Wanderers Send Unprecedented Number To Boston!

By Lola (Leslie Turchetti)

April 17, 2006 turned out to be a lovely day for a run from Hopkinton to Boston, and Boston Marathoners were long overdue for some temperate weather, as the two previous years of this race had been sweltering.

This was my second year of spectating at the Boston Marathon, and I can tell you that even for the casual bystander, this event is supremely inspiring.  I decided to plant myself, alongside Matthew’s sister, Kerry, on the famed Heartbreak Hill in Newton (roughly mile 20.5).   Heartbreak Hill, though not the steepest of all the hills on the marathon course, is certainly one of the toughest.  Basically it is the last in a series of rolling punishments which begin at mile 17 in the town of Newton.  Heartbreak is a steady and gradual near mile-long slog that marks the beginning of the final 10k of the race.  Essentially, the Newton hills (culminating at Heartbreak) force a battering climb on muscles already spent by the deceptive early downhills of the race.  In other words, countless runners “hit the wall” when they hit the Hill – and I had a front row seat!

So, with Susan’s cowbells in hand, Kerry and I cheered on the runners as they made their way up the Hill.  I watched in awe as Olympic Silver Medalist Meb Keflezighi and numerous elite male and female runners powered right past me, eating up the course with ease.  I saw fellow Wanderer Matthew Palombaro pacing himself and taking on the Hill with gusto.  I figured that his knowledge of the course, after running it four previous times, must help in planning his pace at this point of the race.

After Kerry and I saw Matt, we hopped back on the T to try to meet him and my Dad at the finish, and also to get photos of Wanderers Chris Moore, Barb Gorka, and Boston regular Paul Hines near the finish.  Unfortunately, for the second year in a row, I underestimated the crowd of thousands who flock to Boston on Patriots Day.  As was the case last year, I found myself waiting with the masses for T trolleys that were, upon arrival, already packed to the gills with marathon spectators, Red Sox fans shuttling to and from the game and, this year, added tourists who were in town for the Easter holiday.  Suffice to say, I missed getting “action” shots of anyone near the finish except for my Dad, and the picture I did get of him was taken by Matt through a chain link fence that people had climbed to get a better view of the runners.  As usual, the last two miles of the course were packed about 5 people deep.  One thing’s for sure – there certainly is no shortage of spectators and well-wishers at the Boston Marathon!

Matt and I were able to meet up with Matt’s family, my Dad, and Chris and Barb at the finish area.  Although the runners were sore, all had a good experience and, I think, were able to enjoy the event.  This was the first Boston for Chris, and the first in ten years for Barb, and they both had superb times of 3:11 and 3:43 respectively.  Matt was able to “Boston PR” by ten minutes, with a time of 2:41. 

The day after the marathon, I looked up some familiar names in the results section of the BAA website.  I learned that this year the Wanderers sent a previously unprecedented number of runners to the most legendary marathon in the world. 

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU!

The following are some personal accounts from Chris, Barb and Matt.  As a final closing, I’d like to extend the invitation for any fellow Wanderers to join me in spectating at next year’s event.  I have already started to map out a better runner viewing plan!

Chris Moore’s Boston 2006 Experience

I had been trying to qualify for Boston for a few years so at the start I was certainly giddy, perhaps even a bit teary. Between the throngs of people, the top runners in the world just 30 seconds ahead (until the gun sounded anyway), the anticipation of running the storied course, and the noon start, my stomach never settled in and allowed me to get comfortable.  Despite all that, I ran the first half right under 90 minutes, exactly how I wanted to.  The difficult hills of this race are legend, but somehow, as a virgin to the course it still was hard to prepare for them.  At about mile 16-18 I began to fall off pace,  but was OK with that, because I thought I might just try to enjoy the race.  From the legendary girls of Wellesley, the hills of Newton, to the lined streets of Boston, there is indeed much to see. I struggled through Heartbreak Hill having no problem cresting the top, but the steep downhills to follow were becoming increasingly painful with my quad muscles wanting to explode.  This pain never relented and the wheels completely fell off by about mile 23 and I had to walk brief sections trying to loosen up my legs to no avail.  Finishing became the only goal left, which I was able to manage just under 3:12.  Angry and a little disappointed in myself, it took me about a day to rebound and want to run Boston again.  It took me way longer than that to be able to walk down stairs normally.  

Barbara Gorka’s Boston 2006 Experience

This was my third Boston marathon, but 10 years have passed since my second, and several things have changed. Number 1: I have gotten 10 years older! Number 2: I have gotten 10 years slower! Number 3: Boston is now twice as large as it was in the 90s and is more of an event than ever. My goal for this marathon: ENJOY THE EVENT AND DON'T WORRY ABOUT YOUR TIME. I've never tried this before, and you know what? It works! One secret to an enjoyable marathon is to train enough to know you can complete the distance but not enough to even consider trying to achieve a PR.

So, from getting on the busses that take you out to the Athlete's Village in Hopkinton, to waiting for almost four hours until the start, to standing in the starting line feeling all tingly from the excitement, to running through 26.2 miles of cheering crowds, to completely dying during the last couple of miles after the Heartbreak Hills, and to the old Bostonian ladies who graciously offered me a seat on the metro back to the hotel, I managed to soak it all in and enjoy the EXPERIENCE of a marathon--even a very slow marathon--for the first time in a long time.

Matthew Palombaro’s Boston 2006 Experience

Running the route from Hopkinton to Boston can simultaneously be an amazing running experience and very painful one.  Prior to the start I was particularly nervous about the race.  The weather conditions were ideal for running and I knew that this was my best opportunity to post a decent time in Boston.

The downward slope of the early part of the course took hold of me and I went through several miles at a pace faster than my goal average even though I kept telling myself to back off.   A fast start in Boston seems to guarantee shattered quads for the last 10K.  I struggled to settle into a comfortable pace, but seemed to get it sorted out before the Newton Hills.  I felt really strong in the Newton Hills and received a boost by my parents who were stationed around the 17.5 mile mark and then later by Leslie and my sister who were standing on Heartbreak Hill.  When I crested the peak of Heartbreak Hill, I went from feeling strong to feeling as if someone struck me in the quads with a sledge hammer.  I had sealed my fate earlier in the race and now I had to contend with the consequences - a painful run into Boston. 

The crowd in the last 10K is always heavy and raucous.  I always develop a bit of tunnel vision towards the end of marathons so I am never able to take in all of the sights and sounds.  I made it to the Citgo sign which stands high above the buildings outside of Fenway Park, and more importantly above the one mile to go marker, with my quads burning, but with the knowledge that a course best awaited me at the finish if I could keep my legs turning over.  I followed the course down into the tunnel under Massachusetts Ave. (a slight modification to the course this year), feeling the burn on the downhill, and made my way up the slope on the other side.  From the slope I could see that the turn onto Hereford Street was directly ahead of me.  I made the right turn onto Hereford and the left onto Boylston and finished with a course best of 2:41:51.

Boston 2006 results:

Atheletes gather in 'Athlete's Village' prior to the race.

Chris checks his gear prior to the race.

Matt and Lola shortly after Matt's finish.

Matt and Mr. Turchetti.

Wanderer portrait after the race.

Mr. Turchetti out on the course.

Chris and Babs pose for pictures after the race.

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