My Boston Trip and my Run to the Marathon Finish Line

I went to Boston on business this week, and it was my first time back to "Bean Town" since April 16, 2013. I was excited to get back and revisit the city in a "normal" setting, since last time I was here I left the city in the midst of the tragic events the day before.

On Tuesday morning, I headed over the Harvard Bridge (my hotel was in Cambridge) with the goal of a run/walk to the Boston Marathon finish line. However, getting swept up in the moment, I decided to run all the way there - about 1.5 miles. Once I got over the bridge I ran the last block or two on Commonwealth Ave, took a right on Hereford St, then a left on Boylston. Okay, it was actually on the sidewalk, but I didn't want to get hit by a car! Needless to say, running on a cold winter morning with hardly anyone out and about, running down Boylston felt surreal. The last time I ran down Boylston Street there were hundreds of runners alongside me, hundreds of flags waving in the sun and thousands of screaming spectators. This time, just a handful of people walking to work. The painted finish line was faded and dirty had snow on it and there were construction trucks parked on and around it.

At the Boston Marathon finish line on Tuesday

Faded finish line

The street signs at the most famous corner in marathoning

After snapping my photos I was on my way. I ended up running all the way back to the hotel, and my ankle felt fine. I was nervous that my ankle would flare up later or the next day, but I was cautiously optimistic. Spoiler Alert: I am still able to walk and my ankle pain is slight, but it has been slight for the last week or so, so no change is a good change, right?

Harvard Bridge Runner

Runner on the Ramp over the Charles River

One of my co-workers is an ultra marathoner/marathoner who lives in Boston. He trains the last 6.2 miles of the Boston Marathon course four times a week. This includes running Heartbreak hill four times a week. It must be nice not to have to run a "Boston simulator" and instead just run the real thing all the time! Anyway, running Heartbreak Hill and then back into Boston so early in my comeback, however thrilling it would be, would definitely not be a good idea. It would be a lot of miles and there would be a lot of downhill pounding. So instead, my coworker suggested that I run the relatively flat course along the Boston side of the Charles River and then back over the Longfellow Bridge and run back along the river on the Cambridge side. By the way, a woman I rode the 2013 Boston Marathon bus told me she saw Shalane Flanagan and Kara Goucher running their shake-out run on the river trail the day before the marathon. Who knows, maybe they'll be out there in April again?

Anyway, I snapped some pictures (yes, I did wear the same running jacket/hat every day, but at least I changed my shirts).

On the Boston side of the river

Mandatory chin-up pic

Thursday, I was going to do the river run again, but the excitement of a final run over the last mile of the marathon course was too tempting, so I headed over the bridge once again to Commonwealth/Hereford/Boylston. There were local news reporters at the finish line setting up, ostensibly to report on the Marathon security measures that were announced on Wednesday.

I got this shot of "Marathon Sports" which is right in front of the finish line:

I am cautiously optimistic on my recovery. I know that I still have an ankle issue as it is still slightly janky. The key will be to see if I can strengthen it further and not over-stress it by running too much, too soon. Maybe it's an issue I will always have to deal with and it will always be my body's way of telling me to slow down sometimes. Anyway, I may return to Boston next month, in which case I may be further along in my "comeback". Who knows, if I am feeling strong, I may even try running Heartbreak Hill. In any case, the excitement I felt during my casual runs around town has helped inspire me to return for the Boston Marathon next year!