Boston

Over the weekend I started my second training program for this year’s Boston Marathon. I had gotten through seven weeks of training when news dropped that the marathon was being postponed due to the pandemic. I was on a pretty hectic training program as I was also training for my annual run-versary 5k, a Spartan race and half marathon all within a five week window of Boston. It was a pretty intense amount of speed work, strength training and distance running to get ready for these varied style of races. It wasn’t too far from the norm for my spring races, but in looking to earn some PRs, I was pretty beat up physically and mentally. So when news came that Boston was being postponed, a part of me was kind of happy. With all my other races having been canceled or turned virtual, the wind was not in my sails to run the 20 miler scheduled for that weekend’s long run.

Being able to qualify and go to Boston truly is an experience. Before racing my first Boston, I used to think it was all hype when I would hear other folks wax about how dope the race was. Yeah, yeah, it’s a big race, I get it. But when I finally got to my first Boston (back in 2015), I understood. The energy is unreal. The organization of the race is on point like no other. The crowd support is unmatched. In that final stretch after making a left on Hereford and a right on Boylston, you feel like you are that somebody. It’s about as close to feeling what LeBron probably feels like in the Finals, or what Brady feels like in the Superbowl, or how Meb feels winning at Boston! But hey, wait! I am at Boston too, except I’m nowhere near winning, nor as talented as Meb. I’ll take it though! So to say least, I was more than excited to experience it all over again for a fourth time. Despite the beating I was putting my body through with multi-race training, I was still looking forward to all of the fun the city brings during marathon weekend. I was excited for the mini-vacay with my wife and to catch up with my run buds and grab a beer or two. I was excited to rock my old Boston Marathon jackets around town, pick up a new one and don that after the race (you shouldn’t wear the current year’s jacket until after you cross the finish line. It’s bad luck!). But this year is just not to be for anyone looking to race anything.

I really, really feel for everyone who was supposed to be running with me in Boston back in April. For most of us, it’s not easy to qualify. In a rare move over the race’s 120+ years, qualifying times for this year’s race dropped by five minutes due to the large increase in entrants. On top of that, Boston only let’s in the fastest ­­­of those that meet the qualifying standards. Meaning, if you ran a time of three hours and ten minutes, but someone ran it one minute and thirty nine seconds faster than you (which was the qualifying time cut off for this year), that person would get into the big dance and you wouldn’t. So basically, it’s like grading on a curve in High School algebra. Those pesky over achievers turn your hard work from an A to a B-. You can argue whether it’s fair or not, but it is what it is. So understanding all of that, it really becomes rare air to be there at the starting line come race day. My heart goes out to all you first time BQers, it absolutely does. I hope you keep your head in the game and dig deep (again) to make another attempt at earning another BQ to actually run in Boston. Is really is worth all of your efforts.

This morning, registration emails went out to sign up for the Boston Marathon Virtual Experience. Plans were scrubbed in postponing the original April 20th date to a September 14th date with virus fears still lingering throughout the country and in the Northeast in particular. With registration only being sent out to those that originally signed up for the race in Beantown, it’s still an exclusive event, but we’ll all be running our own marathons in our own neighborhoods much like every other race that has had to switch to virtual options this year. All of us that like to race have had to adapt to training for virtual races this year. For me personally, it’s not the same doing a virtual event. There’s something about the formality of a race that pushes you to train harder. It’s been proven that people push more knowing that there’s competition out there challenging you. That extra edge makes you dig deep into your well to find extra burst of energy to pull off a new PR. Nonetheless, much like my first go around with training a few months ago, I put down my money, and I’m excited and committed to crossing my own finish line. It’s gonna be tough with training during the summer months, but I can guarantee it’ll be the first and only time I’ll place first in a  marathon!

In the end, we can whine about not having a race to attend, about missing out on crossing finish lines and having medals draped over us and all the other things that racing brings. Or, much like race day snafus that sometimes throw a monkey wrench into our morning, we can assess the situation, pivot and adapt to put our best foot forward and still finish our race. It’s all in how we choose to frame it. So I remind you as much as I remind myself, YOU GET TO DO THIS! Staying active and being able to run is a choice for many of us, but also something that not everyone is able to do in the world. Let’s keep that in perspective and enjoy ourselves out there no matter what.