It's a tradition for all the charity teams to do a long run together on the Boston Marathon course a few weeks before race day - a 21 miler from Hopkinton (the starting line of the Boston Marathon) to the top of Heartbreak Hill.
This year I decided to join my Running for Rare Diseases teammates for the event, and I'm so glad I did. The trip was amazing! It was so great to see some familiar faces, and also to meet my new teammates.
In Hopkinton, I could feel the nervous, excited energy as I started my run.
About a mile in, I saw the sneaker tree, a tribute to Meg Menzies - a Virgina runner that was tragically killed by a drunk driver while training for this year's race.
About five miles in, I made it to the first RFRD Team water station, and was greeted with hugs, support and refreshments. After refueling, I was on my way again.
I rarely run without music (especially on a long run), but I found myself removing my headphones so I can truly take in the experience of being back on the Boston Marathon course. I chatted with several runners along the way and you could tell everyone is excited & ready for April 21st!
One of the more emotional signs along the way said, "We Will Turn." I didn't fully understand what it meant, until I read the back, "Right on Hereford St., Left on Boylston St." Those are the last two turns before reaching the finish line of the Boston Marathon. Yep, that little sign got me! Tears were flowing!!!
I finished up the run with a brief photo sesh with this gorilla, known as "Heartbreak Bill."
This past weekend, I ran in the Cherry Blossom 10 miler in DC. It was my first time getting accepted via the lottery for this race, and it was definatly worth the wait. Although it was a little chilly that morning, it warmed up a bit, and the sunshine was plentiful. The scenery was absolutely gorgeous! Here's a few photos from the day:
Just 11 more days until Marathon Monday - I AM READY!!!
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