Run, Sarah, Run!

Rise and Shine and time to head out for the big run.

The check-in area was inside Seaport World Trade Center and the race started just outside the building. Lots of vendors were set up and the environment was nothing I'd experienced before. As my friend stretched and warmed up (and I became "Official guard o' stuff" ;)) I went over the various new running terms/things I learned from my friend and took note of what others were saying around me...

- Goo:a pouch of sugar, well, goo. Runners sometimes wear the pouch of goo hooked to their shirt by a safety pin so they can just jerk on it and it's immediately ripped open to gulp and get an extra kick. Many times, it is at one of the "rest stops" where water and the like are handed out during the marathon.

- Tiny sensors are tied to the runner's shoes to accurately monitor the runner's time and to see if they are keeping on course or not...so much for a cab ride! ;)

- Although many people train with ipods/mp3s in their ears it is highly recommended that runners DON'T have music in their ears when they run a marathon so they are fully alert in case of non-alert drivers that veer onto the route, etc. I noticed that some chose to ignore that rule - my friend managed to make a friend during the route so they were able to talk and cheer each other on to pass the time...

- Something I heard one runner say to another, "Just try to get yourself in another world for 7 miles."

- One guy was wearing a Shamrock Hat and I wondered how long that would stay on during the run...

As I continued pondering and observing, I had my friend take a pic of me and how I prepared for her race... lol.

Time to line up - thankfully for us "stuff holders" there was a Dunkin Donuts right in line with the start line so we could watch while waiting for breakfast! ;)

As the time came closer to my friend's predicted arrival I stood poised with my camera and a few of her Boston friends arrived just in time to see her finish!

The adrenaline lasted for a bit, after she cooled down and related her experience to all that were present, we headed to her place so she could clean up and we could get a meal. When we were on our way again she became more and more aware just how much the unexpected sunnier than usual day had affected her. We had lunch in Central Square outside (our food was brought out and sat in the "waiters station"long enough for us to worry whether a hovering homeless person's cigarette ashes were going to become part of our meal...ulky) and then we walked near Harvard Square upon which we started a search for A.C., ice cream and shoes that wouldn't cause sores on my heel - go figure, I wasn't even the one that ran!

We found A.C. and ice cream, well, sorbet... at Finale and my friend told the waiter to keep the water coming! Their desserts were beautiful and they have an overhead mirror set up in the prep area so you can watch them putting it together, too.

After a quick stop for flip flops we headed home so the runner could recharge.

Later in the evening, it was time to refuel again so we met more of my friend's Boston friends at Asgard where I got a beer as big as my head and my friend had a celebratory drink...or two. ;)