1) Official Pre-Race Pasta Dinner
The very long lines moved fast towards the food marquee and free beer. There was entertainment and they didn't mind us going back for more food and drink. My room at the hostel where I was staying was full of marathon runners, and we all shared a table and had a little party. One of the entertainers saw my Dead Runner's t-shirt and made me a balloon hat in the shape of a skeleton. For dessert we were moved on to ice cream, apples and yoghurt the main building. The rest rooms were closed, and there were portapotties outside of the exit, but with no return, so some people ate their dessert outside on the street.
2) Hopkinton Race Start
It was cold and wet in the morning as we made our way to Boston Park for police escort transportation in school busses to the Runner Hospitality Area in Hopkinton. The fog and light drizzle persisted throughout the morning as the runners gathered in large tents with food, drink and TV entertainment provided. At 11:30 we put on our running gear, wrote our names on our arms with marker pens, deposited our bags through the numbered windows of the school buses, and walked the ten minutes to our respective starting corrals. 1000 runners for each of the 16 corrals. Standing along the roadside in Hopkinton I could see other runners with no bib, probably some of the 3000 "bandit" runners that seem to be a permanent feature of the event. During his talk at the running club on Thursday evening Dave McGillivray the BAA race director had mentioned that the organizers are happy to provide medical attention and refreshments to these unofficial participants. I was in the 8th corral, and it took around 5 minutes to pass the starting line after the gun went off.
3) I was interviewed by WCVB-TV!
The local TV station was broadcasting live from the Hospitality Area. The balloon skeleton on my head from the previous evening had attracted the reporter, and he gave me a short interview live in the 8am news slot. "Well here's a runner with a balloon hat. What you're name and where are you from?" "I'm Jerry from Austria" "Ok Jerry, what's that on your head?" "It's a skeleton because I'm part of the Dead Runner's Society!"
4) The Marathon
The crowd participation has the air of an annual carnival with families barbecuing on the front lawn, kids handing out water, oranges and high fives. The entire route was lined with spectators enthusiastically shouting encouragement. In some places the crowds filled the whole sidewalk and the police were busy keeping the lines back. People were holding up lots of fun signs along the way, like "Boston is 103 miles this way, certified by Arthur D.A.". My balloon head must have been prominent because there was a constant barrage of people yelling encouragement throughout the entire course. I must have heard "HEY SKELETON HEAD, I SAW YOU ON THE NEWS!", "HEY JERRY, LIKE THE HAT" at least 300 times. The ideal overcast, cool weather at the noon start gradually "improved" throughout the race, and by 3 pm we had bright sunshine with a light refreshing breeze. The downhill stretches at the beginning had soft grass verges which were ideal for some energy saving overtaking. I ran strong throughout most of the course and the famous hills were ok for me, although I was glad when Heartbreak Hill was over because I could feel myself getting gradually slower all the time (as usual). I drank slow at each water stop provided every mile along the way, but towards the end it was getting difficult keeping the mixture of gels and water down. I think the final 2 miles were a tough struggle, but it was hard to tell: The volume of crowds yelling encouragement was reaching a crescendo that obliviated my groaning gasping for breath, and the pain from my aching quads. Finally the tall Prudential Building loomed up and I had made it at last with the clock showing 3:27. The hills had played havoc with my quads and my legs were shot, but the increased salt and water intake had helped prevent the uncontrollable shivering that had plagued me in the finishing area on previous occasions. The line for the free massage was long, and there was an hour's wait in the cold wind with chicken soup provided every 15 minutes.... but it was well worth the 20 minutes of heaven... aaahhhh ;-b
Many thanks to Julia Kim, Val Burgos, Robin Cain, Nangel and Ruben Lindberg for the fantastic time you gave me at the club meeting, the meal out, the encounter and the brunch!
See many of you again at Disney 2003!