I stopped, walked up the hill in warm spring sunshine, lay down on the grass under a budding tree, looked up at the blue blue sky, and laughed out loud. Got that part out of the way. And now on to Boston.