But first things first: the food.
I've been hearing Brian rave about the North End (and diss Baltimore's weak Little Italy) for at least the past three years, so our first dinner in Boston on Saturday night naturally ended up there. And not just any restaurant in the North End-- it had to be the legendary Giacomo's
where the line stretches around the block and the same waitress has been there for decades dishing up superb Italian food. Luckily the rain hadn't started yet, so the hour or so in line wasn't too bad and we kept things cozy with a bottle of champagne from the "connah liq-ah sto-ah". They even came out with a garlic bread appetizer to keep us happy in line!When our group was finally called inside, it was like stepping into heaven...warm pasta and garlic smells, cozy atmosphere with only a few tables, and an open kitchen to watch the chefs serve up their specialties. I had the butternut squash ravioli with asparagus and a mascarpone cheese sauce, which (only after ordering) the waitress leaned in and said "those are the BEST." And they were. Good music, old friends, amazing food.
Just when I thought it couldn't get better, we went to "Bust Outs" for dessert where they have a machine that injects ice cream into any dessert you can think of. I was literally giggling I was so excited-- it was like a cross between Willy Wonka and the Jetsons. We got ice cream filled cupcakes (topped with chocolate) and shared all around...a sweet ending to a perfect night, and I might have to go back to Boston just to try everything else on the menu.
Sunday the torrential downpours and howling wind started, so we laid low...tested the new rain gear on a short jog, walked around Harvard Square, and cooked a big pre-race meal back at the house.
Race day came bright and early (ok, not so bright...it was still raining) as I woke up at 5:30 after a restless night's sleep. The official shuttles took all the runners west to the starting point in Hopkinton, where we would hang out in the "Athlete's Village" until start time (for me in the
2nd wave, 10:30am). I'm not sure what I was expecting in the Athlete's Village, although it probably involved being warm and dry and with access to water and bathrooms since we would have to wait there for 2+ hours. It turned out to be tents over grassy fields which were basically giant mud puddles, with port--o-potties hundreds of yards away (in the rain). I don't think I'm a high maintenance runner-- I don't have fancy gear, I don't eat GU, and I don't have a strict pre-race routine. BUT, sitting on a trash bag in the rain for 2 hours, with my feet soaked through to the skin, was not my favorite marathon preparation (especially disappointing coming from the most famous marathon in the world!) God bless the lady from California who shared her blankets with me and helped keep me warm for the last hour.Finally it was time to head for the starting line, and magically the rain started to let up..first slowing to a drizzle, then a drop or two, then not raining at all. It was perfect timing and a much needed optimistic sign as we headed for the race corrals. In the first corral of the 2nd wave, I was not used to being so close to the start or anywhere near to the front of the pack...I think those factors, combined with the race starting out mostly downhill, made for a fast start.
Although it made it difficult on spectators, I ended up really liking the point to point race course. I liked seeing the landscape change, from farms and country houses in western MA, to upscale commuter suburbs, to college campuses and finally downtown Boston. Spectators lined the course from start to finish, and I really felt like I had a destination-- rather than just running in circles for 26 miles. It sounds silly, but running faster makes the miles pass quicker so I tried to keep up the pace-- each mile I could do under 8 minutes meant the sooner I would see my friends, the sooner I could shed the excess layers, and the sooner I would finish this puppy and get home to a hot shower and post-race meal.
My friends Kate and Pete were lifesavers around mile 17-- I handed them extra clothes, they handed me an odwalla bar, and it was a mental lift seeing familiar faces and knowing I was past the halfway mark. Coach Ledyard waited for me at 22 with propel and jellybeans and at that point it was the home stretch...I saw my GG friend Christine at 23, Pete and Ann at 24, and then suddenly it was a mile to go!
The finish line was an incredible spectacle and a relief to see after 3+ hours...huge crowds of fans, banners and balloons, and knowing that it was only a few more minutes to push tired legs to keep running. My final time was 3:24, 5 minutes faster than my qualifying time at Marine Corps.The rest of the day is a bit hazy...collecting my bag, Brian carrying me down the steps to the T, peeling off socks to see Athlete's Village mud from 7 hours earlier, a canceled flight at Logan and an overnight Amtrak to get back to Baltimore. Friends and family and co-workers have been amazing with all the support and good wishes and online tracking and emails...and while my sore legs are trying to convince me never to run again, the happy afterglow of Boston already has me thinking about my next race :) And last but not least, the two funniest quotes of the weekend:
1. Guy in a bar asks Brian if he's running, he says no, but she is and points to me-- the guy looks over and says (imagine the thick accent): "Who are you, a regular Steve Prefontaine?"
2. Boarding the bus to go to the athlete's village, the bus driver asks if I'm going to win the race. I say that I'll certainly try and she says "Good! Cause I only want winnas on this bus. I'm looking for a winna!"
