Last Friday was the final weekday of vacation week for our town’s schools. I was encouraged to take that day off from work so all of us could go to the Museum of Science in Boston with some friends. This is an affordable go-to option for us as a family throughout the year because we have a membership, and frequent visits make it worthwhile.
Naturally, as with many memberships to various institutions and other activities, we get our share of newsletters and offers from the Museum of Science. One of these that has caught my attention in the late winter over the last couple of years is information related to a Museum of Science team to run the Boston marathon, which includes a group training program. The only string attached is that team members are expected to fund raise a minimum of $4000.
Right away, this whole idea strikes me as a non-starter, mostly because I really don’t think I’m a very inspiring ‘people person’. I may or may not be able to raise that kind of money, but it could end up being a very expensive way of finding out that I can’t, as I would be ‘on the hook’ for that amount.
Once my thought process gets to this point, I don’t typically think much more about it, but rather the typical running events for the year that we do, such as the Litchfield NH Raider Run in April, the Pineland Farms Barefoot 5k in May, the New Hampshire Reach the Beach Relay in September, and then some other long(ish) distance race in the fall.
So we got on the road to the museum. When we got there, I thought getting into Boston was surprisingly easy, considering it was a weekday. We found a decent parking space in the garage, and there was no line getting into the museum. This was WAY better than dealing with the crowds I anticipated and dreaded. It was certainly shaping up to be a good day and I definitely thought it was a good use of a vacation day from work.
Those of you who have been to the Museum of Science probably recall that once you pass the admission gate, there is a generously-sized window that overlooks Boston’s Back bay. The view is taken from about this location:
Very nice.
I was able to really take in this view because the rest of our group was strategizing our day to see as much of the museum as possible, and anything they decided would have been fine with me.
As a nerdy architect, this view of the skyline is something I could stare at for a long time. If for no other reason, I liked seeing how the skyline has changed between now and the days I went to College and then worked in Boston.
But as a runner suffering badly from treadmill fatigue and Spring Fever, there was something more that I was thinking about. I could see the Citgo sign, the lights at Fenway Park, the Prudential and Hancock Towers and a few other landmarks on the race route. I recalled the occasions when I’ve looked at the Boston Marathon map and noticed that the race starts just 12.6 miles (as the crow flies) from where we used to live in Sudbury, goes through Natick right past the hospital where I was born, and through my old stomping grounds of Chestnut Hill, Brighton, Allston, Kenmore Square and down Boylston Street to the finish line at Copley Square. The more I think about it, the more I can’t get away from the idea that I just HAVE to run it someday.
Thus, if I want to get there, I’ll just have to do it the old-fashioned way… by qualifying.
Easy… I just have to run a qualifying marathon in 3:25 (7:49 average pace)… which is light years from where I am now.
And no, there’s NOT a hack for that. This will take real work and commitment.
Barefoot Heretic 