Marathon Monday
Posted April 17, 2012 by dunhame
When you move to Massachusetts, they give you a free holiday! The third Monday of April is Patriots Day, the Massachusetts state holiday commemorating the Battles of Lexington and Concord. There were battle reenactments, parades, and ceremonies all over the state this weekend. One other big thing about Patriots Day is it always serves as the day of the Boston Marathon. It was certainly an exciting weekend to be a resident of Boston!
Unfortunately, I didnt make it out to any of the Revolutionary War commemoration events, but I did have a chance to be a spectator at about mile 24 of the Boston Marathon. I used boston.coms handy interactive map to determine that the route went through Coolidge Corner, which is within walking distance from my apartment. (With Boston well over-capacity due to the international pull of the marathon, I did NOT want to brave public transit!) I doused myself in sunscreen and made way to join the crowd of eager Bostonians awaiting their chance to cheer on the marathoners.
It was incredibly exciting to be able to play some role in the historical event, so familiar to so many people around the world. Along with the spectators around me, I yelled, clapped, and cheered on the athletes, so amazed at their dedication. It was a very hot year in Boston for the marathon; the temps ventured well into the high 80s, and it certainly took its toll. The volunteers running the race did a great job of responding to this by setting up more water stations than originally planned and by providing mist shower tents, which provided the athletes a needed, if brief, respite.
This foray into summer-like weather and the excited vibe of Boston definitely has had me distracted from my schoolwork for too long. But I must push onward
only three weeks to go!