Medford 5K Race Directory 2023

The source for 5K races in Medford, MA!

Updated March 17th, 2023

Medford 5K race season is still a few months away and none of the races have posted dates. Please stay tuned.

In 2022, Dave McGillivray brought a new 5K and 5 mile event to Medford. Community participation was high and we look forward to running this race again in 2023.

Medford has several great 5K race routes including the Middlesex Fells and the Mystic River Reservation along the Mystic River.

Medford 5K Race Directory 2022 – no updates for 2023 yet.

Running Of The Leprechauns

TBD March | 8:00 AM | Sunday | see you in 2023

5k race, medford 5k racesCancelled in 2021 and 2022 due to COVID-19, it looks like this race will return in 2023.

The Running of The Leprechauns moved back to the American Legion Hall on Winthrop Street in Medford a few years ago.

This location provides plenty of room for people to stay warm and gather after the race.

This Medford 5K race has raised over $115,000 for Boston Children’s Hospital.

Tufts University Graduate Student Council 5K

TBD April | 9:00 AM | See you in 2023

Tufts GSK 5K, Tufts UniversityEach year the Tufts University Graduate Student Council 5K Run/Walk becomes more and more popular.

Like so many races, COVID-19 has forced the cancellation of this race in 2020 and 2021.

In the past, registration was only $20, so you can’t beat the price.

All proceeds benefit Medford, Somerville and Dorchester organizations. The event is sponsored by the Graduate Student Council of Tufts University as part of their effort to support the local community.

This race starts at Eaton Hall and takes place entirely on the Tufts University campus. This helps keep expenses down and provides a challenging course for runners.

Kiwanis SUPER HERO 5K

TBD June | 9:00 AM | Saturday | See you in 2023

Medford 5K race, Medford Kiwanis Super Hero 5KThe Kiwanis SUPER HERO 5K was a new race for Medford in 2019.

They had to cancel in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID and we may have lost this race.

The race took place at Mystic River Bend Park behind McGlynn Elementary School. For your map app use: 3002 Mystic Valley Parkway, Medford, MA 02155

The race route laps the Mystic River and is almost entirely on sidewalk or paths. This makes it a great race to bring the kids to.

Registration was $22.34 for 18+ and $17.02 for youth 6 -17

Summer Run Fest 5K and 10K

30 July | 9:00 AM | Saturday – see you in 2023!

Medford 5K race, boston road runnersA fun Summer race to bring the community together. The racecourse follows the scenic path of Mystic River Reservation.

The race website doesn’t mention the specific location.

The Mystic River State Reservation is on Rt 16/Revere Beach Parkway in Medford. The only way to get into the parking lot is heading east on Rt 16 as this is a divided parkway.

This is near the State Police barracks at Wellington Circle.

On-line registration is closed

I actually ran the 5K this year. I’m coming back from an injury and am horribly out of shape, so I did a race day registration. It was $40.

I’ll have a race review in the next week or so.

Here are the race results.

Run Medford 5K and 5 Mile

18 September | 1:00 PM | Sunday – See you in 2023

Medford City Hall

A new race event is coming to Medford!

The day kicks off at 11:00 AM with a kid’s fun run for children 3 – 12 years old.

Para/Adaptive Athlete Mile begins at 11:30.

At Noon, students aged 14-18 years old may participate in the High School Mile, which will be a three-loop course that starts and finishes at Medford City Hall.

At 12:30 PM the Mayor’s Celebrity Mile kicks off on the same route as the High School Mile.

At 1:00 PM the 5K and 8K/5 mile races begin.

5K/8K includes: t-shirt, finisher’s medal, beer tickets to the post-race party at Carroll’s for participants who are at least 21 years old. A portion of each registration will be directed toward student-athlete programs within the City of Medford. But don’t wait! T-shirts are only guaranteed until JULY 31.

This exciting running event is brought to Medford by Dave McGillivray and DMSE.

Registration was $45 for the 5K or 8K races.

Housing Families 5K

12 November | 10:00 AM | Saturday

2022 registration was $40!

The annual Housing Families 5K Powered by BOND brings awareness to the link between health and homelessness. Homelessness is closely connected to declines in physical and mental health. At Housing Families, we serve more than 1,000 families a year through supportive services and eviction prevention assistance.

You can run the event in person on November 12th at 10AM or virtually between November 12th and 13th.

Teams from Housing Families and BOND will be there to greet you and cheer you on! The race route will take place at River’s Edge Park along the Malden River.

This is a narrow path in some areas, so if you want to run a PR you may want to opt for the virtual race or start at the front.

Refreshments and bathrooms will be available onsite.

Event Results 2022

Medford Jingle Bell Run

? November | 11:00 AM | Sunday

The race was cancelled in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

I’ve heard through the grape vine that it is coming back.

The Medford Jingle Bell run is sponsored by Lonergan Insurance and Real Estate who cover the entire operating cost of the race. This allows every dollar from fundraising to go to the students of the Medford Schools.

Each school in Medford that participates receives race proceeds in proportion to their contribution to the race.

Some high school clubs raise as much in this one event as they would in several fundraising events. And many hands make for lighter work.

This is an innovative concept in fundraising. It allows each elementary, middle school PTO and High School teams and clubs in town to have a significant fundraiser and not have to deal with all of the logistics.

What better way to kick of the Holiday Season than a festive 5K the Sunday before Thanksgiving?

Bring the kids and make it a family run, a family tradition. Many Medford 5K races allow children to run with their parents. Some also feature shorter races just for the kids so they can have some fun and catch the running bug!

Registration fee was $10 for kids under age 11; $15 for kids 11-18; and $25 for adults in advance or $30 day of race.

Run Well My Friends!

Andy

Cambridge Winter Classic 5K

Running the Cambridge Winter Classic 5K

It’s nice to be getting back to feeling good while racing. Whenever you run a 5k you should always feel like you are on the edge. While my leg was killing me, I was far from pushing the envelope.

The past few races have allowed me to run at 100% of effort. While this has been a lot of fun, it’s also a great confidence booster.

I’m looking forward to increasing my miles and preparing for the January long runs.

Summer Mid Week Races 2022

Mid week summer races are as rare as the summer is short. But they are usually a lot of fun and a break for the usual.

Mid week races are a nice change of pace. Summer mid week races are even better as you can enjoy the great out doors after work and it’s still light out!

Mid Week Race Logistics

For a weekend race, you may have to get up early or drive long distances.

Any mid week races that I’ve run have been in the evening. We all have to work. So it’s a good idea to toss a can of bug spray into your bag.

Maine State Bird
socialxyz.blogspot.com

A few years ago I ran a Thursday evening race along The Charles River. As we stood their in our running clothes waiting for the start, the bugs were eating us alive!

Fortunately, someone had a can of Off and we passed it around for everyone to use.

For a Saturday or Sunday morning race, the traffic is usually light. For a mid week race you are dealing with rush hour traffic.

If possible try to get the afternoon off so you have extra time to get to your destination. If you can’t leave work early, change at work and head out as soon as you can.

I’ve changed up in the Men’s room several times for an after work run. I have to say, it is a little odd to be standing in a stall completely naked and then have a colleague walk in.

As they say, there’s a time and place for everything. In the locker room I wouldn’t think twice.

In summary: plan ahead, leave early if you can and don’t forget the bug spray!

My Summer mid week races 2022

Cambridge Summer Classic 5K

On Thursday July 14th, I ran the Cambridge Summer Classic 5K. I’ve probably run this race every year it has been held and this year I also volunteered to distribute t-shirts.

This is one of my favorite summer mid week races. I work in Cambridge and can walk about a mile to get to this race.

The race starts just off of Mass Ave and right next to MIT. Harvard and many well-known businesses are around the block or just down the road.

It starts at 6:30 and it’s almost always an ideal July evening. One year we had torrential rain, but every other year it’s just perfect.

It draws a large crowd of college students and young professionals. Then there are the old boys like me who have been running for years.

Paul Clark has a very well organized operation, while I’m sure something goes wrong at every race, you’d never know it.

Cambridge Summer Classic 2022 T-shirt pick upI got there early, helped with the shirts and then lined up for the race.

There is always a large group of volunteers and we always manage to have a good time!

I managed to run a time of 29:04 for a pace of 9:34. It was the hardest I’ve run in quite a while. While I wasn’t breaking any records, it was an important step on my road to The Marathon.

Cambridge Summer Classic 2022After the race I ran into one of my friends from Athletic Brewing! I’ve been enjoying their brews for almost a year now. What a great find!

There is a group of regulars that I hang out with after the race and we always have a good time.

Newburyport Home Coming

This race event is part of Newburyport Yankee Home Coming Days and has been around for 62 years. 2022 was the first time I ran this race.

Newburyport Yankee Homecoming Races, Mid Week Races 2022Lucky for me I worked from home on Tuesday, August 2nd and hitched a ride with Maria from my running club. I just had to drive to Melrose to meet her.

I always encourage car pools to any races because parking can be a major pain. And it was for this race.

We got there less than an hour before start time. We drove around but couldn’t find a spot to park.

Maria dropped me off near the start so I could pick up our bibs and she could find a parking spot. It took her another 15 minutes or so to find a place to park and make her way to the start area.

Even with almost an hour to spare, we had a hard time finding parking. It’s always a good idea to keep in mind how large the race is.

This race had a 5K and 10K and probably 5,000 runners between them. And this town was having a festival!

For summer mid week races, you may find many parking spaces occupied by commuters or people who work in town and haven’t gone home yet. Not to mention, cars to transport 5,000 runners!

We definitely learned something about logistics that night!

Melrose Running Club at 2022 Newburyport Yankee HomecomingThis race began at 6PM at Newburyport High School. Right in the middle of town and right in the middle of their festival. Talk about mayhem!

I got our bibs and Maria made it to the start area and found us with about 10 minutes to spare.

There were about 15 people from the club, so that made the race even more fun.

Running The Newburyport Homecoming 5K

Everyone told me that the race had a lot of hills and was always hot.

In fact, it’s so tough that neighbors stand out with their hoses for the runners and some have their own water stops! I love it when the town comes out for the race.

There certainly were a lot of hills, though my Garmin elevation map looks like a flat-line. My elevation gain over the entire 5K course was only 86 feet.

And while the map may show flat, most of that gain came in short intervals.

I was feeling pretty good so I ran as hard as I could in that heat and humidity.

When you get near the end you can hear the crowd which gives you a nice boost. Then we took a right onto the high school driveway and began the final ascent! No kick for the last 100 yards of this race!

Getting up the hill was challenge enough!

I ran a little long at 3.16 miles for a time of 29:23 and a pace of 9:18.

After the race we went to a concert in the park which was right on the river.

I had no idea we were going to hang out and drink beers in the park. But some of my friends came prepared with lawn chairs and a few cold beers to share.

A perfect summer evening with friends.

Wakefield Stride 5K

This race was Wednesday, August 10th at lake Quannapowitt in Wakefield and benefited Melrose Healthcare.

The Melrose Running Club is a sponsor of this race, lends volunteer support and we were the largest team at the event.

A Summer mid week race on the banks of a lake is a nice setting. It is still a very urban setting with roads wrapped around the lake and lots of traffic. But we were in a nice park looking out onto the lake.

The Mystics Running Club has mid week race around this lake every Wednesday night. I’ve run with them many times.

This Wednesday night, the Hospital had taken over the joint!

I didn’t really have any expectations and was happy to run a bit with my old friend Jeff. He’s in much better shape and eventually we parted ways.

One of my favorite running memories is a Mystics Tuesday night race on this course. It was about eight years ago and I was probably at my running peak.

I ran with a few other guys and we were all in. We traded places a lot and each of us knew what we were doing. So there was no pushing or close calls and we kind of looked out for each other in the traffic.

I have no idea who those guys were and we didn’t win anything, but it was a great time!

Andy Nagelin at the 2022 Stride 5K finish, Mid Week Races 2022This year I ran 3.05 miles in 27:12 for a pace of 8:55! Where did that come from?

For me, it was a pretty quiet year race-wise. I’m still going to PT and trying to ramp up my running at a rate that won’t cause another injury.

These three summer mid week races were a lot of fun and I plan on running them again next year.

I hope you had a great summer and had some excellent running experiences.

Andy

My 2018 Boston Marathon Experience

Originally posted April 23rd, 2018

I spent about fourteen weeks training for the 2018 Boston Marathon.

It’s challenging to maintain focus for that long and not get distracted. A lot of life can happen over those long weeks of training.

Before you know it the weeks have flown by and it’s taper time. As they say, the days are long but the time is short.

I spent the two weeks before the race assembling and packing my things.

The last week before a marathon is typically the second week of marathon training taper. With more time on my hands I had more time to think. Without the regular fix of endorphins I sometimes became cranky or blue. So even as the miles tapered down there were these other challenges to deal with.

And just when my brain went on the fritz, I had to think and focus on what I needed for race day. Runners often start looking at weather forecasts way before they can be accurate. We can’t help ourselves.

This year things looked bad from the get-go and proceeded to worsen. I’m not sure that any of us could imagine 2″ of rain in 12 hours and 40 mph gusts of wind.

It made the collecting and packing of gear a real challenge!

2018 Boston Marathon Morning

Charles Street divides the Boston Common and the Public Garden. This wide street is where the buses to Hopkinton line up. My official boarding time was from 8:55 to 9:30 AM.

For most races I have to get up at 6 AM and drive for an hour or two. Since my house is only six miles from the loading area I didn’t need to leave until at least 7 AM. I got to hang out at my house, drink coffee and relax.

My colleague Brian Sohns was my running mate this year. In 2017 he was able to get on an earlier bus, so we decided to give it a try. We met at our office around 7:30 and walked to Charles Street in the rain and wind.

We crossed The Public Garden on a sidewalk crowded with hundreds of runners walking in the Boston Marathon 2018 Bus Loading Area, Boston Marathon busesopposite direction. There was mud and puddles everywhere.

Our bag drop was closest to the finish line, but the farthest from the buses. This was great after the race but not so great in the morning.

The bag drop was well manned and we were on our way to the buses in no time.

To get to the buses we had to walk on the sidewalk inside the wrought iron fence of The Boston Common. This was our first check point. As long as you had just your clear plastic go bag and were dressed like a runner they let you through.

We had the wrong color bib for this group of buses but they didn’t seem to mind. Almost everyone was wrapped in something and almost none of it was clear plastic. I lifted my silver Mylar sheet and showed the guy my running shoes.

More volunteers checked us at the gate where we exited to Charles Street. I tried to keep my bag or Mylar sheet over my bib as much as I could. I did not want to get turned back this close to the buses.

The next volunteer directed us to the boarding area. They had cones and tape to create shoots to each bus. The first few buses were full and we were directed to the row of buses behind the front row of buses.

The buses were lined up and staggered so runners could walk between them easily and board. The driver and a volunteer kept a pretty good count of runners on the bus. Brian and I found a seat in the back where we could sit together and about five more people got on board behind us.

We were so busy talking to each other, checking our gear and eating that we never really talked to anyone else the entire ride.

The foggy windows were open a crack to let in air and keep out the rain.

It rained the entire trip and the windows never cleared. Not being able to see anything and our constant banter made the trip go quickly.

Entering Runners Village

The buses pulled around the back of Hopkinton High School. From the drop off it’s a short walk to the Athlete’s Village. As soon as we got off the bus we were hit by blasts of rain and wind. In no time my running hat was flying across the parking lot. Fortunately I was able to grab it before it got too far away.

Everyone was in good spirits and taking the entire situation in stride. Runners have to be the happiest go lucky crowd in the world. Nothing bothers us and nothing stops us.

Half way to the Runner’s Village and we saw a bunch of people in the woods taking a leak. There were about 1,000 porta-potties in sight! You could almost smell them! We all had a good laugh at their expense. It was comic.

Brian and I were running for Mass General Hospital, MGH. MGH was using Hopkinton Dental as a staging area for our team. Instead of taking a left towards the fields, we headed strait up the driveway to Grove Street and started looking for that dentists’ office.

We couldn’t imagine how a dentists’ office could hold 75 to 100 people. We guessed they would have a tent in the parking lot and hoped it had sides.

It seemed like a long walk in the wind and the rain, but there were other people on the same quest so we felt pretty confident that we were going the right way.

My 2018 Boston Marathon Experience, Brian Sohns, MGHAs we turned into the parking lot we saw a large banquet tent with clear plastic sides! Just what we had and hoped for.

The lady at the door gave us a quick look see and let us in without too close of an inspection. I guess we looked like we belonged there.

As we walked in, the noise level and temperature instantly rose. While it was not hot, it was at least 10° warmer than outside. I was freakin thrilled! They had a heater!

We quickly found a few unoccupied seats, got settled and looked around for familiar faces and what supplies were available. Charities always take good care of their runners.

Final Preparations for the Boston Marathon

The weather conditions totally sucked. No two ways about it. I’ve run in the heat. I’ve run in the cold. I’ve run in the rain and even a thunder storm. I’ve run in snow and close to ‘Nor Easter conditions. I’ll take any of that.

If it’s warm and it rains, you just go with it. You may need to take extra precautions to avoid chafing but a warm rain never hurt anyone.

If it’s cold and dry you can wear layers according to the conditions and just go with it. If it snows, at least you can stay dry.

When you combine rain and cold you’ve got a shitty situation. Any garment that will keep the rain out for four hours will hold in your body heat and sweat. You will literally become a hot sticky mess.

Since you cannot stay water proof for four plus hours, you have to plan on soaking through at some point.

Layers are really the only option. During a marathon in the rain you are going to soak through eventually. And when it’s a cold windy day you need to prepare for the cold.

In the days before The Marathon I planned to wear a long sleeved Under Armor shirt and my MGH singlet. I was running for MGH so I wanted to show it. As the forecast worsened I switched to a t-shirt and then switched again to a long sleeved running shirt. The night before the race I couldn’t find my MGH long sleeved tech shirt!

Sunday night I still wasn’t sure if I would run with my running vest or my MGH running jacket. Monday morning I wore the two long sleeved shirts, my running vest AND the MGH jacket. I also wore a neck gator that I normally wear in freezing temperatures.

I brought a Mylar blanket to keep my shoes dry between the bag drop and getting on the bus. While getting a bagel in the MGH tent I noticed that they had tape. Many people were using it in on their running shoes.

I decided to take two pieces of that tape and use it to hold my Mylar blanket around my shoulders. I figured it would stay on for a mile or two and then the rain would loosen the tape and I’d toss the sheet. I was looking for anything to keep me comfortable for as long as possible.

About an hour before we were to line up I took two Hylands Leg Cramp pills and a salt capsule with a 500ml water. I had another bagel and made another porta-potty trip. It was cold outside of the tent!

With an hour to race time my body had time to process that and I’d have time for one more porta-potty stop.

About 10 minutes before we headed to the start they had us all get together for a group photo. I’m about 6 feet tall, so I usually end up in the back of these photos. Somehow I ended up in front kneeling down.

The photographer had to give instructions a few times. He was taking a series of shots that he would use to create a composite photo of the group. He took the series of shots twice, and my knees were killing me! Next time I’ll remember to stand in back!

My 2018 Boston Marathon Experience

Our group of Mass General Hospital runners left the tent together and joined the other 4th wave runners on the 0.7 mile walk to the start line.

Normally there are all kinds of people at the barricades. People are on their front porch or stairs cheering us on. Not this year. I don’t think I saw anyone out in front of their home cheering for us. The only people at the barricades were BAA volunteers and other volunteers there to collect discarded clothing.

Everyone was cheerful and wished us well. But just about everyone there was there to do a job.

The rain and wind wasn’t too bad as we walked along. It seemed like a long walk especially as we were getting ready to run 26.2 miles.

In the CVS parking lot at the corner of Grove and Main Street the BAA must have had 100 porta-potties.

I like to tell the story from one of my first Boston’s of watching two guys trying to take a leak up against the side of a house. There were thousands of people behind them and the lady who owned the house was on her back deck yelling at them to get the hell out of there! It makes me laugh just thinking about it! Imagine that Maxine lady on the Hallmark cards.

The house appears to be gone now, but CVS has a huge parking lot.

My 2018 Boston Marathon Experience, Marathon RunningBrian decided to make a pit stop and I waited on the street. As I stood there I realized that there were piles of ponchos, jackets and plastic and Mylar sheets in the parking lot. Many piles looked to be a foot or two high. It was unbelievable. I just shook my head at the incredible waste.

Soon we were headed for the start line. We took a right onto Main Street and started walking up hill. They had us walk to the left side of the road. Usually they keep us to the right because another group is lined up to go.

When they move a group into position the announcer gets everyone wound up and a camera boom swings over the crowd. Then they give us the “Go, go, go!” It really helps pump up a pumped up crowd.

Not this year.

I started my watch when we left the MGH tent. It usually takes my Garmin 610 a few minutes to lock in on a signal. With thousands of GPS watches looking for a signal I figured that I’d need the entire walk to the start to get a signal. Remarkably I got a signal almost instantly.

It was a good thing my watch was ready to go. As we walked towards the line we noticed how thin the crowd was. There weren’t a lot of people behind us and we were getting close to the line.

Then I noticed that as people got to the line no one was stopping them. Everyone just started running when they got to the start! I had never seen a rolling start at The Boston Marathon. I’ve never seen a rolling start at any race.

All of this occurred to me all of a sudden when we were about five feet from the line! My little bit of preparation had paid off. We we were running and didn’t even get an official signal!

It’s all Downhill to Boston

From the start line it is down hill for the first half mile or so. The course starts at about 400ft above sea level and ends at just a few feet above sea level in Boston. But it is all rolling hills in between.

Any other year the crowd would have been 20 people deep on both sides of the road heading out of Hopkinton. Between adrenaline, the announcer winding people up, the crowd cheering us on and the down hill, most runners blast out of the start way too fast.

For the first five miles of the race almost any runner feels great and inexperienced runners sometimes think that is how the rest of the race will go.

This year we only had gravity and adrenaline to get us rolling down that hill. The barricades only held bags full of discarded clothing. I assume they are there every year but the crowd blocks them from site.

Even the first half mile in Hopkinton was vacant of spectators. Most people there were BAA volunteers. I was shocked.

As we ran the first few miles Brian and I were really surprised how small or absent the crowd was. There were hundreds of feet of barricade with no one there. I’d never seen anything like it before.

When we got to the first few clearings in the woods, sure enough, there were people peeing. It’s a Boston Marathon tradition! At mile two they had porta-potties and people were in line.

Brian and I hit the 5K mats at 30:05. I hollered back to Brian that we were still on track for a 2-hour half. I tried not to get too far ahead of Brian but with each mile the gap widened.

At mile five I looked over my shoulder and could tell that he was not going to catch up. He was running his pace. We made eye contact and I gave him a wave as I dug into the Framingham Hill.

Brian told me days before the race he was going to run a slower pace and I told him we’d run the first few miles together. I didn’t feel bad moving ahead. We each have to run our own race.

21.2 Miles to Boston

Running a race by yourself is different than running with a buddy. If you’re not a runner it may seem odd to say you’re by yourself while running with thousands of other people.

When you run with someone, someone is always keeping up and someone is always pulling. It may be unconscious, but someone always wants to push the hills harder or run the downhill and flats faster.

Someone is always having a better day. To stay together you have to compromise and usually one person ends up pushing too hard.

When you run by yourself you get to focus on your run and not worry about keeping up or holding someone back.

Boston Marathon 2018 in the RainI’m a hill climber and I can’t help it. Late in this training program I started teaching myself to relax on the hills. I knew I wasn’t in shape to run a four-hour marathon. My strategy was to take it easy on the hills and save my legs for Brookline and Boston. It worked on the 22 mile training run, I hoped it would work on race day.

Running by myself I was able to focus on relaxing my shoulders on the uphills and focus on letting my feet fall and not reach. I was able to pay attention to the mile markers and fueled at 5K, 6 miles, 9 miles and 12 miles. I really had it dialed in for the first half.

I was running my plan.

I remember being in down town Natick around mile 10 and realizing how good I felt. I had been in this place before and the space had not felt as clear as it did on Monday.

At other points in the race and on other hills I was conscious of how my body felt and how different it was than previous years. It was an interesting experience.

I was running slower than previous years and I was doing it on purpose. The Honolulu Marathon had been a disaster for me in so many ways. I had to run Boston differently than I had ever run it before.

As a runner you are always aware of your body. Quite often something or many things hurt. I tried to have a higher level of consciousness this time.

It wasn’t just about doing a system check and seeing what hurt. It was about assessing my energy level and eating and drinking carefully. It was taking into consideration how my knees felt and how much more I thought they would take. I was constantly making judgement calls.

It was interesting to see a land mark or recognize a piece of road and recall how I felt in the heat of 2014.

When we got to the half-marathon mark it passed almost without notice. There was a timing clock, timing mat, some photographers and a small crowd. Usually the photographers are in bucket trucks or a structure. Without the photographers overhead, it just seemed like another mile.

As I crossed the 13.1 mile mat at 2:14:06 I thought, well at least people know I’m still alive! I missed my two-hour half and knew I was only going to get slower.

Just past the half is the “Wellesley College Scream Tunnel” or what ever they call it. It was less than impressive in 2016 but this year I could hear them as soon as I turned the corner. I was impressed.

I was highly focused on getting to Boston so I moved to the center of the road and barely made eye contact with anyone. The crowd seemed thin but their voices were loud. Well done Wellesley College!

I was now 14 miles into the race and more than half way. My knees had been hurting for a few miles and my legs were beginning to feel it.

In a marathon, the race doesn’t really start until mile 20, and I was only at mile 14. It was time to hunker down and keep to my business.

As I ran along I knew that the Rt 95 overpass bridge was coming. This is the first significant, challenging hill.

As we ran up the hill to the bridge the torrent of water on the right side of the road kept growing. It had to be three feet wide and at least a foot deep. Just before we went onto the bridge we saw water gushing a foot in the air out of the drainage grates! I think everyone muttered “holy shit” when they saw that. It kind of hit home just how much rain was falling. And we were only at mile 16.25.

After the 95 bridge the road continues to climb for another half mile or so. As I was climbing the hill I realized that I didn’t need to walk. My slower pace was allowing me to maintain my energy level.

The Newton Hills

We were now about a mile before the turn onto Comm Ave in Newton. This is where the series of hills that includes “Heart Break Hill” begins.

I stuffed the Cliff Energy Shot handed to me at mile 17 into a pocket and had another Snickers bar. It was time to get ready to climb some hills. My drink bottles were about empty and I had begun taking water and some Gatorade at the water stops.

At the next water stop I took two more salt capsules and a Hyland Leg Cramp pill. I washed them down with a cup each of water and Gatorade.

At the turn onto Comm Ave the street gets very wide, almost like a plaza. I usually stay right to cut the corner as much as possible.

My daughter and some friends told me they would be on the left in Newton or somewhere around Heart Break Hill. In hopes of seeing someone I swung wide and scanned the crowd. Just faces.

As I ran up the first hill I thought I saw my daughter. I continued to stay to the left side and look for people.

After the hill we had about a mile of down hill to Newton Lower Falls I thought someone else told me they would be at the bottom of the hill. So I looked. I was so focused on finding someone that I barely noticed when the road headed up again for the steep climb out of Newton Lower Falls.

This hill at mile 19.25 gets a lot of people. We’ve just run the Rt 95 over pass, the first Newton Hill and it’s past the 19 mile mark.

This second hill isn’t as steep or long as the first hill. But I still had to weave between walkers and almost walkers. At 19.5 miles the race was taking it’s toll on all of us.

At mile 20 I began to look for my running club. I knew they were at mile 21, but I always look for them at mile 20. I felt both disappointment and hope.

I ate another Snickers bar and grabbed two cups of water at the next stop.

Heart Break Hill doesn’t have a sign. I’ve finally come to understand that it is the third hill.

As I pushed up Heart Break Hill I passed more walkers. I knew I was about to stop and all of these people would then pass me, so why bother?

As I crested Heart Break Hill I knew my club was near by. Down a bit of a hill and up the other side I saw the purple pop up tent canopy.

I knew there would be friendly, familiar faces but I couldn’t stop and chat.

As I approached I heard familiar voices call my name. Hands were out stretched with Fig Newtons and Snickers bars. The Snickers bars were still wrapped and I couldn’t open them with my wet gloves so I took two Newtons and then someone opened a Snickers for me.

My stomach had been growling for the past few miles and it felt good to have the Fig Newtons in my belly.

The 2018 Boston Marathon Begins!

Most runners will tell you that a marathon doesn’t really begin until Mile 20. If you didn’t pay attention to pace, fueling and hydration your stores of energy are probably depleted by Mile 20.

The body absorbs calories at a fixed rate per hour. If you have relied mainly on the glucose stored in your body and not allowed your body to absorb more calories, by mile 20 you will hit the wall.

Some runners hit the wall at mile 18. Elite runners can get through a race with just a few sips of sports drink. If you watched the Boston Marathon on TV you saw the elites grab a water bottle at two points on the course. But they are only on the course for a little more than two hours. Des Linden won in 2:39:54.

For the rest of us who are out there for four or five hours, proper fueling is essential.

By Mile 20 all of your injuries are acting up and you may have acquired new ones.

Between the aches and pains, depleted energy and a realization that your dreams may be slipping away, the last 10K of a marathon is the most challenging.

I hadn’t run a sub 10 minute mile since mile 7. Mile 8 through 16 were mostly sub-11. Shalane Flanagan made her pit stop at mile 7. It’s reported that she was in and out in 30 seconds. Absolutely amazing.

I made my pit stop at Mile 9. I wasn’t sure if I really had to go or if it was just the cold. I knew that I wanted to start taking water at the stops but the idea made my bladder squirm.

At mile seven I started watching the porta-potties. At mile seven and eight there were people in line waiting. I wasn’t going to wait in line.

At mile nine there wasn’t a line so I pulled over. A woman went in just as I got there. While I untied my shorts I hollered to her to lock the door. Another runner could have run up and tried to jump in with her.

I had so many layers on and was so cold I wasn’t sure if I was pointed in the right direction. Fortunately I was okay. Getting all of my layers back together took way more time than I wanted.

Including my wait and getting repackaged, my pit stop took 2:41. If I had been going for a Boston PR that stop might have made the difference. With the pit stop, mile nine came in at 11:58.

From Mile 17 on all of my miles were 11 minutes plus with a 12:40 and a 13:07.

The 12:40 was Mile 21 when I stopped at the Melrose Running Club water stop. After that stop most of the course was down hill with a few minor hills. I decided to run the down hills and see how I felt at Mile 22.

At Mile 22 we had some more downhill, so I kept on running. Then we hit the uphill passing Boston College on our way to Cleveland Circle.

I made up my mind to press on up the hill and run through Cleveland Circle. At BC the crowds were really building. At Cleveland Circle they were larger, though not as large as usual. Still, how could I walk?

After Cleveland Circle Mile 23 was coming up, so I had to run to the next mile.

At Mile 23 I told myself I only had about 5K to go, so keep going.

As I ran these last few miles I compared how I felt at that moment to how I had felt in previous years. I was amazed to realize that I felt good enough to keep going and not walk.

I had the energy and determination to keep going. Often at this point in Boston I need to take walk breaks. Sometimes they are only a hundred yards or so but I just can’t force my self to run. I knew that if I walked my muscles would tighten up and running again would be very difficult. The fact that I was soaked to the skin and it was cold would have made running again even more difficult.

So I kept running at a slow pace. Mile 23 came in at 11:29 and Mile 24 came in at 13:39. I had to walk when I got to the water stop and getting started again had been difficult. But I did get started again.

Mile 25 came in at 11:39 and mile 26 came in at 11:44. I managed to run a pace of 10:46 for the last 0.46 miles to the finish line.

Finishing the 2018 Boston Marathon

As we came down Beacon Street towards the I-90 overpass I was struggling. I had been cold and soaked to the skin for over four hours. I was so focused on finishing, on keeping keeping on, that I didn’t pay much attention to the crowd.

I ran in anticipation of the I-90 overpass. The rise is only a few feet, but this late in the race it might just as well be a mountain. All Boston Marathon Runners can tell you about this bridge over the turnpike.

I had anticipated a nasty gale blowing down the turnpike, but it turned out to be not that bad. At least compared to what we had already endured.

After the bridge it was the run to Kenmore Square. We were so close! Somewhere on this piece of road, the the One Mile to go sign appeared. I love that god damned sign! Even if my knees are blown out and I’m bleeding, I can make it one more mile!

As we ran through Kenmore Square I noticed the brick pavers but did not fear that they would trip me, unlike my last Boston. There was a crowd but the weather and our late arrival had thinned them considerably.

I looked down the road and saw a line of police. It looked like they were blocking the Mass Ave underpass. I thought that maybe the rain had flooded it and we wouldn’t have to deal with that hill.

No such luck. They were at Charles Gate East and West keeping an eye on things. My perspective was off a bit!

As we ran under Mass Ave, no one let out a whoop like they usually do. Everyone needed every last breath to keep their legs turning over. We all had our nails dug into the bottom of the barrel at this point.

As we went down the hill I dreaded running up the other side.

Many of us were barely running as we ascended the tunnel. It was a struggle.

But soon after we emerged from the depths, we could see Hereford Street! The Golden Corner!

I tossed the last of the juice into the engine and made my way to the corner. I started looking around at the crowd on both sides of the street. I even picked up my pace a bit.

A wave of joy came over me and a big smile spread across my face. I was going to make it!

As I turned onto Hereford Street I was with only a handful of runners. As I looked up the street to Boylston Street I smiled that it looked like such a hill. Then I felt sad when I saw the mountains of ponchos, Mylar and plastic sheets pilled on the road. Yet again, such waste. I was too tired to be pissed off.

Hereford Street was packed with spectators. For the first time in the race there seemed to be a lot of people.

As I got near the turn onto Boylston Street I came upon a hand cyclist. This poor guy had started about two hours before I did. Talk about heart!

As I ran past the piles of crap discarded by previous runners I worried that one of this guy’s wheels would slip on a tarp. Or maybe a plastic sheet would wind around one of his wheels. What was he supposed to do if that happened?

He was barely making any forward motion. I knew what I was going through. This guy was using his arms to finish a marathon. I was using my legs. I didn’t have half a breath to give him any encouragement, and I doubt he needed any.

My 2018 Boston Marathon Experience, Boylston Street, RainAs soon as I made the left onto Boylston Street the wind and the rain blasted me. It was at-least as bad as any other part of the race and possibly worse.

The rain was torrential and the wind must have been 30 MPH. My Mylar sheet was plastered against my body. As it had done with every other gust of wind during the race, the Mylar sheet kept the wind from whipping through all of my other layers.

I have no doubt that without that Mylar sheet I would have gotten hypothermia during the race. Like many others, I would have had to drop out of the race.

Something that I kept after a race and most people tossed saved my 2018 Boston Marathon.

The finish line seemed like it was a mile away. The wind and the rain made it feel like I wasn’t making any forward progress. I guess you should relish the finish of a marathon like this, but I just wanted it to be over.

I ran on and on and it seemed like the finish line didn’t get any closer! Eventually I got to where the bleachers were, and there wasn’t anyone sitting there! I felt like I was late to the party.

2018 Boston Marathon Finish Line, Marathon Running, RainAs I approached the finish line I made my way to the left side of the road. No idea why. Why not? The super structure had an electronic sign on it this year and said Wave 3 and 4.

Check out this Video taken on Boylston Street

It felt so good to cross that finish line. I knew that my friend Meg Michaels was on the left giving out finisher’s medals and I wanted to see her. There’s nothing like seeing a friend at the end of a marathon!

After a quick hug I was after water and my food bag. Then I proceeded to stager towards the bag drop tent. They were pretty good getting my bag and I headed out of the security area.

Apre 2018 Boston Marathon

MGH had an after party of the Boston Sports Club (BSC) on Boylston Street. They told us that Mass Eye and Ear also had an after party at the BSC. I missed the fact that there were two BSC on Boylston Street.

As I looked for any BSC no one seemed to know where either one was. After wandering around in the cold rain I ducked into a Panera on Boylston Street. I found an open table and sat down. Through my foggy glasses I tried to find the email with information. My fingers were so cold that sometimes my phone wouldn’t do anything when I tapped it.

I was obviously cold and shivering. Several awesome people asked me if I wanted anything. I’ve experienced the kindness of strangers on Marathon Monday before. It is such an affirmation of humanity and decency. I barely looked up to say no thank you to these incredible examples of humanity.

I hope I didn’t come off as a jerk. I was freezing and trying to hook up with people who could help me. And the people who could help me were right by my side.

I finally found the BSC at 505 Boylston Street and headed in that direction. A Boston Cop told me I could cross the security area, but no one could come with me.

I hobbled across the street and headed for the BSC. In the windows I saw signs for Mass Eye and Ear and figured I was home. I thought MGH and Mass Eye and Ear were in the same club. At the time I didn’t realize there were two BSC on Boylston Street.

The Mass Eye and Ear folks welcomed me with cheers when I walked into the lobby. The lady manning the door said, “well you have the right bag over your shoulder, so come on in.” She was also kind enough to direct me to the elevator! What an angel!

When I got down stairs I explained my situation and another beautiful human being asked me what I wanted to eat and directed me to the hot coffee. I told her, what ever you have.

Someone gave me their seat and I sat down holding my coffee to warm my hands. Soon the kind angel returned with a banana and two halves of different sandwiches. I inhaled the sandwiches and wanted to ask for more, but I was a party crasher.

I hung out for about a half hour, thanked my gracious hosts and started looking for a cab.

Getting Home

Before the race Uber made a big deal that they were giving discounted rides to Marathon runners. That sounded great to me. Any ride sounded great to me at that point.

I walked down Boylston Street towards the finish line where I saw an Uber tent when I was finishing the race. The tent was empty and being cleared out! I was freezing cold and Uber was gone. What exactly did they think they were offering us when they made a big deal about discounted rides?

I headed to the Family Meeting area to try and find an open street, but found none. So I left the meet up area and headed to what I thought was an open corner.

I opened my Uber app and thought a car was on the way. I was standing under the canopy of a store on Dartmouth Street. It was cold and raining out and I was in running gear.

The driver called me right away and said the area was closed and he couldn’t pick me up. He cancelled the ride and it looked like another driver was on his way. He also called to cancel.

I was so pissed at Uber that I was ready to cancel my account. I mean WTF? No one thought that streets would be closed and maybe they should direct people to an area that was open?

No one around me was from Boston or knew shit about Uber. I was in one on the trendiest neighborhoods in Boston and no one lived there or knew anything about Uber?

Boston Marathon 2018 ExperienceSince I couldn’t stand around and wait for hypothermia to set in I decided to use dead reckoning and head for Cambridge.

So after running 26.2 miles and walking around Boston several more, I had to walk from the Back Bay, across the Longfellow bridge to my office in Cambridge.

I mean, what the fuck was I going to do? The rain was pelting down and I was freezing. It really was an insane thing to do but I didn’t have any cash because I was going to use Uber.

I entered my building through the gym and took this photo. It doesn’t do justice to how miserable I felt. A volunteer at the finish line had to help me get the BAA poncho on.

After taking a leak and warming up a bit I headed for the garage and drove home.

2018 Boston Marathon by the Numbers

Boston Marathon 2018 factsBoston is the most famous marathon in the world and the Holy Grail for all marathon runners. People come from all over the world to run this race. Even back of the pack runners who get a number by fundraising for a charity come from all over the world.

I’ve run 16 marathons now and eight of them have been Boston. There is just something about Boston that makes any runner give just a little bit more.

It takes a lot for someone to drop out of Boston. It does happen and in 2018 the drop out rate was 50% higher than usual. Check out this graphic for some stats. Click on the photo to read an interesting article with more stats and back ground on the race.

American women took the top two spots and seven of the top 10 finishes! Remarkable.

Des Linden won at 2:39:54! We are all so proud of her!

American men took six of the top 10 spots and Shadrack Biwott came in third place at 2:18:35.

Yuki Kawauchi of Japan won the men’s race at 2:15:58.

Run well My Friends,

Andy

Running 2019 Boston Marathon

The 2019 Boston Marathon was another adventure run. We had rain, we had heat, a little bit of wind and a whole lot of fun.

Originally posted on April 28th, 2019.

I awoke to the sound of thunder around 5:30 on Marathon Monday.

All week they forecasted rain and possibly thunder and lightening during the race.

I didn’t pay much attention until Wednesday.

On Wednesday, April 10th, the BAA sent the following email update:

Marathon Monday is a fun day for all, but amateurs to elites should all remember to take the weather seriously. The current weather predictions are predicted to be similar to 2018’s race, so please keep an eye on the extended forecast and dress accordingly for the weather conditions. Packing extra layers, gloves, hats, and waterproof gear is encouraged.

By Friday meteorologists said the rain should end before the race and most likely before noon. Over the weekend the forecast improved to rain ending before 9:00 with race temps in the 50’s and some wind.

2019 Boston Marathon Weather ForecastOn Friday the BAA announced that Wave 4 would start immediately after Wave 3. Normally there is a 25 minute gap between waves. In 2018 when we had close to a Nor’easter they also had Wave 4 start right after Wave 3.

Even with the improving forecast, everyone knew that anything could happen.

As I had my coffee and toast I hoped that they were right. While getting dressed I noticed that the thunder had stopped and the rain seemed to be getting lighter.

I checked my go bag and running belt for the 10th time and headed out. As I drove down my street NPR said it was 7:01 on Marathon Monday, Patriots Day.

Getting to the 2019 Boston Marathon

I parked in my garage around 7:30 and walked to the Kendall/MIT Red Line T station. The rain was now light, it was reasonably warm and there wasn’t much of a breeze.

I had considered walking, but the Red Line stop at Arlington was right around the corner from the bag drop area. Last year I walked over in the rain and got soaked. The walk also added over a mile of walking which I wanted to avoid.

 Pre Race Map bag drop, bus pickup
Boston Marathon Pre Race Map

The train ride was uneventful and the cars were not crowded. I even made a good transition at Park Street from the Red Line to the Green Line.

In no time I was walking down Boylston Street towards the 2019 Boston Marathon finish line and looking for my bag drop. The buses where they collected our gear were not lined up in bib order so I had to look around a bit.

There were plenty of eager volunteers ready to take my bag and I was on my way to the buses in no time.

I slipped on the KT Tape poncho from The Expo and made my way down Boylston Street. As I crossed Arlington Street I heard my friend Bill Ozaslan call my name! He was directing runners towards the buses. We said hello and chatted briefly in passing.

It was great to see a friend and get some encouragement before the race.

The Walk though the Public Garden was easier than last year. The puddles were smaller and the crowd seemed lighter.

I was seeded in Wave 4 and my assigned bus loading time was 8:55 to 9:30. It was around 8:00 AM when I got in line for the buses. Wave 3 loaded from 8:00 to 8:45 AM, but no one was turned away. Their goal was to fill every seat in every bus and roll em out.

As we stood in line I chatted with several people. One young lady had come to Boston from Paris! That was pretty cool. We made idle chit-chat while waiting our turn to board.

Later in the day when I heard about the massive fire at Notre Dame I felt bad for her. She probably heard about the disaster in her home town soon after finishing the race. To feel such sorrow and anguish after achieving such a triumph.

On the bus I sat with a guy from Vancouver, BC. He went to college in Boston many years ago and had run Boston a few times before. We were both old hands at running and had a good chat all the way out to Hopkinton.2019 Boston Marathon Recap and course description Click To Tweet

Hanging with Team Mass General

When I ran for MGH in 2018 they had a heated tent for the team. Since the 2019 forecast was similar to 2018, I hoped they would have the tent again.

All training season, I hadn’t received a single email from MGH about the race. I had no idea if they would have a tent, but I was hopeful.

While working the Bib Pickup station at the Boston Marathon Expo Sunday night, me and my friend Marty Hergert started looking for an MGH Twitter account to reach out to. Turns out that MGH has many twitter handles, none of which seemed like the obvious choice to contact.

I sent a Tweet to an MGH account but didn’t get a reply until 10:24 Monday night.

They had a post race get together that I didn’t know about that until after the race also. I was too busy before the race to even think about these things.

As I walked into Athletes Village I asked a volunteer about MGH. They didn’t know but pointed to someone holding an MGH sign. The person holding the sign told me the tent was in the same parking lot as last year.

Because the first wave had been called and I had a fourth wave bib, she had to walk me through security, which was no problem. I was so grateful for her assistance.

I managed to find my way to the MGH tent in a few minutes. I had my MGH singlet on and they let me in with a smile.

MGH Tent Boston Marathon 2019The tent wasn’t heated but they had food, drink and just about anything else a marathon runner would need. They even had a DJ and an MGH photo background.

I settled in and started chatting with people like we were old friends. I recognized one older guy from last year, but that was it. I was in a room full of strangers and fellow travelers.

They had a line of porta-potties in the parking lot and I only had to wait a minute or two. When I went back inside the tent I surveyed the food and beverages, got a cup of coffee and some sort of breakfast bar. I wasn’t really hungry but I knew I would be in a few hours.

Each time I went back to the seat I claimed, there seemed to be new people around. Each time people struck up conversations like we were my old friends. It was pretty cool.

A lady next to me was putting her name on her bib with a sharpie. I asked if she would write “Andy” on both arms. No problem!

I finally got some ink!

Running 2019 Boston Marathon

Sometime after 10:00 they told us to make our final race preparations and to then head outside for some photos. I was pretty much ready to go so I headed out to the porta-potty line one last time. It’s the most important pre-race check box to tick!

People were still coming out of the tent when I exited The Loo. I tried not to be in front but the way the crowd moved into place I was pretty much in the middle. They took a bunch of photos and had a high tech camera that I think was going to make a 3-D image, or something.

With that most of us headed for the start. A few people were still getting ready.

As I walked down the street I could feel the excitement build. Even for my 9th Boston Marathon it was still a thrill to walk with the crowd towards the start.

As we approached Grove Street, the road that goes from the High School to the start area, we went through a check point. They were using wand metal detectors! I was shocked they didn’t go off since all of us had a phone, keys or something metallic on us.

Grove Street HopkintonThe walk down Grove Street was joyous and long, as usual. Unlike 2018, people were out on their lawns wishing us well. Some folks offered supplies and I think one little girl had a free lemonade stand.

You gotta love the people of of Hopkinton. 35,000 runners massively inconvenience them and they offer the sweetest kindnesses to strangers in return. That is class.

I saw the tent for Race Cancer Foundation and my friend Jessie Lizette was there! Another friendly face to share the day with. We had a quick hug and I was on my way.

As we turned right onto Main Street and started to walk up the hill my excitement clicked up to 11. The crowds were growing and it was beginning to feel frickin real!

Like 2018, we just kept walking towards the start line. No stopping and engagement with the announcer. No camera on a huge boom swinging over the crowd. I was totally prepared this time.

As I crossed the first timing mat I started my watch. It was freakin real now!

And They’re off to Boston

In 2018 only steel barricades lined the road out of Hopkinton. This year the cheering crowd was back!

The road out of Hopkinton is down hill for the first 0.7 miles. This makes it easy to let the adrenaline and crowds carry you along like a leaf in the breeze. Everyone feels awesome at this point in the race.

I did my best to stay in the middle of the road and chill out. My left knee conveniently started acting up about two weeks before the marathon. So I was paying attention to how both knees felt as I ran that first mile.

At 0.7 miles we hit our first hill. In the first mile we lost 130 feet of elevation and that first hill gave us back 34 feet. I was so pumped up in 2003 that I didn’t even notice this hill. In subsequent years I’ve noticed it.

Over the years, I’ve become a student of the course.

I ran the hill intentionally knowing there were many more hills to come and paid attention to how everything felt.

Mile One came in at 9:31. Right on my goal pace of 9:30.

Mile two was gently rolling hills. At 2.1 miles we hit our next hill of about 29 feet.

Mile two was 9:21 and mile three was 9:12. My goal was to run even splits around 9:30, so these miles were a little fast.

I skipped the first water stop at mile two and drank from a 500ml bottle to which I had added an electrolyte mix. At 5K I took my first gel and washed it down with some water.

Somehow my bib didn’t register at the 5K mark. I believe my watch had me around 28 minutes at the 5K mark. Way off my 5K pace but close to my marathon pace.

Things were going well.

Around this time I began to think about a porta-potty stop. I really didn’t want to but sweat was dripping down my left arm. In order to keep drinking the way I knew I needed to, I would need to make a stop.

The BAA had water stations and porta-potties starting at mile two and I began to look for on open porta-potty.

The mile three porta-potties looked occupied so I kept on going. At mile four they had ten in a parking lot and at least one had a green handle.

As I ran into the parking lot someone else ran in front of me and I was afraid I’d have to wait. But as the other runner went in, a runner came out of another door.

I still had two water bottles with me and managed to balance them on the “shelf” in the corner of the porta-potty.

I timed my self and got in and out in 30 seconds. I joked that I had done a “Flannagan” like Shalane did in 2018.

Mile four came in at 9:36 with my pit stop, but mile five came in at 8:56. I was definitely feeling better.

At 4.2 miles we hit the first hill that I remember from 2003. It’s 52 feet over a half mile as we entered Framingham.

This time I greeted it like an old friend. I took the hill.

Settling into The Run

Now that I had resolved my hydration issue I could focus on running. My knee was only a 2 on a scale of 10 and didn’t seem to be getting any worse. I worried about pounding it on the down hills in Newton, but that was many miles away.

I had plenty of gels, two bottles on my belt and most of two bottles in my hands. I was warmed up and was settled into the race.

Mile six and seven were 8:55 and 8:49. At 10K I took my next gel, finished the plain water bottle and tossed it.

The BAA clocked me at 57:51 at the 10K mark. I estimated that my second 5K had a pace around 29 minutes. The fact that the 2nd 5K included a pit stop, my 5K splits were basically even.

My overall pace at 10K was 9:18!

Mile eight chimed about half a mile into Natick. My pace was 9:12.

The crowds were pretty deep and consistent through Natick. I finished and tossed my second bottle, so now I could slap some hands along the way!

At Mile nine I ate one of the four Snickers bars I brought with me. Even in what seemed like heat, it was firm. I washed it down with some electrolyte drink from one of my belt bottles and satisfied some of my hunger.

There was very little cloud cover at this point in the race. Remembering 2014, I tried to run on the shaded side of the road but it didn’t work very well.

Just after mile nine I crossed the 15K timing mat at 1:26:23. It took me about 28:32 to run the 5K between the 10K and 15K mark.

I was running remarkably consistent splits of 9:16 still.

On one hand I figured I was one-third of the way through the race, on the other hand I knew that the halfway mark was really at mile twenty!

Mile nine through 13.1 miles went smoothly. I took a gel around mile twelve and started taking water at stops. The crowd at the stops was thinner now and I was getting tired of gels and sport drink.

At 20K the BAA clocked me at 1:55:10 or 28:43 for that 5K. Still at a 9:16 overall pace.

I crossed the Half Marathon mat at 2:01:31, still a 9:16 pace.

Running to Boston!

After mile thirteen we were headed for The Wellesley College Scream Tunnel. In 2018 there were a few hearty souls still hanging on the barricades for us. I was so miserable by then that I could barely muster a smile for them.

This year there was a huge crowd of college girls screaming at us. Many held signs, some with provocative or funny things on them. Oh to be 20-something again!

I smiled and waved but didn’t stop for a kiss.

There are just rolling hills between 20K and 25K, nothing challenging at all. Just the miles.

25K is at the top of the hill that drops down to the ramp to the Rt. 128 bridge. I heard Shalane Flanagan call this bridge the toughest hill on the course and I am inclined to agree.

At 25K my time was 2:24:42, just under a 9:19 pace. Mile 15 had rung in at 9:43 and I’m not sure why.

I managed to run down the hill to the Rt. 128 bridge and mile 16 came in at 9:10.

While training for this marathon I had practiced running down hill. It takes more than just throwing your foot out there. You have to condition your muscles for the impact, practice maintaining good form and trust that you can control your body and not fall on your face.

After the trough at mile sixteen we began the climb up the ramp to the bridge.

In 2018 there had been a raging brook running down the right side of the road! About half-way up the ramp there was water gushing two feet out of a drain and creating the torrent. It was a sight to see.

This year I just focused on getting up that damned hill.

Some people were walking and most everyone slowed down. Running the seventeenth mile, a 76 foot hill kicked everyone’s ass. I managed to keep running and felt okay for where I was.

Mile seventeen chimed in at 10:10. My first mile over 10 minutes. It was beginning to feel like a run.

Dem Damned Hills!

At about 17.25 mile we took that famous turn in front of the Newton Fire Station.

The road is so wide here and the crowd is large and loud.

I knew that the Melrose Running Club and my daughter were less than four miles away, atop Heartbreak Hill. I wished they had been at mile 16 or 18. Mile twenty-one, for god’s sake!

The Rt. 128 bridge may be in Wellesley, but it’s the first of the “Newton Hills.” At 17.5 miles we made the steep ascent of hill #2. 50 feet over a third of a mile on tired legs and a swimming mind.

I could have been pulled over for an OUI at this point, I was so altered. Count back from 100? I can’t even count up to 10!

Mile 18 came in at 10:08 even with the hill.

After summiting hill #2 we had a dip and another rise. Then mostly down hill until 19.25 or so.

My quads were shredded by this point, so I couldn’t really run down the hills. I did okay and mile nineteen came in at 9:45.

30K was just before mile 19. The BAA clocked me at 2:56:12 and my overall pace had dropped to 9:27.

Still under my goal of 9:30 but the hills were taking their toll on me.

At 19.25 we hit hill #3 and ascended another 50 feet over about a third of a mile. Mile twenty came in at 10:11. I was doing better than a lot of people but I was running out of gas.

At mile twenty I took some Gatorade and another gel. The big one was coming.

The crowd was huge and loud. Somewhere along here I realized that my ears were ringing! It was that loud. Or was I that altered?

I took a salt pill and two Hyland Arnica pills after the big turn at the fire station. So I should have been in relatively good shape. I knew what I was doing.

Heartbreak Hill

At 20.3 miles that big damned hill began! It’s 85 feet over about a quarter of a mile!

I knew that my stop was coming up, but I still chugged up the hill like the express train. It gives me such a feeling of accomplishment to run Heartbreak Hill. I have walked it before, but not in recent years.

As I ran the hill I moved to the left side of the road and kept looking ahead. The Melrose Running Club color is purple and I was looking for our pop up tent.

Finally it came into view and looked so far away!

I never stop for long at the tent. It is a race after all!

In 2018 they had plastic barricade fencing along the road. This year they just had a rope, so I could get off of the course.

2019 Boston Marathon, Angela NagelinI saw my daughter Angela standing there and gave her a big hug. I’m sure she was thrilled. My buddy Matt Sazama was a few feet away with his camera.

I had to motion to him to take our picture. That’s all I really wanted from this stop. Later he said he wasn’t sure who the girl was so he didn’t want to just take a picture of me with some random girl!

I don’t recall what we said but I’m sure she asked how I was and I probably said okay. Next I moved to the pit crew. My throat was so dry I could barely speak. My friend AJ Drummond kept asking if I wanted a pretzel for salt.

I kept try to say I had taken a salt tablet a few miles back but the words just wouldn’t come out. Finally Jose Viveiros understood that I wanted water.

He came over with a bottle and I took the top off of one of the bottles in my belt. The electrolyte mix was too strong so I wanted to top off my bottles and make them drinkable again.

I quickly got the top on the first bottle and then filled the second bottle. I tried to look into the crowd to see who else was there, but my eyes didn’t seem to be working!

I waved goodbye to everyone and I was off. With just a bit of uphill left, the long descent into Boston began.

Mile twenty-one came in at 12:36. The pit stop was well worth the loss of a few minutes.

To Cleveland Circle and Beyond!

Mile twenty-two was mostly down hill. The crowds were still as big and as loud as they were all through Newton.

Nothing hurt, I was simply exhausted. My muscles were shredded. But nothing hurt, so I kept running.

At 35K the BAA clocked me in at 3:30:09 and my overall pace was just under 9:40. My goal pace was 9:30. It didn’t look like I was going to hit that mark, but the wheels were still on the bus.

Just after 35K I hit the twenty-two mile mark at 9:34. With only 4.2 miles to go it would be hard to bend the time much closer to 9:30.

As we cruised past the Chestnut Hill Reservoir and headed into Cleveland Circle I felt a second wind. Mile twenty-two has 79 feet of decline and I kicked it in.

I moved to the left side of the road and ran between the tracks. I had the road to my self here and moved freely.

Heading out of Cleveland Circle toward mile twenty-three we lost an additional 54 feet. It was just what I needed. Mile twenty-three came in at 9:33!

After mile twenty-three, my two miles of exuberant running began to take their toll. Mile twenty-four is mostly downhill and the crowd support is phenomenal.

I could feel every rise in the road in my thighs. Even with pretty good fueling and hydration I was running on fumes.

Mile twenty-four had 21 feet of incline and 54 feet of decline. Nothing really. But mile twenty-four dropped to 10:09. With only 2.2 miles to go I decided to go all in.

2019 Boston Marathon Finish

Somewhere around mile twenty-four we entered Boston. The home stretch!

No one in the fourth wave had qualified for Boston. We paid our fees, did our fundraising and ran as much as we could. At this late stage in the race many runners were beyond any distance they had ever run before. It was all guts and will power fueling these brave folks.

The crowds were deep and loud even this late in the day. Usually I look into the crowd and exchange a few whoops with someone who has had a few more beers than I. It’s a lot of fun and helps distract me from the pain.

For 2019 I kept my head down for the most part and focused on keeping my feet moving.

I knew I could keep moving and not walk. It just took every fiber of my being to keep the party rolling towards Boylston Street.

Part of the reason a marathon is so mentally taxing is the reduced level of glucose going to your brain. The other reason is the level of focus required to keep running when your body and good judgement say, “hell no!”

At 40K the BAA clocked me at 4:01:20 for an overall pace of just under 9:43. Mile twenty-five came in at 9:57! Under ten minutes! 40K and 25 miles are just about the same distance.

I was running about 0.3 miles long, so Garmin shows mile 25 before the Turnpike Bridge. The BAA map has mile twenty-five just past the bridge.

The bridge is one of the last challenges for runners. In a car you’d barely notice it. On marathon Monday it’s just one more hill between you and the finish.

Somewhere after the bridge there is the “One Mile to go” sign.

Then we entered Kenmore Square. The crowd was huge and loud! I looked to see if any of my colleagues had managed to make it to the race. A few hinted that they might, but I didn’t see anyone.

As we left Kenmore Square we came to the last water stop near the Charles Gate overpass. Some people grabbed a cup but I kept in the middle of the road.

Commonwealth Ave was packed with people. I was highly focused on finishing the race and didn’t engage with the crowd or pay them much attention.

Soon the Mass Ave underpass came into view. Most runners hate this dip in the road. Our legs can handle neither the decline or rise out of the tunnel. I don’t think anyone let out a whoop in the tunnel.

I was surprised how easily I made the ascent out of the tunnel. As soon as I got back on Comm Ave I made my way to the right side of the road.

I could hardly believe that I was seeing the Hereford Street sign come into view! I’ve run this corner many times between the marathon and BAA 5K.

During a marathon, seeing that sign is like seeing the shoots open before splashdown for an Apollo mission. Almost home, but it’s not over yet!

Right on Hereford, Left on Boylston

2019 Boston Marathon, Comm Ave onto Hereford StreetIn 2018 Hereford was a slick hill littered with piles of ponchos, jackets and other trash. What a freakin mess was all I could think.

This year the road layed invitingly before me. There were more runners than last year but it still felt like the road was mine to run. I took the hill and approached the corner.

As I got to the top of the hill I moved left and got ready to execute the turn onto Boylston Street. It went perfectly.

All of a sudden, there were runners around me. The road is so wide but there were people near me!

Way the hell down the road I could see the finish line. This year it was a big screen TV or something. I didn’t recall all of the lights from before.

We ran and ran and ran! Then all of a sudden the finish line was there! I moved to the right side for Wave Four finishers and threw peace signs into the air as I approached the sacred line!

Finishing my ninth Boston Marathon was just as exciting as any other, except for maybe the first one!

As I left the finish area one of the BAA executives was standing there clapping for everyone. I stuck my hand out and he shook it and said “Congratulations.”

As I caught my breath I kept walking towards Mylar blankets and my medal!

Boston Marathon finishers medalMy friend Meg Micheals volunteers to give out medals every year. I always look for her and found her this year. It was great.

I had to keep moving and got my bag of food and headed to the bag pickup area. The volunteers saw me coming and had already called into the bus with my bag number. Very efficient.

I didn’t have anything to hang around for, so I headed for the exit. At the corner I took a left and the Arlington T stop was right there!

After the 2019 Boston Marathon

I was surprised how easy it was to get down the stairs to the platform. Someone was playing music and the air was warm. Unlike previous years, no one said a word to me.

At Park Street I made an efficient transfer to the Red Line and headed for Kendall Square. Walking up the stairs out of the Kendall/MIT stop was a bit more challenging.

Walking down the street to my office was cold and seemed to take too long! Fortunately the garage door was open and I didn’t have to go around to the front of the building.

I tossed my stuff in the back seat and tossed my self into the front seat.

The drive home was okay. It was a holiday so traffic was light.

Getting out of the car was a bit of a challenge and so was getting up the stairs! My muscles were tightening up.

I took a nice shower and sat down to watch my DVR recording of the 2019 Boston Marathon. What an exciting finish!

Run well my Friends,

Andy

Melrose 5K Race Directory 2022

Melrose 5K races, races near meMelrose is a very active town. There is a YMCA, Melrose Boot Camp and a large and active running club, the Melrose Running Club. Whenever I drive through town I see runners everywhere.

If you are promoting a race that I do not have listed here, please contact me at [email protected]

2020 and 2021 were tough years for races every where. Some went virtual and some just faded away.

Melrose 5K Race Directory

Fitzgerald Physical Therapy Associates Melrose Run For Women

8 May | 9:00 AM | Sunday | Mother’s Day

Mother's Day Race, melrose 5K race directoryThe Melrose Run for Women is back and in person for 2022!

With Fitzgerald Physical Therapy Associates as the marque sponsor, the race is sure to be better than ever!

Produced by the Melrose Running Club this 3.5 mile women only road race draws around 1,000 runners each year.

All proceeds benefit Melrose Alliance Against Violence (MAAV). Since 1998 over $278,000 has been donated.

Awards are given to the top finishers, the first mother and grandmother to finish, and best mother/daughter team finishers. Awards are also given to top age group finishers.

Registration is open at: $35 per person and $60 for mother/daughter teams. On May 1st prices got to $40 and $70 respectively.

Melrose Firefighters Fathers Day 5K

TBD June | 9:30 AM | Sunday – see you in 2022?

melrose 5K races, firefighters 5k

I really thought this race would make a come back in 2021 since the fire fighters are so good at organizing this.

Keeping my eyes open and hopes high for 2022!

2021 would be the 8th running of this Melrose 5K race which raises money for the Melrose Firefighters Relief Association.

Normally, the fun starts with a free kids race where everyone wins! Music, snacks, and fire trucks will abound.

Melrose Family YMCA Spooky Sprint 5K

29 October | 8:30 AM | Saturday

The Spooky Sprint is alive! Alive and in person for 2022!

spooky sprint 5k, kids race, melrose 5K race directoryThis race begins at the Y and travels through charming downtown Melrose and through beautiful Pine Banks. Bring your costumes and family!

All proceeds benefit the Melrose Family YMCA’s Growing Stronger Together scholarship fund which ensures no one in the community is turned away for inability to pay.

In 2015 the YMCA of Metro North provided more than one million dollars in financial aid providing all children, adults and families with opportunities to develop a healthy spirit, mind and body regardless of income.

Registration is open at: $30 for adults and $20 for 18 and under through October 13th.

Assault on Mt. Hood

10 December | Noon

assault on Mt Hood, cross countryThe Assault on Mt. Hood returns as an in person cross country race for 2022.

The location as much as the time of year makes this race what it is, and you just can’t duplicate that at home.

This race has become an early winter tradition for cross-country runners from the GBA and beyond. The race is run on the Mt. Hood golf course and the route is slightly different year-to-year depending on conditions.

The race organizers seek to make the course more challenging each year. So come prepared to climb hills!

This Melrose Running Club production features awards, refreshments, a Huge Post Race Party with plenty of food and a few beers.

And don’t forget about the legendary nutcrackers!

We have a 2022 date, but registration is not open yet.

Melrose 5K Race Directory Updates

Please let me know if I missed a race or if your group is starting a race for next year. I will be more than happy to add your race or make any corrections to the races listed.

Run well my Friends!

Andy