Top 5 Moments I'm Looking Forward to About Running Boston

It’s no secret around these parts about the love affair that I have for the Boston Marathon.

Can’t. Wait.

Qualifying for this race is my number one running goal, and running the 50 states isn’t even that close of a second.

So today is clearly a bit of a holiday for me, as it’s officially Marathon Monday!

While I’m watching the race unfold today on TV, and probably on Twitter as well, I’ll be dreaming about the day that I’m hanging out in Hopkinton and getting ready for my Boston Marathon experience…

Top 5 Boston Marathon Moments I Can’t Wait to Experience

5. Hopkinton: I’m not usually a guy that wants to get to a race early and hang around talking to other runners or doing whatever else people do when they are at the start more than a few minutes early. I hate sitting around. I hate feeling like I’m just killing time. Yet for this race, I’m actually looking forward to having to get there 3-4 hours before the race and just being a part of Boston Marathon history. I’m looking forward to running Boston for much more than just the 26.2 miles, and this time in the starting area will be just as much of a part of my experience as the race itself.
The Hopkinton Sign
4. Heartbreak Hill: Is there a more famous hill in running? I don’t think so. And while some people might wish that here was an option for avoiding this beast, I’m actually looking forward to shifting into a lower gear and gutting it out to the top of the hill. I actually don’t mind running up hills, so bring it Heartbreak!
Not the Heartbreak I was Talking About…
3. The Fans: Rumor has it over 500,000 people spectate during the Boston Marathon. That’s the kind of number that I can’t even begin to fathom. But I can’t wait to feel their energy, slap some high fives, laugh at creative signs, and just embrace the people that are embracing me as a runner. And then there’s Wellslely…
I Don’t Want to Be Rude and Ignore Them…
2. Boylston Street: If I’m not a blubbering mess before I get to this point, there’s a pretty good chance I’ll lose it when I make that left turn. Honestly, I can’t imagine the atmosphere, the excitement…the emotions are going to something when I see that sign.
The Sign
1. My BQ: I have no idea what I’m going to do when I cross the finish line of the marathon that officially qualifies me to run Boston, but I’m pretty sure I’ll have no control over how my body reacts. Maybe I’ll faint. Maybe I won’t be able to take another step. More likely, I’ll make Sarah MacKay Robinson‘s reaction to her Olympic Trials Qualifying time seem like just another ho hum moment.