Race #3, State #3 MA

Race #3, State #3 MA

May 27, 2012--Boston, MA

This next race excited me very much because I used to live in Boston and because I’d be running with my cousin Andrew. I told Andrew about my hope to complete half marathons in all 50 states when I saw him at Christmas time. He thought it was a cool idea and said he’d be up for joining me in Boston. The half we ran was on Memorial Day weekend and was in support of the Boston Police department. Boston’s Run to Remember (official name) began out on the waterfront near the World Trade Center and snaked through the financial district area on its way out over the river to Memorial Drive. It was an out and back course along the river, with the last part coming through Beacon Hill, Back Bay and Downtown Crossing on the way back to the waterfront. The race began with an exciting fly over of police helicopters and was very crowded for the first couple of miles in those narrow downtown streets. It was a very warm day, making the run feel slow and heavy for me. Additionally, my iPod ran out of steam, and I was plagued by a guy who snuffed, coughed and spit up phlegm (or something) for the entire first 10 miles or so. Yuck. I finally lost him when we got back across the river in to the city. The finish line was crowded with spectators all around (and above) which was very motivating. The thing I loved most about this race was seeing areas of my former home that I hadn’t experienced on foot before and running past places I’d been a million times before but seeing them as a runner. Andrew had a great race, too. It was his first half, and he rocked it! His family met us at the finish line, and we celebrated later that day in Cambridge over lunch.