I have been wanting to sit and write about the marathon, but have been in kind of a survival mode. It is weird to think that for the past 5 years I have been training for this marathon...it has been such an emotional roller coaster. Moving to New England and training with ladies that are "Boston Bound" really has made me feel differently about the Boston Marathon. In 2009 I ran Boston as a bandit with a friend not really understanding the importance of the race. Then as I tried over and over again to qualify for it, it became clear that Boston is such a special race and one that I would never run again until I earned my place. I had heart issues, and cramping that kept me from finishing under the time needed to run the race. I tried twice in Hartford coming up short by first 2 min. And then the next year over 5 min. Then Boston all of a sudden became the race that everyone wanted to run and so they even had to make the time that I could not run under to qualify 3:45:59 even faster. In 2011 Boston changed its qualifying time to 5 min. Faster and even cutting out the extra 59 seconds on the end of it. The race I had to run being under 40 years old was 3:40.
I was so determined to do this. I trained HARD. I upped my miles to over 50 miles a week and even lost 8 lbs. because for every lb. you were lighter the effort would be the same, but you could cut 2 seconds per mile PER lb. I even finally got into the St. George marathon after trying for 3 times (third times a charm). Everything came together for that one perfect race. I ran in high altitude after training at sea level...it was hard, the way you push your body to the limit is unreal...but I was able to finally qualify running a 3:32:23 in 2011. Boston at that time was already FULL so I had to wait an entire year and a half to run it. (Your qualifying time in a fall marathon is good for 2 years). It worked out perfect because the year of 2012 was a year for Kevin to train and run his Ironman that he had been working 13 years towards. But then on December 15, 2012 it was my turn again. Boston training began. Through the most brutal winter we have experienced out here in New England I trained. I had a group those die hard Boston Bound ladies to do it with. We woke before dawn and ran in the frigid cold...4:00 in the morning, through the snow, ice, freezing cold, wind, rain...it did not stop us. I did not miss a training run. Even on our cruise I ran every run I needed to. We did speed workouts that were TOUGH in the dome every Tuesday night. We pushed our bodies because we loved the challenge and I loved the ladies and the training. We were pushing towards Boston and having the best race of our lives. For me, running Boston just once was enough. I knew how hard it was for me to get here and after Boston I was ready to move on to something different. Qualifying is HARD. But running Boston was my reward race for all the training and hard work I had done. I wanted to run it in a good time...shooting for 3:45 or at least under 4:00. My body had different plans for me. With just 3 weeks out from the race I got sick. I was so careful not to get injured throughout...stretching, rolling out the muscles, doing whatever it took to not over train too hard. Even though I was running over 50 mile weeks, I was also alternating with rest weeks to give my body time to rest and recover. I began to cough...I was achy, feverish, tired, not in a good place and for the ENTIRE 3 weeks of the taper period I was unable to do the speed workouts, the long runs, the miles to keep my legs fresh. For an entire week I had to lay completely still in my bed or else I would go into coughing fits. I finally went in to the dr. A week before Boston and was diagnosed with bronchitis. I immediately started the antibiotics (Z-pack) and started the albuterol. My lunges were tight and not in good shape. I could not believe that this was happening after all my hard work and MANY years and training for this one day. My thoughts then turned from how fast I was going to run Boston to am I even going to finish Boston? It was so out of my control. I even had Kevin give me a blessing.
On the Saturday before Boston...my friends Yuki, Kelly, Karalyn and I took a trip down to the expo to pick up our bags and our race bibs. We arrived at the perfect time and were just a few people back from the start of the line. At 9:00 they opened the doors of the Heines Convention Center and we walked in. All the volunteers that were lined up behind the race bibs began to clap for us. It was such a special moment. They all knew how hard it was to be there...they gave us a standing ovation. What an incredible day. I was able to also pick up the racing a bib for a friend of ours (Shawn Jones) that was traveling from Salt Lake to stay with us and run the race. We had such a great time. I purchased the 2013 Boston Marathon running jacket that I have been wanting for years and a few other things to help commemorate the event. We made our mark by signing the big banner and tried out all the new running fuel and gear. Afterward we walked out to the finish line and took pictures together and walked into Marathon Sports and shopped around. Even though it was hard for me to breath still and I had been so bummed about the outcome of my training, I began to get excited for the race being surrounded by that energy. My time had come, I had finally arrived.
On Monday morning we woke up early...5:00 am. Shawn and I had to meet Kelly and Karalyn in Amherst by 6:20 to carpool together to Nashua to take the marathon bus into Boston. My running club, Gate City Striders, had a club bus that drove in every year. It was nice because Kevin and the kids would just be able to come down later and just go straight to the 25 K (15 mile area) to cheer us on. We arrived at the bus and boarded it and we were on our way. I could not believe that it was finally here. I knew for me I just wanted to finish and get that finishers medal that I had been working so hard for. I hadn't been coughing as much so I thought for just a moment that I could try to push the pace and see what was going to happen. I had the albuterol and cough drops and all of the other fuel to make my race bearable. We chatted on the trip down, you could feel the excitement in the air. We were all so excited. Both Kelly and Karalyn had never ran Boston before either and we just could not believe that we were finally going to be running it. Our club bus parked in the parking lot by the athlete's village and we waited. Yuki and Shawn were in the first wave so they left about 9:20 to start down and drop their bag with the busses that would take our starting line gear to the finish. The weather was amazing. It was about 50 degrees at that point and only getting warmer. I had cut some of Zack's soccer socks to wear on my arms that I threw off about mile 10. I was in wave number 2 and my race started 20 min. After wave one. The elite women started at 9:30ish and then the elite men started at 10:00 in the first wave. This way they could all finish close together. At 9:45 Kelly and I started down towards the starting line. She was in wave 3 and we dropped our bags and got a picture together. My bib was white and so at that time only white bibs could continue on so Kelly had to wait and I just took the .7 mile walk down to the start. As I was walking I noticed a verse in Matthew posted to someone's from window...with God, nothing is impossible...it was such a strength to read that. I was able to use the port a potties one more time (thank goodness) and then run to my corral just seconds before the start. Wave 2 corral 6. I stretched one way and then then other and we were off. I got in a good rhythm right from the beginning. I just didn't want to push my lungs at all. I was averaging a 8:20 mile and I felt really good. I was so focused on time...that is what I always focused on in marathons. By mile 6 I started to become effected by my lungs. My coughing began...this was not just a little bit of coughing, it was coughing that went all the way to my diaphragm and caused me to have to stop periodically because it over took me so badly. I know I had to change my race. I had to just finish without walking. I slowed up considerably and removed the mile split band from my wrist. From that point on I decided to take in the moment and try to just enjoy the race. I knew Kevin and the kids would be at mile 15ish so I just began to slow up and run. I continued to cough and cry throughout. I could not believe the emotion that would over take me. It was such a long journey and I was just so grateful to be there. I looked around at the men and women that were running with prosthetics, I noticed the women that were dressed in Wonder Woman matching outfits, I could not believe the thousands of people that lined the streets...the ENTIRE race cheering for me. I read the cute posters people were holding for encouragement and said multiple prayers thanking my Heavenly Father for my health and the fact that I could even be there to run. The race experience for me was so different from my other 5 marathons...I actually was enjoying myself and taking in my surrounding. I became so emotional when I finally came upon Kevin and the kids at mile 16. Those last 10 miles were so taxing and hard because of the shape my lungs were in. I had to take the albuterol multiple times to try and open my lungs to breath. I just embraced my kids and was so grateful for them being there to support me. We took a picture together and as I was running away the thought came through my mind, as it does in every marathon I run, I hope it is not the last time I see them. I know this is morbid to even think about, but you push your body so hard in a marathon and I have heard of so many people not finishing because of one thing or the other...all sorts of things go through your head when you are out there running for 4 hours. I knew I had 10 more miles to go. Each step got harder and harder. My coughing got under control for a few miles. Right before the hills began. I wanted to stop and walk so many times, but I just kept thinking...keep going Kelly, you can walk when you finish. I kept on going...my time kept getting slower and slower, but I kept on going. The hills were my next focus. I could not push up them too fast because of the strain on my lungs. My legs felt strong. I remember climbing the last hill (heartbreak) and thinking, I cannot believe that I have made it over the hills. Now only 5 more miles to go. Kevin had mentioned being at mile 23 instead of the finish and so I started looking for them...I kept thanking people for coming out and supporting us and I kept moving forward. My legs started to cramp up...my right calf was in bad shape. But I kept moving forward. As I turned onto Boylston and saw the finish line up ahead I was so grateful for this whole experience. I was so grateful for my journey. I know it has made me a physically stronger person as well as a mentally stronger person. I will always cherish those special moments and never forget them. At the finish line I did not want it to be over. I stopped and stood there before crossing and then stepped across the line. I had finished a little slower than i wanted but thank goodness i had finished. 4:09:27. I could not see Kevin and the kids anywhere and wondered where they ended up. I began the recovery walk down Boylston. Once you finish you just begin to walk straight ahead. In the first stop they put a metallic blanket around your shoulders and then you keep walking on. The next place you receive your finishing medal and then continue on to receive your fuel packets and then you find your bus that you dropped your starting gear off at. My bus just happened to be straight ahead and I saw that Kevin and the kids were waiting there for me. I was so HAPPY. I could not believe I had just finished and I was so glad to be reunited with them. All those years of hard work and I finally had received my reward. I was elated. I had no words to describe how I felt.
Then things began to take a turn for the worse. As I was there hugging Zack an explosion went off. We turned back and looked towards the finish line and saw a huge ball of smoke go up in the air. My heart just dropped to my stomach. I said...oh no. I was hoping that it was just something mechanical that had failed, but then when the second explosion sounded I knew that something was not right. I just started saying, this can't be happening. Zack was very confused. He said, what is happening? I grabbed my bag from the bus and then grabbed the kids and Kevin and I pulled them off of the street. My first thoughts were...I hope my friends behind me are okay. I sent a text immediately to Karalyn because i knew she ran with her phone and got no response. Then Yuki I had to make aware of what had happened and she was okay. Then I thought, I bet call my dad to let him know that we are all safe and to see if anything had been reported on the news or not yet. We then just stood there hoping to get in touch with others to make sure they were safe and not knowing really what to do. People started running...it was such a chaos, scary thing happening. I had such a calm feeling...no feelings of panic. We slowly began hearing that people were safe. It seemed like such a long time had gone by before we heard from everyone. My mom got through to me and wanted to make sure we were safe. I could barely walk...I was so grateful to be with my kids and Kevin. I do not know what I would have done if they were not next to me. I am so grateful they decided not to go to the finish and just go to my baggage bus. I am so grateful that I did not stop and walk making it more of a chance that they would have walked and waited at the finish...I am so grateful that all of our friends were safe and unharmed. I cannot believe that this tragic thing had to happen to so many people on a day of celebration and reward, it had to end in such a horrible way. I had swinging emotions from total elation to complete despair. How could this be happening? How could someone feel like they could have the power to change people's lives forever. How was it okay that they hated us so much to not have any respect for life? I will never know the reasons or ever understand. All I knew is that I was so grateful it was not our time to end tragically. We will pray for those families and pray for peace to be with them and comfort them. We will not let these events scare us and make us fear living life. We will continue on strong and become stronger as a community, as runners and fight back. We will continue to help others and care for others...mourn with those who mourn, comfort those who stand in need of comfort. Love those who will forever be loved. We met Shawn at the family meeting area and then began our journey out of the city of Boston.
Kevin had parked the car off of the green line and had taken it to the finish. While on the T a woman mentioned that it is much more smooth if you go one stop past the finish and get off there and work your way back. I am so grateful for this woman and that Kevin decided that because of my time, they would not be able to see me at the finish, so they just went straight to the bus. I am so grateful I kept running so they would be removed from the finish at that horrible time when the bombs happened. I had finished about 13 min. Before the explosions. Kelly finished 7 min. Before...karalyn about 5 min. And Lydia about 1 min. Wow...I cannot believe that we all finished. Thank goodness. They had to reroute the finish line and 6000 runners were not able to receive finishing times. We got on the subway...orange line to take it to the green line. Once we arrived at the green line we were told it was shut down. We had to exit the subway...we were stranded in Boston. We tried to work out many different things, and finally decided to take the red line out and Eric Noorda would pick us up and take us to our car. We had to walk about 20 min. to charles station. The kids helped me out so much with walking...it was painful. We were on the outbound train when we found out the green line had reopened so we had to get off the outbound and go back inbound to catch the green line. We finally got on our right train on the green line to riverside and we sat on it for about 45 min. When we finally got to our home it was around 8:30. The bombing took place around 2:30. It was such a long day, but such a reminder to hold your loved ones close and do not take anything for granted. We need to live life to the very fullest and love every minute of it. I am still so grateful that I had the opportunity to experience the race before the tragic events took place. I have completely recognized the tender mercies in my life and will continue to love The Lord and serve him to the end. I love my family and friends and am so grateful for our safety. I love Boston with all of my heart and will forever be grateful that I was able to have this huge goal I have had in my life now be complete. I will continue to lace up my shoes and run because I love it and i can. Boston Forever Strong.
1 comment:
That's an amazing story, Kelly. I'm so glad you and your family are safe. I'm still amazed by your finishing time! Way to persevere and conquer all the obstacles! I'm impressed!
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