Choice

The concept of choice is one that is fraught with all manner of pressures, both internal and external.

In my line of work, choice is something that we often give people. In my humble opinion, it's often given in a way that is unfair and that restricts their right to (real) choice. Asking: 'do you want to stay home or go to Tim Hortons for coffee?' is not the same as asking 'what would you like to do today?' Asking: 'do you want pizza or pasta for dinner' is not the same as asking 'what do you want for dinner?'.

But I don't want to talk about work today - I want to talk about choice.

Today is Boston marathon day. There are very few things in the running community that compare to today. Runners have trained, sometimes for years, for the opportunity to simply qualify to run Boston. That alone is a feat few of us will ever accomplish. Once qualified, runners begin training for the race. Being a spring marathon means that runners train over the winter. Runners living in cold climates must run 3+ hour runs through the cold, the wind, the snow and the ice. Through is all, they dream of joining the ranks of those who have run before them. When they head home after the marathon, they will be the owners of a blue and yellow Boston medal and they will most likely have a bag of Adidas running clothes that bear the logo and the recognizable colours that signals to other runners that yes, they have run Boston.

This year's race is a little different.

The weather is calling for heat. Thirty degree heat. In April.

Because of the predicted heat, on Saturday, the Boston Athletic Association made an unprecedented announcement. Runners, should they chose, can opt out of racing and defer to 2013. In order to do this, they must pick up their race bib in person (i.e. they can't have already dropped out for injury or other reasons and use the heat as a way to get into Boston next year), they cannot run the race (or part of it) and they must let the BAA know they are deferring.

Can you imagine?

Before the option of deferral, runners had two choices: run the race or not. If they chose not to run, they might never have another chance at Boston.

Now they have two different and (I believe) more difficult choices: run the race or defer.

Some people argue that runners, real runners, should be able to run through anything. It's wimpy to drop out because it's hot. Suck it up princess. Be a man. Run the damn race or move your sorry ass out of the way to let the real runners through.

I argue that it's that kind of thinking that gets runners into trouble.

Running is a hard, uncomfortable sport. Every run we do pushes us into an uncomfortable zone and we have to push back and keep moving forward. We get used to pain, to discomfort, to heat, to cold, to nausea, chafing and all sorts of other things that seem ridiculous to non-runners.

The trick is knowing when it's time to push through and when it's time to back off.

Most of the time, the answer is to push though. But sometimes, the answer is indeed to back off.

Boston would not offer the option of deferral if the weather were calling for high winds, driving rain or snow. Runners run through that stuff and they suck it up. Heat is different. Heat can be deadly.

Most Boston marathoners are elite, hardened athletes. Most of them will run the race today and be fine. There are 5,000+ runners in Boston who are not seasoned marathoners. They got in the race for reasons other than qualifying - they raised money, they were given entry bibs etc. Many people will take 5+ hours to run. Many people have medical conditions. Many people are not conditioned to running in extreme heat in the middle of the day. Many people probably shouldn't run.

Last Friday, if they chose not to run, they had to walk away from their Boston dream. In other words, without the option of deferral, many people would chose to run, whether they should or not, because it might be their only chance.

On Saturday, that changed. Now they could make a decision based on knowing their fitness level and their ability to run a marathon in the heat. And they could decide knowing that there will be another chance to run Boston.

Personally, the thought of training for four months and then not running is heartbreaking. I trained for 3 1/2 months before I was forced to drop out of my marathon - and that broke my heart and nearly broke my spirit along with it. Imagine sitting in a hotel room in Boston yesterday trying to decide if you should run or not? Imagine wondering if running a marathon is worth the risk to your heart? To your body? Imagine going home and having to tell everyone you decided not to run after all? Imagine having to train all over again next year?

Most of the 25,000+ runners will be out there today despite the heat - and I will watch with respect and awe.

A few runners will have made a conscious choice not to run - and part of me will respect them even more than I respect the runners who are running. They chose their health over a race, the race of all races. They chose for themselves despite the little voice in their head saying 'suck it up it's Boston'.

To all Boston runners - those who are running and those who are not. You are all heroes today.

Wicked Fast Runnahs

Boston morning arrived with a whisper.  5am alarms were going off all over the city and runners slipped out of bed and into their carefully laid out running clothes.  Breakfasts happened quietly in dimly lit kitchens.  

My running man was calm and contemplative.  There will be plenty of time for excitement and adrenaline.  Gotta pace yourself right from the get go.

At six am Doug quietly opened the door of the apartment just as another runner walked out of their room. 25,000 of them are pouring into the streets and heading for the buses that will drive them to Hopkinton. The Boston marathon, as I discovered, does not start in Boston.  It starts far out in a little town called Hopkinton that is just about to be swarmed by runners.  When the race starts, they will run through six towns before they enter Boston for the final stretch.

There were several start times.  The wheelchair racers started first at 9:17am.  The elite women were next.  At 10am the elite men and the first wave of runners started.  The second wave was at 10:20am and the final one at 10:40am.  Because of their qualifying times, Doug and Jim were in wave 2. The rest of the Runners' Edgers were in wave 3.

Thanks to modern technology, we were able to track runners online and could see at what times they crossed each 5k mark.  It's reassuring to be able to see that those you care about are doing fine and holding their pace.  During one stretch Doug's pace dropped significantly and a bit of worry set in.  Turns out he was too hot and had to stop to take off a few layers and reattach his bib number to his t-shirt.

Spectators started lining the streets near the finish line at 7:30am.  Janice and I arrived at 10:30am and staked out a spot right outside the apartment.  The Boston marathon basically runs down one long road and then makes two famous turns at the end.  Right on Hereford and left on Boylston to the finish line.  Our apartment was on Hereford so we could see the runners turn the corner for the final stretch.

Being that close to the finish line means that we got to see all sorts of things.  We got to see the elite runners battle for first place.

We got to see the pain and determination on their faces.

We got to see the famous people.

And we got to see the sheer joy some runners felt as they reached the end of their Boston journey.

The crowds were amazing.   They screamed and clapped for hours and ramped it up to fever pitch for the runners who needed it.  After running for hours, some runners had nothing left.  They came to halt and start walking.  That's when the crowd would start cheering them on.  When they found the strength to run again, the cheer turned into a roar.  Countless runners were carried across the finish line by the power of the crowd.  

It's difficult to describe how it feels to be in Boston and to experience the marathon.  As a spectator, the sights are forever burned into my mind and the screams and cheers are still reverberating in my head.  As a runner, I'm sure it's a completely different and yet no less moving experience to run down the roads of history.

Walking back to the apartment afterwards, people on the streets burst into spontaneous applause when a marathoner walked by.  Runners wore their medals with pride and anyone who struggled to step up on to a curb was looked at as a hero.  Those who didn't run can't really know what it felt like, how hard it was and what demons were conquered.  But we do know that it takes a degree of strength and passion that has the power to move people to tears.

Congratulations runners!  You have run your dream and, in doing so, inspired others to dream with you.

Living Every Moment

Day three of the Boston marathon (as I am now calling the days leading up to the actual race) began at 4:50am.  We awoke to a dark, cold and rainy world.  A quick shower and breakfast and we were out the door.  I am the warm blooded half of the couple and I left wearing two pairs of pants, two shirts, a hoodie and a jacket.  Nasty stuff.  

We hurried through the sleeping streets to the big white tent next to the finish line.  The Boston 5k race starts at 8am and we were lucky enough to be volunteers.  Shift duty started at 6am and, to be quite honest, I could not wait to get my very own Boston volunteer jacket.  The best part was that all the Runners' Edgers who were in Boston were volunteering. From all corners of the city they came.  Eight hours from home and I'm surrounded by friends in matching hoodies.  How very cool is that?  

Even cooler was when two runners from our group showed up to run.  They had received two last-minute entries and drove all the way from St. Catharines to Boston to run the 5k.  

Having run in plenty of races, it's nice to experience what the folks on the other side of the table do.  As the wind whipped and the rain lashed, we unloaded fruit cups, gatorade and bagels.  Lots and lots of them.  There were over 5,000 runners registered for the 5k which is pretty unbelievable compared to the races we're just to.  Once everything was set up we were put on guard duty to stop the runners from sneaking food and water before the race even started. 

The wind stopped, the rain cleared and the sun came out on time for the race.  We got to watch the start and then we were put on medal duty.  Unwrap 5,000 medals and get ready to hand them out.  

The first runner came roaring in at around 14 minutes.  The second was just behind him and then the insanity started and continued for 45 minutes.  The tent was packed as the herd moved through.  I spotted our two runner girls and had the honour of placing medals around their necks.  Another Boston moment. 

By 9:30am, our shift was done and we were ready to take on the town.  Doug headed out for his pre-race run and I headed down to Marathon Sports to buy myself a pair of Vibrams.  Yes folks - I now own five-fingered shoes and cannot wait to try them out.  

Run done and shoes purchased, we hopped on the subway and headed to the New England Aquarium.  Also known as the place where my marine biology dreams began.  It still looked the same - the same fabulous exhibits and the same amazing tank full of shark, rays, fish of all shapes and sizes and the giant turtle who has been there for forty years.  

This would be me holding a vertebrae from a humpback whale.   

And this would be a lovely sea dragon.  Which immediately made me think of My Little Pony.  

We headed to the Italian district for the requisite pre-race pasta dinner.  So did the rest of the 25,000 runners apparently.  We were lucky enough to beat the crowd and discovered a fabulous little spot called Marco.

They sat us at the bar and we were entertained by Matt, our charming bartender.  His dinner recommendations were spot on and his dessert ones were just as good.  Cannolis from Bova!  Yum!

One more stop on the way home.  We had already had dessert but someone had a craving.  And he's got a big race to run so how could I possibly say no??

Next stop: Hopkington.  For the start of the world famous Boston Marathon.  

Boston - Deuxième Journée

The marathoners are here!  Run for your lives!!

There seems to be something big happening in Boston.  Tall fit skinny runners from across the globe are walking the streets of beantown.  Stores and restaurants are triple and quadruple staffed and there is absolute gridlock near the expo because pedestrians outnumber cars 10 to 1.  Cars just can't compete.  Share the road indeed! 

This morning basically confirmed how over the top and crazy it gets on race weekend.  The expo opened at 9am. So, we waltzed over there around 8:45am to find hundreds of runners already lined up.  In the ten minutes after we arrived, hundreds and hundreds more gathered behind us.  I had a sinking feeling that it would take a long time before we got inside. And yet, when the doors opened, we were completely swallowed up by the Hynes Convention Centre.  Plenty of room for a few thousand more.   

Step one - get your race bib.  

 

We just happened to spot Jim and his wife Janice in the crowd and apparently Doug and Jim run a very similar pace because, in a race of 25,000 runners, their numbers are ridiculously close.  

Step two - get your race shirt.

I did not take pictures of this part because, to be quite honest, the pictures would be x-rated.  You should have seen it - it was bedlam.  Runners got their shirts and immediately stripped down to make sure they fit.  Bare chested men and bra-clad women filled the room.  Apparently when you're used to dashing behind a bush to pee, peeling off your clothes in front of complete strangers is no big deal. 

Once the business was done it was time for the expo. And, as expected, it was fabulous!  We spent over three hours checking out vendors, agonizing over what Boston clothes to buy, watching emotional race videos and trying out all sorts of electrolyte, high protein, high energy snacks.  How my blood sugar was 5.2 at the end of it all I'll never know.  

I went to the expo with a few goals.  Find my favourite running shoes at a fabulous price (done!), buy some recovery sandals because I hate wearing running shoes all the time (done! and they're purple!!),  buy another pair or two of recovery socks (done and they are SO comfy!!)

I also tried on the coolest, most comfortable running shoes I have ever put on my feet - Vibram Five Fingers.  They're supposed to be great at building strength in your feet and calves thereby reducing shin splints and plantar fasciitis - my two nemeses. 

Now I have to decide if I want to buy them.  Any thoughts running friends??

Running brings out all sorts of emotions.  Today had a few teary moments and plenty of awe but for the most part I just kept flip-flopping between two thoughts: "Omigod I want to be a marathoner" and "Damn it! I could totally be a marathoner!"  

I now have a new dream and several lofty goals but, in the meantime, it's pretty fabulous to just be here soaking it all in and occasionally being mistaken for someone who really could run the distance.  

This man, on the other hand, can definitely run the distance.  So on Monday morning he'll tie up his running shoes and become part of history...again.

And I'll be the one waiting at the finish line with a bottle of eload, some warm clothes and a wagon to pull him home.

It's Been Too Long

Dear Boston,

It's Céline.  I don't know if you remember me.  I've gotten a little taller and a lot older since the last time we've seen each other.  I'm the girl who used to gaze into the water looking for mermaids.  The one who loved to eat oyster crackers and who wanted to go whale watching every day.

I'm back for a visit and I wanted to say hi.

I'm a runner girl now.  I have diabetes and I wear an insulin pump.  I work with people, not whales.  That might surprise you.  It's nice to be back and I just wanted to thank you.

Thank you for lining the streets with motivational photos of the marathon.

Thank you for the posters in the subway station. 

Thank you for filling the city with runners - long, lanky, beautiful runners that exude health and fitness.

Thank you for mistaking me for a marathoner - twice!

Thank you for the delicious clam chowder, mussels and lobster.

Thank you for the cute little apartment right on the race route and thank you for putting a bunch of Canadians in the same building with us. 

Thank you for getting all the cold weather out of the way today.  Doug likes it a little warmer than it was today so, if you don't mind, an extra ten degrees and a lot less wind would be just fabulous. He would be ever so grateful!

I've missed you Boston.  It's good to be back.

See you in the morning!

Céline

On The Road Again...

Our Boston 2011 road trip begins at the crack of dawn.  I waltzed out of the office today at 4:28pm and promptly forgot where I work, what my job title is and what's on my to do list for April 26th.

I am VERY good at being on vacation.

We leave in the morning so we're fully immersed in the fun job of packing.  The last load of laundry is in the dryer and the bed is covered with stuff that we will somehow find a way to fit into the car.

This is where being a diabetic, runner, photographer girl becomes a bit of a problem.

I am going to be away for 8 days.  So I must pack enough diabetes supplies for twice that time.  Because you NEVER know.  So I have insulin, infusion sets, test strips, juice boxes (never be without those again), fast acting carbs, batteries and a back-up needle in case my pump dies.  Not exactly going to fit in my purse is it?

Just because I won't actually be running the Boston marathon doesn't mean I won't be running a few times while we're away.  So my running clothes, snacks, water bottles, shoes, Garmin etc fill another bag.  I haven't decided yet if I want to toss my yoga mat and Triggerpoint in the car just in case...

Boston and Cape Cod are beautiful and I cannot wait to photograph the city, the race, the sunsets and everything in between.  So I need a camera, several lenses, filters, flash, tripod, a camera raincoat in case it rains, batteries and a laptop.

Two runners on a road trip means lots of snacks.  The kitchen counter is covered with Cliff bars, larabars, granola bars, cereal, peanut butter, pitas etc to keep us from getting too crankypants between meals.

Oh, and I might want to change clothes once or twice while we're away...

It will fit and it will be fine.

I'm sure it will...

They Earned It

One week from today tens of thousands of athletes will be running the 115th Boston marathon.  Every runner followed their own journey to get to that start line.  Journeys filled with hope, pain, injury, tears and ultimately success.  They made it.  They qualified.  They earned the right to join the ranks and run the fabled forty-two point two kilometers.

There is a mystique to Boston that inspires those who have what it takes to qualify.  That same mystique humbles and awes those of us who don't.  It's always asked in a whisper, with a sense of reverence.

"you ran Boston?"  "wow"

And then one has to fight the urge to kneel before them. 

Don't get me wrong.  Those runners I know who have run Boston do not demand our respect.  They do not brag of their accomplishment.  They just exude a certain je ne sais quoi that gets our attention. They wear the jacket and that is enough.

The logo is instantly recognizable. The colours are too.  In fact, runners know what year someone ran because of the colour of their jacket. 

"Did you run the black and red year?  Or the blue and yellow year?" 

In a sport that welcomes all body sizes, speeds and abilities Boston sets expectations and demands them to be met. Most of us will never get there.  That's ok.  Because most of us know someone who ran Boston.  And that's just as awesome.

This time next week the runners will be running Boston.  And those of us who love running will be there just to breathe it all in.  To support our friends and loved ones.  To volunteer.  To stand at the finish line for a photo.  To cry as Dick Hoyt runs past pushing his son Rick in a wheelchair. To watch in awe as the winner finishes a marathon in less time that it takes us to run a half.  Way less time.

I will go to the expo and touch all the beautiful Boston clothes.  This year the colours are a very Irish kelly green and black.  If I were running, I would buy a closet full.  I'm not running so I will not buy anything that might make someone think I did. 

If I earn it - I'll wear it.  Until that day, I will hold the hand of someone who has earned it. 

That is enough.

A Change of Focus

Happy April everyone!

In the last 24 hours we've had sun, snow, thunderstorms and +17 degrees.  If March goes out like a lamb, April apparently comes in like a schizophrenic dragon who has been off his meds for a while.

March: the month of the longest runs of my life that culminated in the longest race of my life.  I survived and, looking back, it doesn't seem like it was all that hard.  I guess that in itself is something to be proud of.

April is shaping up to be less about me and my running pursuits and more about experiences, friends and food.  April 2011 means 4 things:

1. Dinner guests
2. Boston!
3. A week by the coast
4. Seafood galore

Bring it on.

The month begins with a Monday night dinner with our friend Erin (see, I write about you in my blog!). Erin has agreed to join us for a few glasses of wine and some culinary experimentation.  Two new recipes in one night.

Coriander Scallops with Orange-Ginger dressing to start followed by Rosemary and Mustard Pork Loin with Artichokes, Shallots and Vermouth Juice.

Could be delicious...

...or we could be ordering pizza.

Either way, it will be a fun dinner and perhaps a discovery of two new favourite dishes.

Cooking has evolved from something I did to something I liked to something that I truly enjoy.  With every new experiment, Doug and I are getting braver in the kitchen.  We've made appetizers, marinades and dressing, experimented with new vegetables, grains and meat, baked desserts and hosted a pile of dinner parties.  It's been a great way to discover how much fun cooking can be.  Combine it with friends and it's even better.

I'm glad that my race is over and that, for the next two months, I will be running to run rather than to train.  It means I can focus on other things - photography, cycling, cooking and sharing great meals with great people.

Train hard

Rest well

Eat good food

Share with friends

Repeat

Right on Hereford, Left on Boylston

I'm going to Boston!

Only 35 days until race day.

20,000+ runners from around the world will be there.  They all qualified for the honour.  They dreamed, they trained and together they will fight their way up Heartbreak Hill to cross that fabled finish line.

Over 20,000 runners.

And I will be cheering my heart out for one of them.

We're turning the marathon into a week holiday. Together we will explore the city, take in the sights and enjoy the food.  Together we will head to Cape Cod after the race to walk by the ocean, chase whales and visit the local artists.

But on April 18th, Doug will be running alone.

In a sea of 20,000 runners, he will travel 26.2 miles (42.2 kilometers) on his own steam.

He will run by Wellesley College.  Apparently, you can hear the girls screaming miles before you get there.  According to the folklore, they can't graduate until they've kissed a marathoner.  So screams and signs saying 'Kiss me' signal to the runners that they have reached the halfway mark.

He will run up Heartbreak Hill, cheered on by the boys at Boston College.

He will turn right on Hereford and then left on Boylston.  And he will cross that finish line.  

And become a part of history...again.

It will be Doug's third Boston.  My first as a spectator.

It will be a day of excitement, unforgettable moments and plenty of tears.

Bring it on.