Alrighty Flyer readers, buckle up, this is gonna be a long one. We usually try to keep our articles short, sweet and to the point to keep your attention, but we’re making an exception for the 2024 Boston Marathon. A questionnaire was sent out to gather the runners’ experiences and the responses received were too great to pick and choose what to include. So, we’re going to do our best to include as much as possible. I promise this will not become a regular thing. Lend us your eyes for this once in a Blue Moon extra-long article.
Twin City Track Club sent off another well-disciplined group of runners to run the legendary Boston Marathon. Boston continues to set record expectations for its greatness. Boston is not an easy course, there are several hills that more than rival those within Winston-Salem and depending on the year, the weather can make or break the expectation for a PR. Despite these challenges, this doesn’t stop our runners from marking Boston as a truly legendary experience and being a favorite race among many of them. After giving them a chance to recoup from the demanding race, here were their thoughts:
Charles Calkins:
“This was my 6th Boston Marathon, although my last time running the race was in 1987. The BAA volunteers were fantastic, supportive, and always willing to help. I ran Boston from 1983-1987 (five race years). Although the race grew each year, there were approximately 7500 runners in 1987. It was easier to drive and be dropped off in Hopkinton. The gathering place before the race was an Elementary School, although it was also possible to hang out at the starting line. The wheelchair race started 5 minutes or so before the runners, and the elite runners had a corral, however all of the runners started at the same time. The crowds were smaller throughout and there were no security fences to restrain the crowds except near the finish line. The crowds’ enthusiasm was the same and of course the course presented the same challenges.
I spent 7 years in Boston during college and law school, living two blocks from the marathon finish line. It was fun to return again. It was somewhat warm this year, particularly in the sun while waiting for the start. I decided to start more conservatively (15 seconds per mile slower than target pace), try to maintain my pace through 22 miles and then use the downhills to help my finish. Unfortunately, it did not work as planned, one of the “joys” of the marathon. My time was a personal worst for the marathon, I would have liked to have run better. I took my family out to dinner to thank them for coming to the race to celebrate post-race. They had a longer and potentially more stressful day battling crowds to find a spot near the finish line.”
Keith Miller:
“It was quite the journey to even make it to the starting line. Last year I ran the marathon of my life at Boston, but soon after started having problems with my right knee area. Eventually in August of last year, I was diagnosed with stage 3-4 osteoarthritis in my right knee with basically no cartilage left on the meniscus side. Thus began 7 months of trying to strengthen my knee area to attempt to run. Thanks to my good friend Hannah Boles I was introduced to the joy of Hot Flow Yoga! To me it was a game changer, weightlifting, elliptical, and RPM classes started. Finally, in January I started running with an off-loading brace, and even ran 2 half marathons with it. It was becoming apparent I would not be able to run a marathon with it, so 4 weeks before Boston I took it off and started running with a soft brace I had been using for a year. I got one 16 miler in before the race and that would be my longest run going into it.
Most people thought I was stupid for even trying but Boston is a hard race to qualify for, it’s so hard to give up a qualifying time. Few know how hard it was to even get to the starting line except Frances and a few of my closer running friends. I did finish the marathon; my bad knee was really not strong enough and put a lot of load on the other leg which eventually locked up. It was a hot and brutal day for me, but I just couldn’t quit. At the finish after all my friends had long finished, they were there at the family area waiting for me. Thank you, Hannah, Ben, Nathan, Jack, Jessica, Scott and Grayson. Besides the marathon we had a week of fun with the above mentioned plus Mitch, Trish, and Shawn.”
Kathryn Hayes:
“This was my first Boston Marathon and it exceeded my expectations by miles (26.2 to be exact LOL). I have previously run two marathons (Emerald Isle 2022 & Asheville 2023) which were both very small races in comparison. I knew going into Boston that the crowds would be amazing, but nothing could have prepared me for what it was actually like. The crowd support was present the entire race which is amazing! This was also my first marathon with HILLS! I knew going in that the course would be tough, but I didn’t realize how early on it would get tough. I was so relieved to cross the finish line! I was able to PR and qualify again for Boston with a 3:05:50, I do plan to run Boston again but likely not next year because I am getting married in early May!!
My favorite moment of the race itself was seeing my fiancé and family around mile 6. As soon as I spotted them in the distance, I instantly felt rejuvenated. They had all made signs for me! I also had a major point of relief at the top of Heartbreak Hill when I knew the hills were over! At this point in the race, I was doing all I could not to stop and walk so I was really glad to be entering the “final stretch” of the race. The true last stretch to the finish line on Boylston was incredible!
I also loved seeing all the kids along the side of the course that had their little hands out waiting for hi-fives. I tried to get as many as I could and every time, I got one they would cheer so loudly! They were loving it!
I knew going into the race that it was going to be sunny, hot, with no shade. I was already sweating just standing in the start corral for 10 minutes at 10am so I knew it would be a challenging day. I reminded myself that my first marathon, Emerald Isle, was a hot and non-shaded race as well and that I made it through that. I also planned to take every water station even if it was just to pour water on my head or body, and that is exactly what I did. I adjusted my pacing a little in the beginning but still went out way too fast and paid for it later. Although I managed to PR by 5 minutes, I think I could have finished faster if the heat wasn’t a factor and I hadn’t started too fast. The general buzz around Athlete’s village and the start line was that people were having to adjust their goals by 5-10 mins based on the heat. We were all in the same boat!
Among all the things to change, I wish I had listened to everyone and not started too fast! The overall energy and gradual downhill had me rolling in the first 10 miles and I definitely paid for it. I would have tried to pace better to have energy for the Newton hills which I crawled up.
I have been lucky that in my previous marathons I managed to escape hitting any real “wall” during the race. Well, I made up for that this time because I hit the Green Monster wall and never really managed to get over it. I struggled from mile 16 onward. I got a small second wind around mile 22-23 but quickly lost it. I trained on hills but I don’t think it prepared me enough for the Newton hills, especially coupled with the heat. I saw so many people walking and wanted to so badly but knew as soon as I started walking I wouldn’t be able to start running again. I slowed down the pace and shuffled my way through the last few miles.
I also wish I had spent the last few miles soaking up the crowd and giving high-fives like I had for the first 10 miles. I had so little energy left and just wanted to get to the finish line that I felt like I was tuning everything out. The last few miles are when you need support the most! It was being provided and I was in a hard headspace near the end.
The first thing I did post-race was find my family! I was joined by my fiancé, mom, sister and her husband, and one of my closest friends. None of us had been to Boston before! The whole town felt upbeat in preparation for the marathon and there are so many neat things to do downtown all within walking distance. The moment I was reunited with my crew felt really special. I’m very appreciative of all the support they gave me leading up to the race, on race day, and in all my running endeavors. Big hugs all around!! I got a large sprite which I was really craving, took a shower, and celebrated with NACHOS! Nachos are my favorite food and I love having them after a race. Also a few margaritas throughout the evening LOL. My family was eager to hear about my race experience, which I was excited to share (probably in greater detail than needed haha), but I was also eager to hear about their spectating experience! They were just a part of one of the biggest support crews in running! My sister actually had blisters on her fingers from ringing cowbells for so long. They were in awe of how many people came out to cheer the runners on. I am sure many of the spectators didn’t even know anyone running but they take pride in having a historical event run through their town. I’m really glad that my family got to experience it with me. Boston is truly a magical experience that I will cherish for the rest of my life!!”
Nathan Beamguard:
“This was also my 6th Boston Marathon (2016, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, with 2020 being virtual). In the past I’ve raced Boston, but this time I chose to enjoy my favorite course as a fun run. The lack of thinking about strategy and adjustments let me enjoy the days before the race with my friends a lot more than in the past. Warm weather on race day made me pay attention to taking in enough fluids, but otherwise I just ran and soaked in the great energy from the crowds. I still felt good enough afterward to go out for some great, salty food with my friends! I thoroughly enjoyed Boston 2024. “
Robert Jones:
“This wasn’t my first Boston Marathon, it’s actually the third after 2019 and 2023. Given how great this Marathon is (my #1 by far), I’ve never really thought I’d want to do it again and again; maybe doing it fewer times makes it more special? After the first time, I wanted a second shot to make sure the 1st one wasn’t a one-off thing; then I got a BQ during the 2nd one in 2023 so I absolutely couldn’t waste an opportunity like that, so 2 became 3… I’d like to think there’ll be a 4th one at some point, but we’ll see.
All three Boston races I’ve done have been different in their own way but I’m sure that I’ll remember this one as “The Warm/Hot One.” The warm weather really affected my race this year. It was really warm at the start and just got hotter and hotter as the race progressed. When the heat really started to affect my performance at mile 16-17, any thoughts I had of a similar time to 2023 disappeared quickly and then my mind switched over to just keeping going and making it to the end.
One big mistake I realized I made was on the bus to the start, it suddenly dawned on me that I’d left my running belt and all my running gels back in my hotel room… schoolboy error! I managed to borrow one from a fellow runner before the start and hoped fuel would be handed out at aid stations during the race itself which, luckily, they were. As far as any changes I wish I would have made, honestly, there isn’t much. I couldn’t do much about the weather and it affected a lot of folks’ performances and times.
As far as what makes this race memorable or different from prior Boston races, being able to share the whole experience of this race and Boston itself with my daughter made this one memorable. The race itself was pretty brutal due to the heat, especially the last 9 miles for me, but the intensity of support during that last stretch by the CITGO sign and onwards to Boylston Street is just astonishing, even when it’s hard just to put one foot in front of the other. My immediate post-race treat is for a Hot Latte, the largest size I can get. After a very slow walk of ~1.5 miles back to our hotel, a hot shower and a short rest to answer all the texts and messages of support I’d received, we then walked a couple of miles to stretch our legs again and had a fantastic Italian meal on Boylston Street. Finally, it was awesome that my friends, family and work colleagues were all able to track my progress on the BAA App and cheer me on wherever they were in the world; not that you can be aware of this when running, but just to know that’s happening is really cool.”
Alicia Rider:
“This was my 8th trip to the Boston Marathon. I got another BQ while there, but I doubt the buffer will stand. This was a hot year, but I knew that going in and adjusted my goals before I ever stepped foot on the course. I thought I had adjusted my pace down enough, but I still had cramps starting at mile 16 and had to grind my way through the last 10+ miles. I think knowing the course so well gave me the confidence to execute a better strategy with the heat. Knowing it would be so warm and sunny, I absolutely abandoned my planned goal time and that helped me greatly. So many people were having heat strokes and cramping. The medical tents were quite busy that day. It peaked at 73* that day, what people don’t realize is that we train in cold temps and going from training in 30* or colder to 73* is quite the challenge. And even though there was a slight tailwind, you never feel it because of all of the bodies around you. As far as changes, I wish it had been 40* with a tail wind, but what can you do haha.
My absolute favorite moments of the race were the people cheering back home, the crowd support at Boston and the volunteers at the race. It’s everything that surrounds the race and the people that support you that make this event so special. I always try to meet up with friends that are there. The race is awesome, but it is truly about everyone coming together to do what we love and celebrating everyone’s victories of the day. Sharing the experience with your friends is what makes it special. I just want to thank everyone that cheered for me, tracked me, and supported me. You carry that with you through the entire race and that helps when you hit the hardest spots and you are feeling low, you just start to think about everyone who is in your corner and you just keep moving forward for them.”
Jessica Allen:
“This was my 3rd Boston. Boston is unlike any other marathon I have ever ran. The crowd support is insane. It’s pretty cool how the city comes together for a bunch of strangers and encourages them. The whole weekend is a lot of fun and the people in Boston really make you feel special. We decided to start back this year and really slow down. It was too hot for a PR so we decided to just enjoy it as much as we could. We ran “party pace” style and got water at every single stop. I loved running with my friends – Hannah and Mitch and seeing my family in the last mile. It was nice to go to a Red Sox game, wake Forest baseball game and having fun dinners with the Winston crew. This Boston experience was really laid back for me and I really tried to enjoy myself the whole weekend.
As far as some of the challenges I faced, I went in with a bad foot- not sure what it is. We thought plantar but PT isn’t helping so I’m getting an MRI soon. That was a challenge and I think it made my right leg cramp more than normal because my form was off. I wish my legs wouldn’t have started cramping by mile 15, but not sure how to change that!
Post race was pretty simple activities by Boston standards. I drank Diet Coke and took pics with friends and family. Later that evening we all celebrated with a drink! As far as coming back, I do have a BQ for next year, but I haven’t decided on whether to register yet. I guess it will depend on how things with my foot go. Wish me luck!”
Sarah Budd
“This was my 3rd Boston experience. I love this race and I always want to keep coming back. I love the energy in Boston on race weekend. It’s so different from other races because there are spectators all 26.2 miles. You’re never alone. I was able to requalify at Boston this year. However, I don’t know if my time is fast enough to get into the 2025 race. It will be close. The heat definitely impacted the race. I had to adjust my pace and fluid strategy. More Gatorade and electrolytes than normal. With that, it made this particular Boston trip the hardest I’ve ever experienced. The heat makes it hard not to get into your head as you’re forced to slow your pace. This always makes staying positive a challenge. However, I am still happy with how everything went. The scream tunnel at Wellesley gives a great energy boost around the halfway point. It’s my favorite part of the race aside from the turn on Boyleston of course. Post race was time for a good ole’ veggie burger and old fashioned to celebrate another accomplished Boston.”
With all those great stories, who really needs an outro? We’ll share one anyway. Boston continues to leave lasting impressions on our runners and they look forward to going every year. Regardless of their racing strategy the day of, they worked hard to get to that point, be sure to pass some kudos their way for their hard work!
