With all this talk about the cold, I'll pass along my Boston

Nov 9, 2018, 9:52 PM

story that relates to heat, just for a change of pace.

Back in 2003 I got this bright idea that I would run the Boston Marathon. Can thank some of my running buddies that are fellow Clemson fans for getting that idea in my head. The hard part was qualifying, which I did in late 2003 down at Kiawah Island. Awesome course - VERY flat - and a nice balmy temperature of upper 30's at the start. Perfect day for a long run, and I was able to survive and qualify.

So I sign up for Boston, and get into the 2004 race (qualifying time good for about 18 months). The hard part (training to qualify) was over, so now it was onto the fun of Boston. And it is a fun town. My Wife and I had a ball up there. Everything was great, except for the temperature forecast for race day, which was for the upper 80's. The days before and after Patriot's Day were in the 50's, and sure enough on race day it was in the 80's.

Back then everyone started at the same time, and the start time for the race was straight-up noon. So I took the race bus out to the starting line (it starts 26-ish miles outside of Boston) at about 6am as required, and lounged around the high school baseball field all morning. Drank plenty and ate all the "correct" stuff. It gets to be noon and 85-ish degrees, the race starts, and off we go. One of the awesome things about that race is that there were folks the entire 26 miles on the side cheering runners along. Great fans! They also had water stations and gatorade stations every mile, so folks were able to drink plenty. And I drank something every mile.

So I get to half way, and realized with all the drinking I still had not needed to visit one of the portajohns. Knew it was because of the heat, and that the second half was going to be potentially painful. I made it to the finish with a little pain but no real issues (fortunate!). But I have never before or since seen folks at a race lying along the side of the road in amazingly crazy positions with cramps and the like. Lots of medical response required to say the least (see link below). Saw some folks in positions that I did not think were possible.

And the next day, back to the 50's amazingly enough. Crazy weather, but a great experience none the less. Awesome event, and certainly more entrants than any race I have ever done. Good memories even with the heat. Thanks to all you cold-in-Boston posters for bringing them back! Maybe I will attempt to give the race another shot in the future. If so, I will certainly not complain about it being cold in Boston!

http://archive.boston.com/sports/specials/marathon/articles/2004/04/20/heat_was_too_much_to_bear/

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With all this talk about the cold, I'll pass along my Boston

Re: With all this talk about the cold, I'll pass along my Boston

Re: With all this talk about the cold, I'll pass along my Boston

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