yes, this is the same Boston Marathon that happened several weeks ago and i'm just now getting around to posting about it!!
the expo and packet pick-up.
the night before. everything laid out and ready to go.
morning of, lining up in Boston Commons, waiting for the buses to take 25,000 of us out to Hopkinton to the start.
a beautiful but cold morning. which was especially nice considering that, once bused out here, you can spend more that 2 hours in these fields waiting for your start time.
i spent this time chatting with my friend Chelsea from CA, who was also running, and trying to decide what kind of race i was going to run. i knew i had missed a lot of runs and hadn't taken the training very seriously. of course kicking myself for it now!! questioning what my body could handle and how hard i should push it.
my friend and running partner Stacey and i at the finish.
i decided i'd start out running to try to re-qualify. which would be 3:45:59/or about 8:36pace.
i was averaging 8:36pace up to mile 20. at that point i knew i was going to really have to push hard (and maybe not healthily hard) to make a 3:45. knowing that i'm already signed up for the Seattle Rock n Roll Marathon in June and the Portland Marathon in October i opted to back off and enjoy Boston. from mile 20 on- i slapped hands, looked around, smiled, walked every water station and just tried to take it all in. my finishing time was 3:52:18/8:52pace. i would have liked to have ran faster but all in all i'm excited that i got to experience the Boston Marathon. what a privilege! and a reminder that i can't "wing" a marathon!
the Boston medal is the yellow and blue one on the left. i came up with this easy DYI idea for displaying my running medals. here's one i found online. when i get bored with displaying them i plan to donate them to Medals4Mettle.
that is awesome michelle! what an achievement! congratulations!
Posted by: aimee | May 03, 2010 at 05:20 PM
you amaze me.
i LOVE your medal display.
that is very very cool.
i can't believe you can run that far....it is crazy.
crazy good.
Posted by: meg duerksen | May 03, 2010 at 05:52 PM
You're amazing and inspiring!!
Posted by: Meredith | May 03, 2010 at 06:06 PM
You´re my hero, Michelle! I´m glad you didn´t push to the unhealthy. And m glad you need chocolate for Arting :-)
Oh, and if you get tired of the medals, you can deMeng them into something!!!
Posted by: Spindelmaker | May 03, 2010 at 11:19 PM
That is so great!!! I love seeing pictures and hearing marathon stories. My dad just qualified to run Boston next year - and I am running my first marathon this October. Still in training and 26 miles seems so far but I am determined to finish.
I don't have a time I am trying for I just want to take it all in and experience it.
Thanks for sharing!
Posted by: Lexie | May 04, 2010 at 07:32 AM
awesome, Michelle!!
Posted by: Julie | May 04, 2010 at 04:12 PM
beautiful blog. love your pictures...and SO proud of you for not killing yourself after mile 20, 'cause you have another handful of races ahead of you (you crazy girl ;)...but geez-you ran a great pace anyways! xoxo
Posted by: Baby Lux Design (Tyler) | May 06, 2010 at 12:21 PM
Very very jealous (in a good way)! Congratulations on your Boston finish!
Posted by: Renee | June 08, 2010 at 12:48 PM