Boston was more than a month ago at this point, and I am just getting around to updating my blog! If you follow me on social media, you have already heard most of this, so feel free to skip this entry, LOL. For the rest of you– I hope you enjoy it!

I’m beginning to think it wouldn’t be a true trip to Boston without some dumb drama. Last year, Micah forgot his C-PAP cord and I had to book him his own room so I could sleep the night before the marathon. The year before, I lost my gels somewhere between leaving my hotel room and mile 4 of the race. This year, Micah wasn’t able to travel with me because of his new job, but that was OK– my sister Catherine came with me. I decided to fly this year since I was traveling solo. However, when Micah dropped me off at BWI Saturday morning, I reached into the back of the car and realized I had forgotten my backpack with all my essential race gear at our house, 40 minutes away! I panicked and asked/told/begged Micah to drive back to the house and get it for me. I frantically re-booked my flight and got on one at 10:30 am that morning. He drove off and arrived back at our house, only to realize the damn backpack WAS in the car the whole time. How did we miss it? I have no clue.

But, I got the backpack, got on my rescheduled flight and landed in Boston with EVERYTHING I needed. Catherine was already there and we spent the day hitting the expo, enjoying a day at Fenway watching the Red Sox play the White Sox, and stuffing our faces with Italian food. I figured if that mishap was the worst thing that could happen all weekend, it was all good! And it was!

The day before the marathon was Easter Sunday, the second time I have run Boston where it’s fallen on Easter weekend. After I completed my shakeout run, we spent the day doing more shopping and eating delicious food! I usually stay in a hotel out in Bunker Hill/Somerville for the marathon, but the hotel had a fire in February and Marathon Tours gave us the choice of three other hotels. So this year, we were at a Fairfield Inn in Chelsea. It was fine, but I thought the location was kind of inconvenient. Next year, I will probably stay out in Bunker Hill again. It is so easy to get around on the T from there, and it’s really affordable.

Marathon Monday!

Since I was staying in a new hotel this year, I was nervous about transportation to the Boston Common. I was in wave 3 this year and ended giving myself a ton of extra time and got down there an hour and a half before my wave’s buses boarded. Which in the end might have been a good thing; I got on one of the first buses in line for Hopkinton and was on the road pretty quickly. But the drive there took over an hour due to construction! I know some people who boarded later buses missed their wave start!

As a result, once I got to Athletes Village, I didn’t have much time to chill! I got in a porta potty line and then met Instagram friend Bethany, who walked to the corrals with me. It was her first Boston Marathon! Before I knew it, I was in my corral and the announcer said we had 30 seconds to go.

There is a lot of downhill in the first few miles, and it is crowded. I went out around 7:45 pace and it felt comfortable.  Saw KJ, another IG friend, with her amazing colorful ponytails at mile 3 or 4! The early miles seemed to fly by and before I knew it, we were around the 15K mark. I think it was right around then that yet another IG buddy Carissa tapped me on the shoulder to say hi and I crashed into a runner in front of me 😂 I was happy to see her!

I always look forward to the Wellesley Scream Tunnel, just before the halfway point, every year and they did not disappoint! I high fived so many Wellesley ladies and was smiling so hard the whole time. By the end, my watch told me I was running 6:45 pace. Whoops. Usually I get some good photos in the Scream Tunnel, but not this year.

After the halfway mark, I started to hear the faint call of nature. I’d felt a mild stomach cramp earlier on in the race, but wasn’t too worried about it and it went away by mile 8 or 9. However, by the time we approached the Newton hills, nature’s call got louder and I started hunting for a porta potty. Luckily, there are tons on the course and I darted into one around mile 17.

I definitely felt better after that, but lost some momentum and I swear there felt like an extra Newton hill this year 😂 I started to slow down after that poo break and never really picked the pace back up. I can’t blame the weather, as it was pretty darn good, though definitely sunny and I heard other runners say it was too warm. But it was nothing like last year! My feet started to hurt a bit — I wore my Alpha Fly 3s and they busted up my toes, much like the Alpha Fly 2s did last year. What I wouldn’t give for a pair of OG Alpha Flys 😭 They didn’t feel terrible, but they didn’t feel great. Maybe the newer versions just aren’t for me. 😢 I even felt a blister pop on my right foot just after summiting Heartbreak Hill, and that was annoying, but I was able to run through it without too much discomfort.

All that to say, I was still enjoying myself out there, waving at spectators who called out my name (thanks to my friend Pat who made me a personalized shirt!) or yelled go Maryland! when they saw my shorts!

I knew Catherine was going to be in Brookline around mile 23-24 so I was excited to see her with her cowbell! At this point in the race, the cheers were just deafening. I think the boisterous crowds are what keep me coming back for more of this roller coaster of a race!

The last 3 miles of the marathon hurt, as they always do even when you are having an awesome race, which I really wasn’t. The temperature seemed to drop as we got into Boston, and we had a slight headwind that actually felt refreshing. The crowds got heavier and heavier as we approached Hereford and I continued to hear lots of people cheering for me by name or by state 😀 Then it was time to turn right on Hereford and left on Boylston and I was reminded once again how far away the finish line feels when you make that final left! But I just tried to soak in that last part of the race because it really is so special.

I finished in 3:30:09, my second slowest Boston, but not by much. The bathroom break cost me a solid minute or two, but it is what it is. This shit ain’t easy (no pun intended!)

Though I thought I could be a bit faster, overall I’m happy. 5 years ago, all I wanted was to run a 3:30 marathon. This year, I banged out a 3:30 on an off day in my 5th Boston Marathon. That’s something to be grateful for!

And because I turn 45 this summer, this gives me a BQ with nearly 15 minutes of cushion for the 2026 race (the standard for women ages 45-49 is 3:45.) Aging is a privilege in so many ways!

I already can’t wait to go back.

Oh! And the local news interviewed me at the race after party. You can read the article here. My mother is mortified that I told the reporter I wanted to party with my favorite patriot Sam Adams, but as a former reporter, I know how to give a good quote!