I'm finally home, back from a fabulous weekend in Boston! By now, all of you know how I did, as a matter of fact, yall knew my chip time before I did, and those of you who were on the internet were able to see my 5K split times AS I WAS RUNNING! But to summarize before I get into the details, I ran a gun time of 3:31:41 and had just a wonderful time. It was very cold, but the crowds were very warm and were a major factor in my good run. Thank you BOSTON! And thank you North East Deads for all of the wonderful events and get togethers!!

Now for the Tolstoy version...and I gotta warn you, this will be long!!! :-))

Everything seemed to be going well for a change. Not only did my flight arrive in Boston on Saturday a few minutes early, but my running buddy and roommate in Boston, Lisa (not a dead runner) also arrived early. We grabbed a cab and got to our hotel (Hotel Buckmnister) early enough to walk to the expo and get our packets. I walked up to the person at the packet table, gave her my race number card and said "howdy" and she immediately said "howdy" back...then she caught herself and realized what she said! I was already turning Bostonians into Texans. :-) Once I got all my race packet stuff, I hit the Boston marathon booth and spent $145 on official clothing. I have never done that! Even my first marathon I didn't buy all the official merchandize. Although this was my 20th marathon, it was my first Boston and I was re-experiencing all the anticipation and excitement of my first marathon...but without the anxiety. Afterall, what is 26.2 miles. :-) Still, you can only run Boston for the first time once, and I am soaking it all in!!

We got back to the hotel and while Lisa got ready for dinner with her running buddies, I took off for the DRNEAST Saturday night dinner at North East Brewing Company. After a 30 minute walk (the hotel desk clerk lied to me about the distance), I arrived and was able to immediately start re-aquainting myself with many deads I have met through the years. I'd start listing names, but I know I would miss some, so I will just say I had a wonderful time seeing all of you. And thank you Robin Cain for planning this event! Allan Rube' had his laptop computer there for us to enter our comments, which I did. Thank you Allan!

After a night of not sleeping well (thanks horns honking all night and to neighbors turning their TV on full at 5 am!), I got up and after showering and getting dressed, went downstairs to see how it was outside. I had been suprized after all the weather reports warning me of cold weather to find it warm out. On the way down, I met another runner, there from Michigan, with her daughter. I joined them for breakfast at the IHOP down the street and learn she used to be on DRS (her name is Gabriella and is a hasher too!).

After breakfast, I head to Val Burgos' house for the Bagel Brunch and have another great encounter with the North East deads. THE Annie Wynn, gives us cup cakes for our birthdays (thanks Annie!!!). Thank you Val for hosting a wonderful event. Of course, before I can finish my bagel, Marc Frommer and Jerome Frecosi are dragging me out the door to get to Fenway park to see the Red Sox. As we are taking the train, I can feel my energy levels dropping. I hadn't slept good the night before and my legs felt dead, and I decided to forgoe the game. I learn later that they couldn't get two seats together anyway. I get back to the hotel and take a 30 minute nap and start hydrating in earnest. By evening, I am fully hydrated and feel much better. That night 40 of us deads got together at Angelo's for pasta (another great encounter!!) and then it was back to the hotel to try and get a good night's sleep for the race. Up at 5 am...to the IHOP for breakfast when they open at 6 am, then Lisa and I a caught the train to Boston Common to catch the bus. After a long drive we arrive at the athlete's village and immediately get in the looooooong line for food and drink, then we find a spot (amazingly near several Houston runners I know) in one of the tents. It is great seeing all my running buddies and fellow deads again. So far this has been like a weekend long party. As the magic moment approaches, I head to the buses to drop my bag, and then to my corral. As I walk past the buses, I start to get emotional. I am finally here after all these years of trying.

I finally make it to corral number 8 and once again find Marc Frommer and Jerome Frecosi. Here I am. In my corral with my Texas Flag shorts and a thin long sleeve t-shirt. I am ready. The national anthem. A flyover by two F-15s. The gun goes off. I start my watch....and stand there... :-)) Little by little, we move forward until there it is, the starting line...I hit the first split on my watch...it took me 2:43.94 to get to the starting line. We are finally off...sorta. Going at a run/walk/jog, I do the first mile in 8:53.42. By now the crowd has spread enough to run at a more comfortable speed. The crowds are awesome. Cheering wildly. They pull you along. On I run. Absorbing everything, I remind myself to absorb everything...soak it all in...to relish the moment. I am here. I made it to the mountain top. Mile after mile seems to go by fast.

Mile 2: 7:34.13
Mile 3: 7:35.73
Mile 4: 7:17.75 Whoa, too fast Dennis...throttle back a tad...
Mile 5: 7:41.77
Mile 6: 7:30.74
Mile 7: 7:26.51 I know this is faster than I should be going, but the crowd just keeps pulling me faster! I can't help it!!!
Mile 8: 7:30.51
Mile 9: 7:34.59 I am regretting a bit my decision to wear long sleeve. I am warm in the valleys, but cold on the hills when the wind hits me. No problem, though.
Mile 10: 7:43.56
Mile 11: 7:39.31 What is that noise up ahead?? It's Wellesley!!!!! And I am still a mile away!!!
Mile 12: 7:28.39 I get excited and pick up the pace a bit, hearing the famous cheering!!!
Mile 13: 7:23.74 This is AWESOME!!!! The more the Wellesley women scream the faster I seem to be able to run!!! I am doing something now I rarely do in marathons, I am running along the sideline, slapping all of their hands as I go by! Many, seeing my shorts, yell, "GO TEXAS!!", which I acknowledge. As I leave them, my ears are litterally ringing!!! And I am so pumped, I feel like my energy levels are back to full!!! I can't help having a huge smile on my face. That was sooooo awesome!!

Mile 14: 7:37.69 Ok. Time for a GU packet. Get as much on my hands as in me. :-)) In flight refueling complete...
Mile 15: 7:48.11 Get water. Wash GU off hands. Ah, now my fingers are no longer stuck together. :-))
Mile 16: 7:18.93 Up and down I go. My splits are rather erratic, but understandable considering the hills.
Mile 17: 7:56.01
Mile 18: 8:02.17 Hmm...my first slower than 8 split. But who cares, I am enjoying this sooo much. As I remarked to one runner earlier in the race, my how time flies when you are having fun!!!
Mile 19: 7:51.31
Mile 20: 8:21.50 Ok, where is that so-called heartbreak hill??
Mile 21: 9:02.62 Hill, what hill?? I didn't see any hill? :-)) Yep, my only slower than 9 minute mile. No problem, I'm on my way home!!
Mile 22: 8:12.41 I am now getting very cold. Shoot, I am freezing. The constant head winds combined with cold temperatures are chilling me beyond my ability to warm up. Not only am I very happy I wore a long sleeve t shirt, I now regret leaving my gloves in my bag. I wonder how the people in singlets can stand the cold??
Mile 23: 8:31.14 I continue to get "GO TEXAS" from all the spectators. Each "GO TEXAS" gets me going faster again!!!
Mile 24: 8:36.97 I hear another runner say we can break 3:30...hmm...I do some quick math...maybe. But I am also getting colder. Shoot, I am freezing even more. I slowly move my fingers. Can't move them fast. Oh no, not Houston 1997 again. Not hypothermia again. I ignore the cold and push on as hard as I can. At least my hands are dry.
Mile 25: 8:54.96 I pass my hotel. No desire to stop! I press on.Mile 26: 8:58.25 Almost home. I can feel it. The crowds are deafening. I am almost emotional again. I make the final turn. People are passing me. I don't care, I have comletely run the BOSTON marathon and my time is good.

Last 0.2 miles: 2:31 (or something like that, I notice my watch still running after the finish line). I cross the finish line. Raise my arms in victory!!!!

Gun Time? 3:31:41

The woman in front of me slams on the brakes, so I must do likewise to avoid running her over. The sudden braking causes my left hamstring to cramp. I hobble for a bit, then a volunteer comes to help me. She and another runner walk me to the table with gatorade. I tell her that yesterday was my birthday. She asks me how old I am and I say 47...but mentally I am 16. :-)) And physically right now about 85. :-) My leg eventually loosens up, I thank her and the other runner who helped me and I go get a mylar blanket (end up with 3 stuck together!) and wrap myself. I am still freezing. I go to have my chip removed and receive my medal. Then it is to the buses for my bag.

I have done it. I have run Boston. My 20th marathon was Boston and I am very pleased with my time, even if I didn't break 3:30. I figure my chip time will be sub 3:30.

I get my bag, go into a changing tent. Ahhhhh, so warm in here. But so crowded. All I can do is get my jacket on. Over the mylar blankets. My hands are working again. I trudge on. My teeth are clattering now. Get some food. Start eating. A running buddy from Houston hollers at me to get something on over my legs. He helps me to get my warm up pants on. I trudge on. I fail to find any other runners (dead or otherwise) whom I know, so I trudge on to find a subway station to go back to the hotel. Get turned around, can't get to the Arlington station. To make a long story short, I walk the mile and a half back to the hotel. The walk does me good. I shower, get dressed. Lisa arrives. I learn she ran a 4:01. We discuss dinner and the post race party. I will join her gang. I go downstairs for tea. Eventually, we go out, and I meet her friends from Canada. They agree it was very cold. But they also ran good races. After a dinner of prime rib (mmmmmm), we go to the post race party. By 10:30 pm, I am beat. I head back to the hotel. Repack, get ready for bed. Lisa gets back about 30 minutes after me. I am out like a light before she gets off the phone to her boyfriend in Singapore. I sleep great. Till my neighbors get back and crank up the TV again. Argghh. Up at 5:30 am, this time for the flight home. Back to the IHOP, I see my running new friend from Michigan again. She had a good race too, finishing in around 4 hours.

At the airport, I see so many people who ran the marathon. We swap marathon and ultra marathon stories. In the Boston airport, we are conquering heroes. By the time I get to Dallas to change planes, we are just fellow travelers. :-(

I get home and learn that everyone already knows how I did, thanks to the internet!!!! Houston dead Gaye Davis makes me a birthday and "hail the conquering hero" dinner that can't be beat! Then to my dad's where he gives me the clipping from the Houston paper with my time. Even dad (the sprinter) is proud of me. This morning, everyone in synagogue knew of my marathon!

Oh, what a weekend. I am still on cloud nine.

Before I close, I gotta thank all the North East deads who made this such a wonderful weekend. And I gotta thank all the wonderful people of the Boston area who cheered us on. That was what kept me going so strong. The constant cheering!!!!

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