Boston Marathon

From Camille Rimmer

I haven’t always been a runner. In fact I am pretty sure I am not a real runner. On April 17, 2006 I found myself, a known pseudo runner, in Boston’s Athletes Village with 22,000 REAL RUNNERS. SCARED!

Boston, in a few words, is running sensory overload.

The best part:

· The crowds. You could hear the roar of the women of Wellesley two miles away. There was also a point, just over a mile from the finish, when the crowds became so loud that I think I was airborne!

The part I would change:

· More Handy Homes (AKA Port O’ Potties) on the course, so I wouldn’t lose four minutes waiting in line.

And somewhere in between:

· The bus ride to the start. We got lost twice and there was that minor incident with the parked car.

· Trying to stay warm for three and a half hours before the race started.

· Ignoring all the advice about not going out too fast, and then wanting to sit down when the rolling hills started at mile six.

· The rolling hills.

· The cramping calves.

· The hills.

· The race official shouting there was only a mile to go.

· Crossing the finish line in Boston, somewhere behind the Kenyans.

Running Boston blew me away!

(Camille was 15361 of 19688 overall, 5505 of 7625 females, and 360 of 697 in the 50-59 age group.) kz