Training for the 2014 Boston Marathon as a member of the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge Team: Excitement AND Apprehension !!!!!

Tuesday, March 18th

Another week has come to pass and with each passing day, the realization that marathon day is fast approaching is really starting to set in. To say this is getting real is an understatement. Here is just a short list to underscore my point:

* Moving the clocks ahead one hour signals that spring is around the corner, as is the marathon.
* Each member of the team has received the team singlet each of us will be wearing on race day.
* Bib numbers and starting wave & corral assignments have been issued by the B.A.A.
* Pasta Party/Recovery Zone RSVP's are due.
* There are only 2, that's right, 2 more group training runs left before taper begins.

Speaking of the team singlet, here is what 700+ DFMC teammates will be wearing on April 21st.

Matty's mom Sandy was kind enough to bring me to the print shop where she gets all her Team Matty shirts embroidered. It is being personalized and I will have it back very shortly. Also, just as a reminder, I will be writing the names of each of the people you have asked me to honor on my singlet and will carry them and their stories with me from Hopkinton to Boston. There is still time to let me know who you'd like to honor, so please be sure and let me know if you haven't already done so. Here is the end product from last year's marathon.

As the marathon approaches, there have been bulletins by the B.A.A regarding the numerous changes to procedures that are being implemented as a direct result of the bombings from last year. The one that seems to be causing the most frustration for the runners has to do with the "no bag" policy on the buses from Boston to Hopkinton. In years past, each runner was a given a bag like the one my running partner Kerry has....

These have been a godsend for numerous reasons, namely to have a change of clothes when you finish the marathon. But, not only do we use the bags for that, but we use them for all the pre-race things we need prior to the start. As you can see, each bag has a label on it with a number which co-insides with the runner's bib number, so that it can be identified as yours once we get to Boston.

Ok, I know it looks like a sea of bags, and you're probably wondering how in the world are the bags reunited with its rightful runner, but there is a system and it's worked well in the past. Well, needless to say, this year things area going to be different. The B.A.A is requiring each runner to go to the Boston Common, before boarding the buses, and dropping off your bag there, then head on over to the area were thousands and thousands of runners are waiting to board the buses for the 45 minute to an hour bus ride to Hopkinton. Once you have completed the marathon, we are then to head on back to the Boston Common and reclaim our bags. In years past, these bags were put on buses in Hopkinton and the buses could be located a few blocks beyond the finish line. DFMC runner's had it really good as our bus was parked just outside in the church parking lot where we congregate before the marathon. Not only this, but our school bus was white while all the other buses were yellow, so that made it even easier to locate our bus.

The bags will be clear, not colored this year, so that security and police will be able to see the contents of the bags, if necessary.

Another policy being strictly enforced is with regards to costumes. Costumes covering the face or any non-form fitting, bulky outfits extending beyond the perimeter of the body will not be allowed. I could never wear anything other than running attire during a marathon, but one of the many staples of this marathon is seeing people running the entire marathon in costume like these:

We all knew there would be changes to this year's marathon. It's just too bad the runners are being impacted so much. Clearly, all the changes are to ensure a safer experience for everyone, runners and spectators alike. It's apparent that we now live in a world where there is a small minority of people who are hell bent on wreaking havoc on the majority. I'd like to say, with 100% certainty, that I doubt very much a fellow runner, who spends months, if not years, preparing for their opportunity to run Boston, would try and sabotage the event. Sadly, we all witnessed the unthinkable April 15th, 2013, so there you have it. There will be 36,000 registered runners this year, up from 27,000 last year and it is estimated that 1 million people will be lining the streets from Hopkinton to Boston, as opposed to 500,000 last year. It will be a day to remember, no matter what.

Training: Needless to say, the excitement is building, no matter what and along with that, some apprehension on my part too !! With just 2 group training runs left, there is not much time to log in the necessary mileage. Last weekend I logged in 16 miles, but it didn't come easily for me. In fact, the run was very similar to the previous weekends run. Hit the wall again at around mile 14 and had to do a lot more walking. I'm really at a loss as to why this is happening to me on what seems to be a regular basis. While it is true that the training runs are, theoretically more difficult because of the out and backs, which require us to hit the hills twice rather than once, it's a great indicator as to how a runner will do on the actual day. I doubt the fact that I deliver papers for approximately 2 hours, before I do my long run, would affect me aversely. But it's possible the disrupted sleep schedule, coupled with the almost 200 times I get in and out of the car and the two hours of fast walking, to deliver the papers, might have an impact on the freshness of my legs. All I know for sure is that I WON'T be delivering papers on race day !!!!!! This Saturday the plan is somewhere in the 18 to 20 mile vicinity. Looking forward to it very much.

There are so many positives about the group training runs, but the one that comes to mind the most is seeing and running with so many people. The marathon course is littered with runners all getting in their training runs. Last week I saw J.C. Monahan getting in her long run. J.C. is a news anchor for WCVB Channel 5. This is her first marathon and she is running for Boston's Children's Hospital. I shot her a quick post on Facebook congratulating her for committing to running the marathon. She replied back and thanked me for contacting her. As I've said in previous posts, I've met so many wonderful people in the years since I've been running and of course I've made a boat load of new friends. Here are a few pictures proving that training for a marathon is good for the soul.