Runners don't get rained out, They get rained on!!"

That was the best sign yesterday except for the one in Natick that always announces the Red Sox score to the runners. His said "Rain0 Runners1". As we all scrambled around my sisters house, the expo, and the Hawaii house looking for ways we could fight against the weather, Steve Crago kept telling us we were way overthinking this and we would all be fine. He just didn't want to spend $90 on a waterproof jacket, duct tape his shoes, wear a neck warmer made of Luzzies throw away pants, or wear a trash bag till Hereford at like 20,000 others.

Tim Noonans neice who ran as a charity runner, so she was in my wave, told me that all the charity runners got an email that morning that they should bail if they weren't also a qualifying runner because by 3 Pm when they would all still be out there even more torrential downpours were expected, along with the constant headwinds and constant garden variety downpours.  Boy, was I glad I had a bailout plan in Natick.  I left a bag full of dry clothes and shoes at my Neices house right off the course in case I was ready to quit.

QUIT????   Emmett started reciting Winston Churchill, Neslon Mandela, and Margaret Thatcher speeches on the way to Hopkinton to remind us that we were going to war against the elements and we would never give up!

I guess the race organizers were so worried about filling the medical tents with hypothermia cases, that they let us wave 4 people start as soon as wave 3 left, so Bill and I got to the start and rolled right through to the Bikers and die hard fans in Hopkinton.  Of course most were huddled under inside out umbrellas or big tents, but there were a few teenage girls cheering in Hopkinton in bikinis!! I bet Steve missed that as he was intent on looking out for potholes.  

I stayed very close to my Galloway plan of taking 30 second walk breaks after every 3 minutes of running. It wasn't easy because ....did I mention that it was freakin pouring the whole time???with HEADWINDS???? Why prolong this thing any more than necessary???  I really wanted to see if it made the last 10 miles less miserable than last year when I called friends and family from Newton and said I will never do this again!! I stopped taking the walk breaks at mile 17, just in time for the hills. It really was amazing.  I have never ever felt so good passing so many people on the Heartbreak Hills and all the way to the finish as I did yesterday.  I was so happy about how I felt that I was pretending to swim as I ran, really making the crowd (yes they were all out there...all the way) go absolutely wild.  I swam up Hereford, through the sea of trash bags finally taken off to look good for the camera, I swam down Boylston and really felt great all the way through to the finish, and would gladly repeat that method over a faster time or even a BQ.  

Being in Natick and Boston with all my friends over these last few years of doing this historic race together is such a gift you all give me.  All of you who have been there are always in our thoughts while we make it through the weekend. 

As Martin Richards said

Be Nice to Each Other

Peace

Marcy