This year was the only year that the whole family has not traveled to watch Alan run the Boston Marathon. The first few years we drove to Boston, which was around 13+ hours. It was as very long trip in the car with kids!! It was an especially painful trip back home post-marathon for Alan too!
In 2015 only Alan and I went, because that was the year I ran, and it was my birthday! Adult fun for the weekend!
But this year the school schedule just made it too hard to take the kids out for the trip and we had just been to Canada skiing 10 days before. Too much travel!
So here’s what Alan told me about the weekend….
It rained, and was really cold!! I know, this is probably breaking news. But it’s true! It poured down sheets of rain, and had fierce winds. Crazy crapfest of weather.
Especially gross was Athlete’s Village, where the runners wait for hours before they run. Ewwww! 2015 was also rainy, but no where near this kind of rain. (image from here)
The race was cold. Alan was all layered up, but around mile 13 he started having unbearable hip pain and couldn’t run his paces anymore. He had to run/walk, which took a long time. Too much time to be enjoying it!
Can you see where it happened? Ouch.
But even with the bad weather, the communities were out there cheering on the runners. That part was great!
One surprising thing was the turn on to Boylston, the final turn of the course. All of the runners were taking off their rain coats and ponchos so they would not be wearing them for the finish photos. What a mess!!! This looks unsafe to me.
But finally, he reached the finish line!! Woohoo!! Alan’s 8th consecutive Boston Marathon is in the books now. Quite an accomplishment, no matter how it got done.
After the race, Alan was so happy to have a hotel very close to the finish line so he could warm up and get dry.
Sadly, due to his hip (and foot!) pain, he was unable to spend Tuesday touring the town, and went to airport to wait hours for his flight. As he said “at least they have comfortable chairs and free wifi”. He did get to see friends at the airport and they all had war stories of the “worst Boston they have ever run”!
Alan is currently seeing a chiropractor for his hip pain. Some days he comes home feeling worse than when he got there! 🙂 It’s all part of the realignment process. They said his SI joint was locked causing his hip to be uneven and his spine to be curved as compensation. This also causes back pain!
Let’s hope we both get all fixed up soon!!
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Q: Have you ever run a long race in bad weather?
Q: Have you ever run any distance in a poncho??
I think that would be really really hot!
Q: Have you ever been to a chiropractor?
Other than Boston 2015, Route 66 2013 was one of my worst weather-wise. It was 19* and overcast at the start. Didn’t get any warmer all day. Only marathon where I wore tights and was glad I did. Never run in a poncho but I took advice from some of the Boston survivors and bought a very lightweight waterproof jacket just in case Boston 2019 is equally as bad. I have been seeing a chiropractor almost as long as I have been running. NOT a coincidence! He does Graston on my feet and legs.
Oh man, I cringe just thinking about Graston on my feet!! I have had it on my legs before, and it made me jumpy. Good idea on the waterproof jacket. I saw one at the Glass City race expo, but then thought, “nah, I never run in the rain!” You just never know! I’m glad our race day was so much better.
Wow Alan! Boston is a tough race even with good weather. Athletes Village looks like it belonged on Survivor! I’m sorry you have hip pain but I’m glad you know exactly what is going on and hopefully can get it all taken care of soon.
The worst weather I think I ever had for a race was actually my first marathon, the Harrisburg Marathon. It was raining the whole time and cold- but not as cold as Boston looked.
Thanks Megan! Yep, Boston is a hard course if you are healthy and the conditions are decent. When you are injured and the weather is bad, it strikes a new low for “this sucks!”. ha