Boston 2017
I’ve been a bit slow posting a recap of Boston! I’ve been trying to get things under control around here...you know all the usual stuff like soccer, track, laundry and groceries. I’ve caught up on the mounds of laundry and a drawer full of papers but the bigger projects like getting rid of some old furniture and ironing the new drapes still needs to get done. This list could go on forever. My mom said that she would come back over in May to help me get some of the other projects done!
If you have followed Zebra Girl on Instagram, you probably have already seen the highlights of the trip. Carlos and I flew up on Friday with the two older kids. The two little guys stayed at home with Grandma. We promised them that we would take them when they are older. I guess that means that I have to keep qualifying! Truth is that these two teenagers won’t be with us that much longer before they are off to college and too busy with their lives to do these things.
Jacquelyn absolutely enjoyed everything about the weekend. She is a runner just like all of us now! She even got her picture made with Spike!
Javier and Carlos got to explore Harvard and some of the other universities while Jacquelyn and I shopped at the expo!
I usually like to fly into Boston on Saturday but this year was different because Jacquelyn was running the B.A.A. 5K on Saturday morning. I enjoyed spectating so much for that race! It was definitely a highlight of the entire trip!
It was a bit crazy Saturday morning getting to the race. A few things out of my control slowed us down and we arrived at Boston Commons 15 minutes before the race. We were suppose to meet my friends Ryan and Lee but that did not seem to be happening with the chaos. I was trying to get Jacquelyn near the corrals for a warm up and she looks at me and says that she has to pee before the race. What? The port a potty lines were HUGE! Didn’t we just leave the hotel? So basically I go to the front of the line and beg to cut! She walks out of the port a potty and we walk about 5 feet and there is Ryan and Lee! What timing! At that moment the announcer makes the call to move into the corrals. No warm up except the walk from the hotel! I look at Lee and just asked him to take her. He asked me what pace and I said 5:50. Little to my surprise he paced her the whole way. He’s a sub 17 guy so he took it easy since he was running the marathon on Monday. She came in at 18:24 for 3rd in her age group and 39th female. In a race such as this, we’ll take top 50 female!
The three of them explored the Freedom Trail on Sunday while I rested my legs and hung out with a few of my running friends. Here is a picture with my friends Claudia and David. This was David's 16th Boston Marathon!
3:33 Seriously...how can I complain? Even that time is 12 minutes under the time needed to requalify, although I still have the Disney time for next year's BQ. It was so hot! The port o potty lines were ridiculous in the athlete's village. It was by far the worst that I had seen it in 3 years. This was probably because so many people were hydrating to prepare for the heat. I really felt like it was hotter than last year. I had sweat dripping off of my forehead in the corral...not a good sign. Somewhere around mile 10...I knew it wasn't my day and quit looking at my watch and didn't look at it again until the finish line. I just kept saying that I had to get to mile 16 to see Carlos and the kids. I finally saw them a little past mile 17 and I stopped to hug them and chat. They thought I was crazy but I just needed a moment. The water stations were beyond crazy! I think some the runners forgot their running etiquette along the way but I think there were a lot of people miserable from the heat and that is where it came from. Let me just say how amazing it is to make that right turn onto Hereford and left onto Boylston, then to run to that finish line! I can't wait to do it again next year!
I'm ready to get back into my training routine. I didn’t rock this race! I knew it would take a miracle for me to do it and the those miracles were not lined up for this one, particularly when that time of the month showed up. I was not ready for a marathon after Disney. I can dwell on it but honestly I don’t think I could have been happier afterwards…happy to move on!
Carlos had to work on Tuesday so he flew back home Monday night with the kids after the marathon. Darcey and I met some friends for a yummy dinner in Little Italy. I had an espresso cannoli from Mike's Pastry after dinner. According to friends, it was gone before Ryan paid for the desserts! Can't wait to get another one of those next year!
Brunch was followed by a few adult beverages! I got a text from Carlos reminding me not to miss my flight, so we headed to the airport to continue! What a perfect way to end the weekend!
