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Given that you’re so fast, and the day is a partial state holiday (with lots of folks off from work and the schools closed) it may be easier for the girl to let you take the bus to the start and see you on the course via T. Accessing the first part of the course by car is best or really the only feasible option, but as you approach town the traffic becomes unbelievable with roads closed and all the spectators.
She could also drop you off, park at Riverside and take the T in from there. However, the green line really slows down on marathon Monday, particularly the line that ends at Boston College.
Good luck!
And, there’s always a baseball game at Fenway, too – just to add to the celebratory spirit of the day…
Since this will be my first Boston I can’t speak from experience, but they say it’s much easier to take the bus.
It’s perfectly possible to drive to Hopkinton and back if you know the back roads, but my guess is you guys don’t.
I vote for Denny’s. Order the Moons Over My Hammy, that would be appropriate!
link to dennys.com
Best wishes, I know you’re going to have a fantastic Boston Marathon!
If there was ever a time to try it, the Boston Marathon would be the perfect time to attempt the beer water stop. You know you’ve seen it before and considered it. Well now is your chance…what, with having fun and all…
I can let you borrow one of my red sox shirts so that when you cross the finish line, you’ll fit right in up there. Patriot’s Day is a big deal in Boston. Congrats Ray!
First off good luck with the race. As for driving I personally would recommend against it. It’s highly likely that she’ll end up stuck in traffic or a can’t find parking for forever situation.
I actually live on the Marathon route, right around mile 9.5 (Natick) so I have a bit of experience with the traffic problem, although I’ve never been downtown in Boston during the Marathon. Unfortunately I have to work this year and I won’t get to watch the race.
Random thoughts… although it’s been years since I ran it….
1) Definitely don’t drive around the course (or have support team doing it) – closures are weird & it’s tough to get around. Even if you can, once you get where you want, parking to get to the course to see someone go by is a nightmare. Public transportation is the way to go! Pick 3-4 spots — Wellesly, base of Heartbreak hill & finish?
2) Have a good plan for where to meet @ the end; place is a madhouse.
3) You may not want to start up front if you’re not going for a PR. The start drop leads to ridiculous pacing for the first 10 miles… I guess is depends on if you think you’ll hold back given a) the downhill (hey, I feel great!) and b) everyone and their dog gunning it by you.
4) I found the hardest part to be after heartbreak hill; my mantra was “just make it to the top”, and did feeling great. Rest was downhill… but my quads, which had been beat up from 18 miles of downhill decided that they were done for the day and locked at the top… after all, they got a break going up hill and had no desire to fire after that. :) Save something in your quads for the end….
Good luck! You’ll celebrate Patriot’s Day for the rest of your life after this! :)
Have an awesome time, Ray. Look forward to hearing how it goes for you. I’m getting excited just reading about it!
Oooo it’s all so exciting. You said the hydration thing wasn’t necessary for experienced marathoners, but I bet there will be a good handful who will be so excited/nervous about the race that they’ll forget to take anything.
Since I’m not likely to qualify for Boston anytime it is great to see all that stuff that goes along with it, like the packages they mail out! Can’t believe the race is so soon. Looking forward to your race report already.
First wave at Boston? You know you’re speedy when…
Now I don’t have to read my booklet. I think you hit the important stuff.
Lavaman is a GREAT race, every year, first weekend of April (I think). You should do it next year.
Wow, it’s what…only 2 weeks away? Have a wonderful time – and yes, enjoy the experience…and the stickers!
Yes, the Boston Marathon expo is the best one I’ve ever been to. I could have easily spent all day there. And very cool that you get two shirts! I saw last year’s Boston Marathon race shirt (I think it was) and that was a tech shirt vs. the cotton ones they used to give out. I might have to do it again just for one of those.
Enjoy the experience!!
Have a great time! I love that add in the program. It is so true. We push ourselves to do crazy hard things and we love it. We love how it feels. We love how it makes us who we are. We love how it can change us and make us grow.
I hope that one day I can qualify.