On 16th April (Patriots’ Day in Massachusetts) I completed the iconic Boston marathon in the worst weather I have every run in! Heavy rain, cold and strong winds meant the roughly 27,000 runners were soaked and freezing before we even crossed the start line.
The support along the route was incredible though, especially considering the conditions the crowds had to stand in for hours. As we ran from one village to the next and gradually closer to the outskirts of Boston, the cheers got louder and louder. When I finally turned into Boylston Street and saw the finish line, I felt like a rock star!
The support definitely helped me to my second best time of 4 hours, 40 minutes, 47 seconds, a result I was delighted with considering the weather!
This year’s event was more poignant as it was the fifth anniversary of the Boston marathon bombing, commemorated with some very moving tributes at the finish line and a moment of silence at 2:49pm on 15th April, the exact time the first bomb exploded.