Boston Marathon 2015 Race Report: The arrival.

It was a windy time.
It was a rainy time.
It was by far the best of times.

So here is how this race report is going to work.  I try to stay away from run on blog posts, pun intended.  The 119th Boston Marathon was a very important day and I have so much to say! Part 1 and Part 2 are gonna come out pretty quick with Part 3 dropping about a week from now.  A brother has gotta reflect. You feel me cousin? 

Thus, the breakdown is gonna go this way in three parts: 

• Part 1: The Arrival: Goal don't walk too much.
• Part 2: Patriots Day: Our Moment.
• Part 3: Reflections on training + casting an eye to the future.

Additionally, I would like for this report to serve as tool for future first time Boston Marathoners to learn from my lessons learned the hard way so you can be that much more prepared.

Ok, ¡Vamonos! Part 1 in three, two, one...

Whew!  How did it become April so fast?  I remember intentionally running in rainstorms on the PG & E trail of Rancho San Antonio the week before The North Face Challenge just in case it rained cats and dogs on December 6th like it did in 2012.  TNFEC-CA turned out to be a fine day but who knew those training runs would come in handy on April 20th, 2015.  

Oh you running gods have a gnarly sense of humor and a wicked knack for timing.  We'll touch on that later but for we have a red eye to catch, walk to the hostel, and then..... Dah I forget but luckily I made an itinerary a couple of weeks ago with contact numbers, addresses, time and places to be at, etc., etc.  Nah, I haven't been looking forward to this week for 9 years, 3 days, and two careers ago... 

I thought I was staying ahead of the packing 8-ball but in the end the last 10 days flew off the calendar. After a late work meeting the night before my flight, attending funeral services for Doña Sarita the day of, coming off a head that started 11 days out, getting inconsistent sleep, and now rushing to pack the last few items.  It wasn't until I was boarding the shuttle to San Jose International Airport that I forgot my BayArea Track Club racing singlet, the charger for my laptop, and a number of items that proved non-essential in the end. Not gonna lie I was a little bummed out, but it also reflected just how mentally exhausted I was.  Ce le vie.   Luckily, as a Saucony Zealot my Shadow Rep Curtis Jenson had ordered the Saucony Inferno Singlet for me.  I wore to the airport 'cause it was 75F.

It's been a while since I flew Delta but thanks to Sports Basement amazing employee benefits program booking a flight was easy peezy and my friend, training partner, and co-worker Jesi was going to be on the same flight.  That was reassuring I needed an extra brain at that point and now I had it!  The flight took off without a hitch, had a connecting flight in LA that meant dinner + 1 tall beer. At the LA Delta terminal you quickly noticed all the fit people and Boston Marathon jackets left and right.  I swear you could feel the anxiousness in the air we were all so close but yet an entire country away!  I had my aisle seat made a couple of buddies, put on my Saucony Boston Pant, slipped on my McMillan Running Half-Zip, Saucony Speed of Lite Jacket, and prepare to "sleep".

Despite all the hurry up and wait I wish the fight took a little longer to catch a few more zzzz's. Waking up at 2:55am PST was a challenge so I guess it's time for Dunkin Donuts Med. French Vanilla Cream n Sugar w/a sausage, egg, and cheese on a croissant. It took a while to get my bearings straight once we got off at Park St. via the "T".  Runners were all getting ready for the BAA 5k, Stephanie Howe (The North Face Ultra Team) was getting in a quick run, the air was brisk, and after taking the long route (thanks google maps walking directions you are most certainly in beta) we got to the Hostel.

Hello Boston! B.A.A 5k runners gather.

The itinerary took over from here:

Saturday April 18

  9:30am:  City Sports shake out run w/Greg McMillan 

                 sponsored by Janji

10:30am: Generation UCAN w/panel discussion at the Lenox Hotel

11:30am: Meet and Greet with 2014 Boston Marathon Champion,                   Olympic Silver Medalist, and NYC Marathon Champion                 Meb Keflezighi

2-5pm: McMillan Running Hospitality suite pick up swag bag                      (optional: go Sunday)

3:30pm: Check into room

B4 6PM: Get to the Expo

Off to the river we go led by Greg McMillan & Mike from Janji

Hearing Meb speak about his life's journey was so moving.   It was hard to hold back the tears of joy escaping from tired eyes.  I held his words close to the vest in the moments leading up to the start of the race. This was our moment.  As Meb quoted Eminem from the song "Lose Yourself": 

"Look, if you had one shot, or one opportunity

To seize everything you ever wanted, one moment.

Would you capture it or just let it slip?"

I can't do it justice paraphrasing.  All I can say if Meb is speaking and you can be there make sure to get there it's like being three feet from gold!

By the time Saturday was done Jesi and I had covered 14+ miles including the shakeout run.  Don't worry we ate plenty and hydrated well.  The Hostel came in real handy as the lounge was super warm, cozy, with great energy, and lots of napping hostelers/marathoners. Felt right at home.

Sunday was more under control but very windy.  The agenda was simple: one last shakeout run along the Charles River. Picked up my McMillan Running swag bag and meet up with the rest of the crew aka Ko, Joseph, and Max et al. while covering less miles.  Oh and take advantage of the Normatec Recovery Compression massage thing-a-majiger at the Expo cause after all that time on feet; I needed this.

The beauty of the Hostel was that we got to meet marathoners from Colombia, Taiwan, Japan, Canada, Mexico, Germany, Spain, Australia, and so many more nations. It was so great to converse and hear their journeys. Question of the day: What was your qualifier? Followed by conversations of the weather. 

Well all this walking around makes a runner hungry.  Thus off to City Hall Plaza for dinner #1.  If you are reading this and gonna make the pilgrimage for Boston then go to this dinner!  The music is bumpin', the volunteers are dancing, the food is off the hook, the Sam Adams is free flowing, and City Hall is converted into a time capsule of Boston Marathon History!  I choked up a bit when Eminem's Lose Yourself started playing because our one moment was coming.

 Jesi and ate enough not to go hungry on the walk to the North End before dinner #2 at Carmelina's Restaurant and finally uniting with Max and company.

Mileage at the end of Day 2 including the run 11+miles.

Lessons learned:

1. Pack that suitcase several weeks early with a kitchen sink mentality then remove the not-neededs.
2. If you wear it then you won't forget it...so wear it as a baselayer you can take off and stash in your carryon once you're at the terminal.
3. Don't walk/run 25+ miles two days before the marathon.
4. Should have arrived on Friday just to catch up on sleep so I could be more aware of time on feet.
5. Don't lose track at time at the Expo.  We didn't but it's still a good lesson to remember.

Why I Run. Part 1: My loved ones.

Good Day to You!

Today I sit in the communal eating area of the Boston Hotel roughly 26 hours before the start of the 119th Boston Marathon.

On April 9, 2015 I came from work tired and groggy from a cold that had mounted an assault on my body 11 days before Boston.  Fret not though I had the following three days off of work to rest, recover, and be there for my friend Carina as set off to complete her first half marathon.

I enter my home. Do the usually so hello to my step dad as he records music off youtube from his phone via a sound system onto a cassette with international soccer playing in the background.  The computer was still so that means that Carnation Carpet Cleaning was not closed for the evening.  Yes, my stepfather is quite the small business entrepreneur.

As I get close to the kitchen I hear some crying.  My mother crying.  They were the types of tears I have heard less than a handful of times each after the passing of a loved one.

I ask: "¿Que paso?  ¿Quien se murio?"

Mom Replies: "Doña Sarita!!!"

Doña Sarita at one point or another took care of all of us.  Whether it was with an invitation to share a meal to calm your hunger as you take on surviving in the United States, keeping you company with great conversation, spoiling your kids with the love and attention only a grandmother can give, or passing on her wisdom in story.

I remember when my grandma died I was but a wee lad.  During the wake she sat next to me and gave me a small plastic red-orange monkey, put her arm around me, and held me.

After a few hours of reflecting I went over to my mom and told her don't cry tears of sadness for Doña Sarita lived a complete live.  She brought her extensive family over from El Salvador over the course of several decades.

She guided her children to unite, struggle together, and eventually succeed together!  She had several grandchildren. Then those Grandkids gave her Great-Grandkids. Some of those Great-grandkids gave her Great-Great-Grandkids. When the Priest blessed the Cross to be used on today's Sunday service it is tradition for it to be blessed as the hands of the young child holds it then it is passed to eldest child of the person whose life we were celebrating.  Wouldn't you know that the cross was held by Doña Sarita's Great-Great-Great-Great-Granddaughter!!!

Doña Sarita touched the lives of approximately 8-9 generations!  I hope the Lord blesses me to see a third what she was blessed.

Her procession rolled through the streets of our Barrio en la Mission de San Francisco, Califas 21 cars deep with each at capacity.

The image of her is a photo that her grandkids put together old-school collage form on display at the mortuary.  It is an image of how I will always remember Doña Sarita...my grandma as well maybe not by blood but through love.  My Boston Marathon is dedicated to you.  I'll see you at the finish on Monday and when I cross my last finish line at St. Peters Gate.

!Doña Sarita! Cuideme y tomese un cafecito con mis abuelos y no se olvide de traerlos a Boston porque es una gran cuidad y quiero que esten conmigo. Bueno. Nos vemos pronto.