To my mind I say, manifest this: Marathon runner. April 2007. Boston.

 

I intend to run it. I'll take any tips and suggestions ya'll have. Don't wish me good luck tho. That entails disbelief in my ability, that I would need luck to succeed. Granted...the longest I've ever run with race mentality was two blocks--and that was after the ice cream truck--but uh, so what?

 

So i woke up this morning and my heart skipped a gleefull beat. My little marathon fundraising meter at the top left of my page had launched itself forwards thx to a plump $104 dollar donation!

 

mkay. I first conclusively decided I wanted to run a marathon last year...I picked the London one, as that's where I was at the time, and I arrived at this decision one month prior to the date. Unforts, it was too late to register by that time. Apparently ppl train for marathons and plan in advance to participate in 'em. pah. So i set my sights on Boston. Heck, it was my senior year, seemed timely. Plus I'd have the support of a team and get to meet this one guy whom I guess you could say holds a position of importance here at the school. (That would be Bacow for those of you refusing to follow my horrendous attempt at humorous downplay/sarcasm).

 

ANYWHO, point of this blog is that it's been a year-long journey of training for me during which my Body has had it's ups and downs. Actually it's been mostly neither of the two, it's been rather dull. No excitement, just plods along with whatever I'm doing to it. That is to say, most of the time. Which makes it all the more questionable when it acts counter to all the rational rules of nature.

 

So I've some questions I'd like to ask my Body:

 

1). Why is it that the day after your first 20 mile run, you weren't that sore at all, perhaps an echo of the previous days strenous exertions still lingered in your quads but nothing more...and then the day after a routine half marathon, not even your first, you can barely move. Your hamstrings grumble under their breath when you walk. Your calves entertain a gripping conversation back and forth with each step...the general consensus of your muscles as a whole is OUCH. 13 miles=ouch. 20 miles=a.ok. Escuzi? I don't see how that adds up.

 

2). During the weeks of training that have been most demanding, you, dear Body, have taken it all in stride. And yet, now, during what we call a tapering period when we cut our physical activity by 60%, my left hip decides to randomly start hurting. It's not even like I came back from a run and it was hurting on account of that, no, no...i just went to sleep one night and woke up the next with it hurting. Real classy Body. Clas-sy. And two weeks before the marathon. *whistles* Y'know if I didn't have a badass gangsta walk now, I'd be very put out--you know the one, where you have a hint of a limp, but not enough to qualify you as a gimp. Oh and you can throw a shoulder dip into it for extra effect. Fortunately I'm havin' too much fun with said compensatory walk to care much about the pain or its timing. But as much as I'm having a ball here, can we get rid of that before April 16th?

 

3). After a particularly long run, I do recall that you bludgeoned me with maladies. But what was weird was the timing of the onset and departure of said maladies. I finished the run, felt fine during it...then, not 10 minutes after my legs stopped moving and my bum started resting BOOM: Cue headache, spotted vision, nausea, upset stomach, persistent chills, inability to fall asleep despite physical exhaustion, inability to keep any food/drink down. Yea, it was ugly. Then 'bout two hours later, all symptoms vanished as quickly as they'd come and i was up and walking about as if I'd not even run that day. How'd you do that Body? And can I get that on like a clicker setting? Maladies on, maladies off?

 

4). Then of course there's what runners refer to as hitting the wall. You're running just fine and feel on top of the world--nay, you feel like confederates of the fairy community have snuck unbenknownst to you into your room the night before and inserted tiny springs into the soles of your running shoes. Then suddenly you pull a 180 on us. I feel like my legs are tree stumps cemented in concrete...with cars parked on them, add to that 5 dogs tied by their leashes to said tree stumps, you gotta drag 'em too...maybe stick two kids up in the tree whose stumps currently serve as your legs. In a word, they feel heavy. So tell me Body, how come you don't elicit to arrive at this stage gradually hmm? A little warning might be considerate, yes?

 

Well. I guess the trend here is that you are sometimes either remarkably adept at dealin' with my ridiculous whims (running long distance) and at other times you crap out. Not so sure how to control that, or what makes you choose one route over the other. But uh, it'd be real classy of you if you chose to pull a miraculous feel-good run on marathon day.

 

thanks. I'll make it up to you. I promise we can go into a coma afterwards. Just you and me. It'll be special.

 

 

 the onset of crippling soreness that is. I'm expecting it any moment now, but it has yet to come. Unbelievable. I guess this is the only time I can say that I don't mind being stood up. *badoom tsss* hah. lame. sorry.

 

Moving on, I FINISHED THE BOSTON MARATHON!!!!!!! It went far more smoothly than I could have ever hoped for. I never felt I couldn't finish. I never felt 'who am I to be attempting this' --a thought that religiously haunted my practice runs.

 

I never 'hit the wall' as runners say. Which is when they feel like Jumbo has opted to elect you as his personal piggy back-er person dude. (Jumbo's our elephant mascot for all non-Tufts readers). I used only two energy GUs...I downed like 4 of them in a half marathon once, haha. Not a single side cramp. I didn't even listen to music. Take into account that I have NEVER run without my ipod before. But iunno, Monday I had it strapped to my arm but never bothered to turn it on because the crowds were so entertaining and the experience was so, well, eventful. Plus I ran with my friend Edita and we talked a bit here and there.

 

The weather was perfectly and ideally suited to my running preference. It was overcast, cool, and fresh, but the rain held off. Amazing considering that from 6 am to 10:30 am it was like you had stepped out of the plotline for Noah's ark.

 

I want to say thanks to:

***Jonathan Bush for driving me to get my number last minute (a subject for future blogs). Suffice to say that he is henceforth to be referred to as Christine's savior. Jesus will just have to share the title and deal.

***Erica, my cousin, she ran the last four miles with me. That was such a huge comfort for me to know that she would be waiting for me come mile 22. It almost made it feel like the marathon was only 22 miles because in my head, that was my destination...to make it to Erica, not to the finish line, haha. Then she ran alongside me, (or slightly ahead which was good 'cause it pushed me to go faster), constantly encouraged the crowd to cheer for me, offered to hold my phone, gave me great insight as to what to expect around each corner and how many hills were left etc etc. Then after crossing the finish line she was a total life saver again. She made sure I had plenty of water, allowed me to sit down while she took care of getting my stuff and herding together my somewhat misplaced family members, lol. She carried my bags. Just an angel. And she did all this last minute! I asked her to run with me like the day before! So, big thanks to her!!!

***Thank you to my mamasita for flying out from Colorado to be with me the weekend before and the day of the race. Thank you to Aunt Fun for driving up to see me. Thank you to Barbara and Erica for spending time with me as well. The four of them were my personal cheering squad during the race. Or should I say the twelve of them, as they managed to triple themselves and relocate so that I passed them thrice. haha.

***Thank you to everyone who sent a prayer or two on behalf of all marathon runners regarding the weather. The forecast made it sound like they were expecting a monsoon, but it couldn't have turned out better.

***Thanks to Edita. I got to know her very well this year and had the privelege of running beside her for, I'd say a good 80% of the race. I loved it.

***Thank you to everyone who has supported me throughout this journey. Emotionally, spiritually, monetarily, physically with their presence....thanks to those who shared their words of wisdom and experience, to those who tracked me online the day of...It sounds cliché but it really touched me to know that so many ppl well, cared. You all are amazing. And then some.

 

As for the question of would I do it again? I don't know if any future marathon can top this one. Nor do I know if I'd want to even try. I'd consider it if i were given the opportunity to train with a team again. I don't see myself doing it solo tho. I really liked the comraderie and community and support that came with the team. Who knows. I'll be in Egypt next year tho...and they do happen to have a marathon there...the London one looks mighty delicious too.

 

well, all for now, thanks for reading, as always!

 

-me

 

A letter from Larry Bacow, Tufts University President and a 2007 Marathoner himself, to the Tufts Marathon team. I was a member of the team.