Seven Weeks to Boston!

Seven weeks to Boston. This seems like the longest time I’ve ever spent planning a trip in my life. It started about three years ago - December of 2006 - when I decided to take up running to drop some weight and cross train for mountain biking. My goals were simple at the time.

1. I wanted to be able to run a mile by January, 2007.
2. I wanted to be able to run a Marathon within three years.
3. I wanted to qualify for the Boston Marathon within seven years.
4. And, my ultimate goal was to be able to run Boston under 3:00:00 while looking good (no time frame because I never thought it could be possible).

That’s when the trip for me started; three years ago.

Since that time, I’ve fallen in love with running, to the point now that I cross train on my bike for the benefits of running, and am considered by my biking friends as a runner.

I love the sport. I run in the snow, in the mud, through the woods, on bike paths, roads, and even on tracks (which I said I would never do). Because of the years of mountain biking, I’m partial to the trails. I run them more than any other surface. I’ve peed behind trees and rocks and cars because I didn’t want to interrupt a run. I’ve been sidelined by injuries, and been beaten by my wife at races. I’m a runner. I am not a jogger!

I’ve become addicted to races. I got in sixteen in 2009, including two marathons - the Bayshore and Grand Rapids. The GR Marathon was a PR for me as well as a Boston Qualifying time, and I registered the first possible day. That’s when Boston became a reality sooner than I thought. Plans were set in motion. I wanted to do it the right way, so I healed after GR and then started a training program – 16 weeks.

My running has been going great. I’ve been hitting my times and my speed work. My mileage is increasing, as well as my pace. My last long run was the best yet; I averaged 7:19s for 18 miles, and felt like I could have kept on going.

Today’s my rest day but I want to run. I won’t, I’ll follow my program and not over-train. But as I sit here, drinking my coffee, it occurred to me that I really am going to run the Boston. I get to stand at the start in Hopkinton. I get to pass Wellesley College (maybe get a kiss – don’t tell my wife). I get to run the Hills of Newton. I get to feel the excitement of Boston as I run those last 385 yards to the Finish line!

It also occurred to me that this is happening faster than I ever thought it would. I ran that first mile by January. I ran my first marathon in October of 2008. I qualified for Boston in October 2009. And my marathon pace is getting close to 7:00 minute miles (almost there).

So, in ~three years, my ultimate goal is fast approaching. I’m nervous, excited, and anxious. And I’m happy.