Ten Years Later: We Are Boston Stronger

 

Tomorrow marks the 14th anniversary of when I was blessed to run the 2009 Boston Marathon. Once you've experienced the Boston Marathon it becomes a part of your heart and soul.

With Tom and Ruth Anne getting ready to run the Providence Half Marathon on 5/7 for Victory Programs we weren't sure how much of the Boston Marathon Weekend festivities we were going to be a part of. BUT it was the 10th year after the events of 4/15/13 and the 50th anniversary of when our good friend Jacqueline Hansen won the Boston Marathon. We decided that Tom and Ruth Anne would drop me off at the Expo on Friday and spend time together in the afternoon while I soaked up the energy of the 127th Boston Marathon Weekend.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There was no line to get into the Expo. A volunteer stood near the entrance as I walked through where the lines would have wound around. He knew me from social media and we had a delightful chat about Boston Marathon Weekend. 

My first stop was at the FlavaNaturals Booth. I met the Founder of FlavaNaturals, Alan Frost at the Hyannis Marathon Expo in 2020. It was so awesome to see him again post-pandemic!

I was delighted to share my experience with FlavaNaturals Expo goers regaling the nutritious delicious product that Alan developed. What a surprise to find myself talking with someone I had not seen in several years. She took off her sunglasses and mask and I realized who she was. We briefly got caught up on life and reconnected as Facebook friends. It was one of those magical moments that gets orchestrated during Boston Marathon Weekend.

I wanted to get a front row seat for Jacqueline Hansen's Expo panel with her fellow Boston Marathon Champion, Jon Anderson celebrating their 50th anniversary of when they won Boston. The previous panel had just finished. I took a seat at the edge of the 2nd row. I just happened to look over and said, "Rosy" referencing Rosemary Spraker. We planned to meet last year but the stars didn't align. She provided our 2020 Virtual Expo panel with the technical support we needed to be able to submit our production for the on line Expo. We hugged for several minutes savoring that intense post-pandemic gratitude moment. Kathrine Switzer joined the conversation and we settled down to enjoy the next 45 minutes of Jacqueline and Jon sharing their Boston Marathon experiences.

 

Jacqueline donated the shirt she wore when she won the 1973 Boston Marathon to the Boston Marathon archives. One of her friend's presented her with a gift after the talk. It was a replica of the shirt she wore! Jacqueline was at first shocked and then moved to tears by the beautiful gesture.

Tom and Ruth Anne picked me up and we enjoyed a delicious dinner at Golden Temple, our favorite restaurant. On Saturday, we went on a run dedicating our miles to those who were injured and died on 4/15/13. We connected with friends on line and spread love, kindness and compassion in cyberspace and in real life.

Sunday was a day to relax as we prepared for Boston Marathon spectating. With the cold, rainy weather and Tom and Ruth Anne's upcoming Half Marathon in Providence, we decided to watch the race on line. What an amazing experience! WCVB TV did an outstanding job with commentary on the wheelchair race. We were moved to tears and goosebumps when Ernst van Dyk who was our Team Captain when we were part of Spaulding Rehab's Race for Rehab Team, received a standing ovation when he returned to the Fairmont Copley. This was his final Boston Marathon. 

It was a stunning upset for the Men's Elite runners and the Female Elite Runners had a fight to the finish.

We waited to go on our Monday run until the Elites had finished and cheered on our friends virtually as we tracked them. We headed to the Reservoir to get in our Monday miles when the cheering of the crowds from Cleveland Circle beckoned us to watch the runners for a bit. Despite the rain and chill in the air, feeling the energy of Marathon Monday warmed our hearts and souls. 

 

With the help of the BAA tracker, we were able to find and cheer for several of our L Streeters. I loved seeing how our presence gave them a boost.

One of Ruth Anne's friends from Camp and School was featured in a news report about Black Men Running Club. She was able to spot him coming down Chestnut Hill Avenue. She jumped up and down and screamed his name. The biggest smile flashed across his face as he headed toward the finish line. 

Here are photos that capture the atmosphere at Cleveland Circle:

Our feet were cold and we were about to head home when Ruth Anne suggested we wait for Henry Richard and the group of his brother Martin's friends who were running together. Martin's dream was to run the Boston Marathon when he turned 18 years old. To honor his memory, a group of Martin's friends who turned 18, joined Team MR8.

Boston was in full bloom thanks to a relatively mild winter and a two day heat wave last week (that fortunately broke before race day).

It was as though Mother Nature was mirroring the feelings of rebirth and renewal ten years after the tragic events of 4/15/13.

 

On our way home, we saw this pink heart in the little field:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Love always wins. Light prevails.  Ten years later we ARE Boston Stronger!

From my heart to yours
In health and wellness,
Mary

Visit my website  to be inspired by my journey. May it ignite a spark within you to go farther than you ever believed you could. Be sure to visit the News and Events Page.

My books that pack powerful messages of healing, hope and possibilities are available on Amazon 

 Thank you to Mike Reilly for featuring my story on Stories From the Finish Line Sponsored by CURAD Performance Series  to inspire others.