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Boston Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Boston Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.6 
Organization 4.6 
Spectators 4.9
Number of comments: 418 [displaying comments 311 to 321]
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S. B. from Iowa City, Iowa
(4/21/2005)
"For the first-time Bostoner!" (about: 2005)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Boston Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This race certainly lives up to its famous reputation! All I can say about Boston is, 'It's Boston.' If you are blessed with the opportunity to do it, you gotta do it. For those of you going in without a clue (like me), here is a glimpse of my experience last weekend: I flew in Saturday morning and out Tuesday afternoon - this was a perfect amount of time to see the city as well as prepare for and cool down from the race. My family and friends toured the Freedom Trail on Sunday, which was awesome. Freedom Run that morning is definitely worth doing and it's slow enough for anyone to join in the fun! The buses start running out to Hopkinton at 6:30am on race day. I caught one about 7am and had plenty of time to relax and enjoy Runner's Village. Take a blanket, food is provided (bagels, PowerBars, drinks) as is live music - it was like a Ben Harper concert! Port-a-john lines can be 45 min., so calculate that into your chillaxing time. I layered my clothing and took the bare minimum with me. Don't forget the sunscreen and chapstick! We were herded into our corrals at 11am. Depending on your corral number (1-22) there can be a significant delay in crossing the start line, but no worries, the ChampionChip in your shoelaces marks your net time. I would strongly suggest registering online with the Athlete Tracking system so that friends can get text alerts as you pass checkpoints. Anyone with internet, a palm pilot, or phone can track your progess in real time as you run every 5K! The run itself was such an experience - quarter of a million spectators cheering you on the entire way! It was crowded the entire 26.2 miles and I was within spitting distance of other runners every step of the way. This is why they say you shouldn't expect to run a fast Boston. It's simply impossible to cut loose and keep a steady pace. I started in the back third of the pack and finished in the top third, so the entire race I was ducking and dodging and weaving through runners! The infamous Heartbreak Hill is actually a series of small hills between miles 16-21 and it's NOT nearly as bad as they say. Actually, this was my favorite part of the race because my quads were on fire after all the downhill running and it felt GREAT to run uphill for awhile! You should LOOK FORWARD to Heartbreak Hill! The crowds only get crazier as you approach the finish - and that's the time to really kick it with everything you have left! Because I was running under pace through the crowds the whole time, I had fuel to burn at the end and it was a great way to finish, sprinting over the line. It was an amazing marathon - the fans, the frenzy, the hype, the scenery during the run, it was madness! What would I have done differently if I knew then what I know now? Well, I would have trained running DOWNhill. I also would have trained during the hottest part of the day this spring. Being in Iowa, I did most of my running during the blisteringly cold winter and it was a real shock to the system running in the Boston heat! I would have lubed up like I saw other runners doing beforehand and during the race at vaseline stations. Let friends and family know they can track you online, and if they are in Boston, beware that public transit is packed to the max on race day, making it hard to get from one point to another during the run. If you're running Boston 2006, plan on the 'legal high' they advertise and make the absolute most of this magical event! | |
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M. G. from Milwaukee
(4/20/2005)
"Thanks Boston" (about: 2005)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Boston Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 My time was bad because of cramps in miles 19-26, but the people were wonderful. This race is everything they make it up to be. If you qualify, it is a must-do. | |
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K. M. from Newburyport, MA
(4/18/2005)
"The Best Run Ever" (about: 2000)
2 previous marathons
| 2 Boston Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 I ran this marathon in 1998 and 2000 for American Liver Foundation and raised iver $3,000 in the two years I ran it. I have worked and work in reserach for 14 years and it was amazing to have run through eight towns and have such loyal fans. I grew up in MA and yes we have loyal fans in everything. So much history along the way and lots of support. I always said I would run a marathon so 1998 and met Bill Rodgers that day.I did one and came back for my second one in 2000 and met Joan Benoit Sammualson. I love watching it every year. I have friends that participate in it. I am into trialthons now due to it is a little easier on the body. I highly recommend to anyone who wants to run a marathon you will have the biggest high ever when you hit Boylston Street and memories that will last a life time. KM | |
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W. W. from state of confusion
(4/15/2005)
"Block party with a race thrown in" (about: 2004)
11-50 previous marathons
| 4-5 Boston Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 Reap what you sew. The Boston and burbs population have won my heart. My thanks and payback are the flag stickers I pass out to the children. Thanks for having us. | |
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t. B. from Columbus, Ohio
(4/3/2005)
"Take notice of the race morning logistics" (about: 2004)
11-50 previous marathons
| 2 Boston Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 I ran Boston in 2003 and 2004 - great experience. But I have found that the unusual logistics of race day have produced challenges different than any other of the 15 marathons I have done. First, the early bus ride - try not to be too early, but too late is a zoo. I recommend 7 am. Second - where can you find breakfast at 6 am? Third, remember you will be sitting at Hopkinton for 3-4 hours. I recommend a throw-away air mattress, iPod, your own drink and, don't forget, some nutrition. You won't have your next meal until 6 pm or so, a long time from the elusive 6:30 am breakfast. It's all part of the challenge that will keep me coming back as long as I am able. | |
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James McHenry from Gettysburg, Pa.
(1/21/2005)
"Boston: the crowning achievement" (General Comments)
11-50 previous marathons
| 6+ Boston Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I have run six Bostons. Boston is my Olympics. Yes, the last two were HOT. But, the previous ones were cool if not cold!! That is why the majority of us who have QUALIFIED for this marathon are not whining about the heat/cold/rain/wind. That is why you train for this marathon. You learn to DEAL with adverse conditions. To blame the race conditions because of the 'noon start' is nuts. Thank God for the noon start, because some years it was BONE CHILLING. Yes, I was not enjoying myself, while heaving up my last waterstop in front of thousands of fans. But I knew that I HAD to finish because it was BOSTON!!! As Bill Rodger's says, "the marathon will humble you at times." Please don't disparage this race. It is the only one that allows us 2nd/3rd level runners to feel privileged. Why? Because we qualified for it. Because of that/the history of the race and the fans, I will do my best to struggle back year after year and WILL NOT COMPLAIN. We runners deserve to be treated like elites at least sometime in our career. Boston provides that. So if you cannot understand the wonder of Boston, then don't enter. Instead, watch us come back to our homes after the race and look at the sparkles in our eyes as we tell of the the wonderful fantasy that is Boston. | |
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Alex Lopez from Austin, TX
(1/20/2005)
"Probably The Best Marathon I've Run" (about: 2004)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Boston Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Even though the heat was a factor, it was still one of the coolest (not literally) marathons I've run. Granted I've only done 4 total, but still I had a good time running it. I'm hoping to do it again this year. The course was challenging, but the crowd support was excellent. I love the fact that you run through towns and up to Boston. Oh, and not to mention the all-girl college. That was awesome! Girls screaming at the top of their lungs cheering for you. Nice. If you're fast enough to qualify, this is one marathon you should definitely participate in. Boston has so much history. The people were pretty friendly and it was a nice place to visit. | |
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Mark Woodhams from Rochester, NY
(1/2/2005)
"A grueling challenge, fit for champions!" (about: 2004)
6-10 previous marathons
| 2 Boston Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 I have run this race twice now. Two years ago it was warm at 70-plus degrees. Last year was HOT! I now have bragging rights as being a finisher of the 2nd hottest Boston Marathon on record. The water hoses kept me cool enough to make it through, but of course made for soggy sneakers and blisters. Training all winter in upstate NY does not prepare one for a hot marathon. Ya gotta love a challenge! I was impressed at how they improved the control at the starting corrals this time and kept the bandits out and sent them, rightfully, to the rear. Two years ago there were way to many that jumped the corral at the last minute. That took away from the starting position I earned! Boston is the most painful marathon I have run, due to the 16 miles of predominantly downhill running taking a toll on your quads. Walking the 4-mile Freedom Trail the day after followed by a ferry ride back to the center of Boston was fabulous and highly recommended as a way to see some great sites and help the recovery. | |
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Andrew Cattano from New Jersey USA
(12/13/2004)
"'Scream Tunnel'" (about: 2004)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Boston Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 What an experience to run the Wellesley College 'scream tunnel' at Boston. What a tradition! What a race. I can't wait for my next Boston. | |
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R. R. from Blair, Nebraska
(11/22/2004)
"Rich in tradition and support." (about: 2004)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Boston Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 I can only find two things that I can make negative comments on. One was the heat of the day and at the finish the beverages were not iced down. Other than that the whole experience was worth the effort of qualifying for this event. Although the course is challenging, it is rich with tradition. 108 years running. I give it high marks for this. I lowered the orginization mark a notch due to the hot pop and water at the end of the event. I was so looking forward to having something cold to drink at the completion. Spectators: What can I say? The best. They were awesome along the course. The sheer numbers along the course and their support was amazeing. I had accidently dropped my bib number on the train after the race. A lady had picked it up and sent it to me in the mail with a little note. That's class. I will be stopping and visiting with her this year for her efforts. The airline I flew home on allowed the Boston participants to board first as well. I felt as if the city rose up to meet us, to welcome us, and to treat us as royalty while we were there. I am looking forward to returning to give it another run. Hopefully Mother Nature will give us a break this year. We definitely paid our dues last year. |
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