Tragedy At Boston Marathon

Image from running.competitor.com

I was on the computer yesterday with the news channel on in the background when suddenly it was announced that explosions had gone off near the Boston Marathon finish line. I watched in horror as it was announced that at least three people were dead. I switched over to Facebook to find out if there were any news of our Alabama runners who were running the marathon. My cell phone started ringing from a couple running friends to ask me if I had heard anything about our Alabama runners.


Little by little we started getting information that they were all okay. It took three hours to find out about each individual person that was in Boston because several were still out on the course when the explosions went off. It was a stressful three hours.

I ran Boston Marathon in 2003. It was my third marathon and by far the most memorable. My friend L and I were talking about the upcoming marathon at the race last Saturday. She still hasn't qualified and that has been her goal for a long time. I would love to run it again one day since the first time I ran I was injured and it was a painful 26 miles. My time would have put me at coming in after the 4:09 time when the explosion went off. I can't help but think what if I was running it yesterday and still out on the course while my husband would have been waiting at the finish line. He would have been at the finish line when the explosions went off and I would have been on the course not knowing if he was okay or not.

This is such a sickening and horrible thing to happen during this memorable, historic marathon. It's well known not just in running communities, but by everyone around the world. I hope everything is done to find and punish the people who did this. My heart goes out to the parents of the eight year old boy who was killed yesterday and all those injured while waiting for loved ones to cross the finish line.

I read in the news that some of the marathoners went straight to the hospital after they crossed the finish line to give blood for those injured in the blast. My husband had never heard the term "running community" until he heard me use it. He thought I had just made it up until I was reading him a news article yesterday that had the term in it . There is a "running community" out there that is like a family. It is a strong and resilient community. This horrible act will not stop that "running community" from running marathons. This will not stop that "running community" from running period and will not keep them away from their dream of running the marathon of all marathons.

The Boston Marathon.

Image from Facebook

In Search Of The Perfect Spring Marathon

I've spent the past few days looking for a good Spring marathon to do.  This always happens right after I do a marathon or triathlon.  Suddenly I am super motivated and searching for the next race to do.  The Murph is totally baffled by this since I am usually so cranky the day before a race and sometimes race morning too.  He's told me more than once that if I don't enjoy it I should just quit.  He doesn't understand that my crankiness is my way of showing just how much I do enjoy it.

Besides the fact that I can't quit.  It's who I am.  A cranky, obsessive compulsive triathlete, type A personality who, if God forbid I did "quit," would be WAY more cranky than any pre- race crankiness you've ever seen.  Nobody would want that.  That would be BAD!

I reminded him that I was not cranky at all last weekend.  He even made a comment about how pleasant I was the day before the race.  He was very surprised at how NOT cranky I was.  I was kind of surprised myself.  Am I mellowing out in my "older" years?

My all time favorite Spring marathon was the Boston Marathon.  It was the third marathon I had ever ran in 2003.  My qualifying time for my age group at the time was 3 hour and 45 minutes.  I ran Hunstville Marathon in 3 hours and 43 minutes, barely making it to Boston.  Now my qualifying time is 3 hours and 50 minutes.  I do hope to run Boston again one day, but right now I am more interested in running a marathon in different states until I've run in all 50 states.

I wasn't very successful finding a marathon to run this Spring although there are several out there.  I would love to run the Big Sur International Marathon which is in April, but it is full and not very close. California is a long way from Alabama. Another option I'm considering is the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati, which isn't very close either and it is in May.  My friend L (who is no longer the running nazi - just for the record) wants to do the San Diego Marathon which is in June.  That's getting into triathlon season and still far away and there are so many states close by that I haven't done yet.  Any suggestions?

For now, I am going to keep looking in hopes of finding the perfect March or April marathon to run in a state I haven't run yet.  I am almost totally recovered from my the marathon last weekend.  Only my calves are still tight.  I always have trouble with them since I seem to always run on my toes.  I ran my first real run that didn't involve a treadmill today.  It was a very easy 7 miles half on trails and half on pavement.  It was a beautiful day in the 50's warming up to almost 70 later.  It's no wonder I'm feeling motivated!

Should I Sign Up For A Fall Marathon?

I was suppose to do the Chicago Marathon with the Running Nazi next month, but I waited too long to sign up and it was full.  I thought about racing with a charity slot, but if I didn't raise enough money I would have to come up with the difference.  The Murph was a little concerned about that (especially since he would be the one coming up with the difference).  The idea of spending thousands of dollars just to run a marathon didn't appeal to him even if it was for a good cause.  I tried to assure him that I would be able to raise the money and the Running Nazi said she would help.  Didn't work.  The Running Nazi told me I should just sign up anyway and not tell the Murph until I had raised the money.  I didn't think that would be a good idea!

I am considering running Pensacola Marathon in November even though I haven't really been marathon training.  The Running Nazi and I have also talked about doing Mardi Gras marathon in New Orleans in February.  She wants to qualify for Boston.  I ran Boston in 2003, but would like to do it again for a faster time.  I was injured when I ran it last time and so far it has been my slowest marathon.  I need to do it again, one more time at least.  We would have to do under a four hour marathon in order to qualify.  I think that's doable.  Of course, before I do a four hour marathon I need to actually sign up for and TRAIN for a marathon.  These little 3 to 10 mile runs aren't gonna do it!