Why I am Running the Boston Marathon

Shortly after surviving the 2012 Boston Marathon I made a definitive, conviction-filled decision: It was time for a break from 26.2.  I had trained harder than I ever had before, was in the best shape of my life and had run as hard as my body would allow me to in record heat.  I walked away proud of my performance under the circumstances, immensely proud, but with a time that was much slower than I thought I was capable of.  And I was OK with that. 

Fast forward to last month. Boston was a vivid, but distant memory.  I was running again after spending the summer on the sidelines.  Temperatures were hovering right around ideal running weather. Marathon season was in full swing. My friends were running races and crushing them.  I was training Lauren to run her first marathon all while preparing a two-hour television special all about marathon running.  In short, it's easy to say you aren't going to do something when there is an absence of temptation.  But when you can see the candy jar, it's a lot harder not to take a piece. 

Hours after the last finisher crossed the line at the Chicago Marathon, I became one of the last people to get into the Boston Marathon.  I'm not exaggerating.  Minutes after I registered, I went back to the BAA Homepage and registration was closed.  I looked at other marathons.  Cincinnati's Flying Pig and Duluth's Grandma's Marathon were both on the shortlist.  In the end, however, nothing beats Boston.  I have a love/hate relationship with it.  In my last two attempt at Boston I have loved the experience, but hated the race.  I am on a mission to make it a love/love relationship.  I'm a sucker for tradition and nothing radiates tradition in the world of long distance running quite like the race that runs from Hopkinton to downtown Boston.  Now, if I can just get my body and the weather to cooperate with my goals.  Not to mention, getting to Boston from New York City is a lot easier and cheaper than getting to Duluth, Minnesota. 

Today I found out my friend Jesse, who is one of the main reasons I started doing this whole running thing in the first place is also running Boston.  That lit the fire.  My plan is to continue to run around 60-70 miles a week with shorter, faster workouts through January and then dive back into marathon training.  I'm still toying with what that program will look like.

So, why I am a running Boston?  Spite.  Revenge.  The chance to prove something to myself.  I think those are as good a reasons as any.