Running Introduction

On April 16, 2012, I will be running the Boston Marathon on behalf of Massachusetts General Hospital. I am an avid runner and it has always been my dream to run Boston. However, as I think of the reasons why I am running this particular race, another story comes to mind. For 26.2 miles I will run for an organization who has saved the person that I love most in the world, my mother. Jan Mertz is my role model and best friend, and on April 16th, she will be my inspiration (follow the SPONSOR ME link to read the full story). My fund raising goal of $5,000.00 is not nearly enough to thank such an amazing hospital, but it is a start. Thank you in advance for your support and for reading my blog!!

Follow my blog for updates on my training schedule, energy-rich snacks and meals, but most of all, how to prepare mentally and physically for 26.2 miles!

Sunday, April 15, 2012

13 HOURS UNTIL THE 116th BOSTON MARATHON!

Hello family, friends and fellow runners!

As I sit here in my bed, 13 hours before the start of my 1st Boston Marathon, I am thinking about the challenge that lies ahead of me. Tomorrow, after waking up at 5:00am, I will head to Hokpinton, MA via bus. At 10:10am, I will exit the Athletes' Village and walk 0.7 miles to the Boston Marathon starting line. By that point, the elite women (starting at 9:30am) and the elite men (starting at 10:00am) will already be on their way to Boston. At 10:40, I will cross the starting line and begin my journey. From Hopkinton, I will run through Ashland, Framingham, Natick, Wellesley, Newton, Brookline and finally enter into Boston. Over those 26.2 miles, I will have net elevation drop of about 500 ft, and encounter both uphill and downhill regions that are notoriously known by runners worldwide - ex: heartbreak hill. Also, to top it all off, it will be a high of 87 degrees tomorrow.

Wow. I have a wide variety of feelings going through my head. I'm nervous for a new course, anxious for the pain that I know my body will feel and scared for the heat. But most of all, I am EXCITED. Despite the pain, weather and course (which is known by many as the world's most challenging marathon), tomorrow I know that I will be running THE Boston Marathon. Even more exciting, I am running on the 30th anniversary of women running as well as the 15th anniversary of the MGH Marathon Team. The Boston Marathon is not just a race, it is truly an experience, and I plan on enjoying every single step.

So to end my pre-race post, I want send out a final thank you. Currently, I have raised $7,608.00 and have already received numerous texts, e-mails and facebook posts from friends and family wishing me good luck for tomorrow. I cannot tell you how much this means to me and I promise that tomorrow, when I think I can't go any further, when I am cursing myself for signing up for such a physically exhausting and painful race, I will be thinking of every single one of you and will remind myself that I cannot let myself and my fans down :)

Peace, Love and RUNNING!

Valerie
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