Since I was already in Boston for Christmas, I knew I really wanted to see the Boston Marathon course while I was there. A lot of my DFMC teammates run pieces of the course all year long, so they know what to expect, where the hills are, where the water stops are, etc.I wanted to ease some of my anxiety about heartbreak hill and the newton hills.
My mom and drove to Hopkinton, where the marathon starts. I found the BAA office and talked to a few of them there about the course and the start corrals. Right in front of the park was the official Start!! You can still see it painted on the street. Next time I see this, I’ll be with 20,000 other people!
We reset the odometer in the car, and we set out to drive the entire 26.2 route. The first part of the course was rolling hills on a beautiful tree lined street. It had cute little shops and houses. I can’t wait to see it come to life with spectators and runners!
There were so many beautiful old buildings, schools, town halls and shops! I hope I get so distracted by the beauty of it all that I forget I’m running a race. Haha
I love all the suburban town centers along the way. So different from life in Los Angeles.
Most of the course in the beginning of the race is either downhill or flat, but there were a few teeny hills here and there that I’m sure I will be good to change it up.
I was so excited to come to Wellesley College at the half-marathon mark. Everyone tells me that the girls at the school line the streets and cheer loudly! Their campus is really beautiful too.
I can totally picture these streets packed with wall to wall runners!!
Next come the dreaded Newton hills!! I heard there are five hills that culminate with “Heartbreak Hill”. But these little guys didn’t look too bad…
When we got to Heartbreak Hill, I made my mom pull over so I could get out and run it!! It didn’t look that bad at first. I just didn’t want the actual race to be the first time I saw it.
Of course this week it was FREEZING, and it made breathing difficult, but I was so excited to be there.
Can you see me behind the snowbank?
Almost to the top!!
Whew!! The hill ends at mile 21…5 more to go after that!
Awe, the T! I love Boston. My college Apartment was right near here! I had no idea that I used to live so close to the marathon route!
We didn’t go all the way to the finish line because I had been there so many times in college. So we stopped to eat lunch. I was soooo excited to go to Wing-It with my mom, but it was closed!!!
I seriously almost cried! Instead, we found a cute Boston Diner and settled on grilled cheese sandwiches. It was pretty good, but I was so sad it wasn’t Wing-It. Oh well!
Now that I’ve seen the course, I am less anxious about race day. I just have to keep training, and do some hill workouts, and I’ll be fine. It’s so gorgeous, historical and quaint along the beginning…and nostalgic along the second half. Just about four more months until race day!!!!
Bring it on!
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