Boston: Forget the Tea Party, Let's Run!

I was fortunate enough to spend a few days in the great city of Boston, Massachusetts this last week. It was, as it usually is when I travel, business. But like most trips, this one allowed for some good running and some great memories.

First and foremost, on day one of the trip, an easy 6 miles slid me past 1900 miles for the year. I always measure a good year of running, especially as I get older, by whether I can still manage to log 2000 miles. Baring the unforeseen, that is certain. Maybe even 2300. Cool. I also remembered that the last time I was DOWNTOWN was finishing the Boston marathon in 2001. Of course I made the trek to the finish line for old times sake.

Day two saw me on a rainy, wonderful 10 mile run on the Charles River. While my “surgically repaired” knee has been a problem the last month, it was great to get in a double digit run. It was chilly, windy, and as mentioned rainy: perfect. It was on this run, that I

passed another career milestone: 113,000 miles. At this point, every thousand miles clicking off is another blessing being able to continue running and still having the passion and motivation to get out there every day.

Only missed two so far this year.

Finally, day three of my visit, included a 5K “race.” The National Association of Realtors held the Realtor Relief Run this morning (Saturday) and even though I had some residual stiffness from the ten miler, I participated anyway. The results: a new PW for the 5K. Yeah, that’s PW: Personal Worst. The upside? The course halfway point was Commonwealth Avenue about a quarter mile from the Famous Citgo sign (one mile to go for the Boston marathon – in case you’re wondering what’s so famous about a Citgo sign). Also cool.

My PR is 15:09 in a race where the winner (Gordon Minty) ran 13:22 and I was soundly lapped AND placed somewhere around 25^th. My reward, other than a nice PR, was a pat on

the back from my coach. Today, I ran seventeen minutes SLOWER, placed third in my age group AND received a big, hairy medal for my efforts (okay, actually it wasn’t hairy). Man….. times have changed.

The things that haven’t changed are interesting. I still have the same little excited butterflies before the race. I still go into pre-race anti-social mode, and I still do my warm up jog to Mozart (Jupiter Symphony, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, Oboe Concerto mostly - yeah, I know: ROCKIN' IT!).

While not being pleased with my race time, I was happy that it was very easy and my knee was very good (and very good is the new awesome). I also beat the Tyrannosaurus Rex (he nailed me at the San Francisco half-marathon – different T-Rex, maybe).

So, I say to him at some point,

“Hey I have a T-Rex racing joke for you. Wanna hear it?”

He says, “SURE.”

I say, “How do you outsprint a T-Rex at the end of a race?”

He says, “I don’t know.”

“You go to your arms.”

Hilarious, I thought, since it came to me kind of spur of the moment. He didn’t laugh.

No wonder they’re extinct.

It's also New York City Marathon day. More great memories. Maybe another time.

Run on.