04/18/2014
Friends of Marist, MLC and High Miles Running, or just me in general,
**A reminder, MLC is at Blackburn park for the final time this coming Tuesday!**
I am about to depart for Boston for this year's incarnation of the historic marathon and I wanted to thank you for your support during this training block. For the first time I have been able to let go a bit and run and train for the joy that Boston will bring instead of a specific time goal. We call it the Mike Burns Plan at Marist. It has been nothing short of liberating. I have trained for the emotional excitement that smiling and slapping hands will bring after conquering the Newton Hills. I have trained for the exhilaration of the screaming girls, the moving memorials, and the first sight of the finish line as you turn the corner onto Boylston in Boston. I have not trained for PR's, for competitive surges, or the right split times. In frank terms, it has been great. Having been a competitive runner all my life this hasn't been easy, but in retrospect it has been necessary and pleasant. Being a husband, father of three, teacher and coach doesn't always leave time for mile repeats or a mid-week long run, but it does mean that each training run has been savored like a gifted rare delicacy - both a respite from a noisy and busy day and stressful enough to steel one's legs and nerves. Many of you will be working on Monday. Hopefully some of you will not. I would appreciate your thoughts and prayers during this remarkable event along with prayers for the victims of last year's tragedy.
Some nuts and bolts:
I am bib number 5392 in Wave 1 Corral 6. You can get text messages to follow me here: http://www.baa.org/races/boston-marathon/participant-information/att-athlete-alert.aspx
The elite men and masses begin at 10:00am, I will likely cross the starting line around 10:15am as 5000 need to get there before me on a very small road.
If things go as planned I should cross the finish line between 1:10 and 1:25pm depending on when I actually get to the starting line.
The race will be broadcast on Universalsports.com along with local Boston affiliate WBZ. You can watch the finish line cameras here: Universalsports.com
Race coverage here: http://boston.cbslocal.com/category/boston-marathon/
I will be wearing bright blue shoes, black shorts, a blue singlet, and maybe a longsleeve underneath depending on the weather. I will have black gloves and sunglasses on.
Basic facts: http://www.baa.org/races/boston-marathon/event-information.aspx
Thank you again for your support!
Cheers,
The Boston Bound...Eric
ATT Athlete Alert