4/21/14 Boston Marathon  Paul Lenz 13,632 overall/ 1,745 in AG   3hrs 44 min

There is no race like Boston. 118 yrs now and Boston Strong. The hype, fanfare, intensity, support from the race staff and city are incredible. Total field just under 32,000 runners this year! The experience begins with bib pick up and an expo triple the size of your typical race expo. All the latest gear imaginable. Race day starts with a nearly 1 hr bus ride out to Hopkinton, a small, rural town 26.2 miles out from the finish area. You are waiting in athlete’s village for close to 2 hrs before being permitted to walk the nearly mile trek to the starting corrals. The intensity and number of runners makes it go by very quickly.

Then the fun begins! 26.2 miles of spectators cheering, music, high fives, and kisses from the girls of Wellesley college over the point to point course. Everyone is off work for the big party on Patriot’s Day. The first 15 miles thru Ashland, Framingham, Natick, and the ever popular Wellesley are very much down hill, then around mile 16-22 from Newton to Brookline, you get into the up hill part including Heartbreak Hill. The hills (3 in particular) are not particularly large, but very challenging late in the race after the toll all the downhill running takes on the quads. The last 4 miles into Boston are again mostly downhill. Despite running one of my slowest marathons, It was a great and memorable experience.

As a runner I was fortunate to share in a true victory for the people of Boston and the marathon, bringing closure to the tragic events of 2013. Healed but never to be forgotten. I look forward to going back in 2015. Now, it is time to mix it up and focus on some tri training. Train hard and race fast!