Boston Marathon

**catnapper** · 04-17-2009, 10:01 AM

My son is running in the Boston Marathon Monday!!!

So everyone, please send oodles of "Run, Forrest, run!" Vibes to him!
He's listed in the top 2500 runners. That is in the top 10% of runners

And this was his first year running marathons. I personally think he's crazy -- I don't like driving 26 miles, let alone running it!

Here's a photo of him from one of his many races... actually 2 years ago. I'm a bad mommy who only has one photo of him running on her photobucket account

**lvpets2002** · 04-17-2009, 10:05 AM

Well he looks to be in shape for it.. I as well in my much much younger years was a runner.. It was easy then to do 20 miles.. I would be lucky to do 2 miles now..

Hey Best of Luck to Him..

**Karen** · 04-17-2009, 10:40 AM

The Marathon Goes right by our street! What will his bib number be? We'll look for him and cheer extra loud! (What's his name - yelling out Go Cameron's Uncle! might confuse people!) The neighbor children usually hand out water, we are right before Newton City Hall and Heartbreak Hill!

**lvpets2002** · 04-17-2009, 12:08 PM

WoW Karen sounds if you will have a front row seat.. That would be exciting.. I always watch it on TV.. Now I thought this was always on Saturday or Sunday.. But this one is on Monday..

Am I thinking of a differant Marathon??

**Karen** · 04-17-2009, 12:16 PM

It is always, always on a Monday. It's Patriot's Day, celebrating the "shot heard 'round the world" that happened a few miles from here and started the American Revolution, but in the towns along the route, it's Marathon Monday for sure!

**lvpets2002** · 04-17-2009, 12:18 PM

Ok I have just got my days crossed.. I just know its this Marathon that I watch every year.. Now does NewYork NY have a Marathon too??

Originally Posted by Karen

It is always, always on a Monday. It's Patriot's Day, celebrating the "shot heard 'round the world" that happened a few miles from here and started the American Revolution, but in the towns along the route, it's Marathon Monday for sure!

**catnapper** · 04-18-2009, 07:37 AM

Originally Posted by Karen

The Marathon Goes right by our street! What will his bib number be? We'll look for him and cheer extra loud! (What's his name - yelling out Go Cameron's Uncle! might confuse people!) The neighbor children usually hand out water, we are right before Newton City Hall and Heartbreak Hill!

Oh my goodness, how cool!!! His bib # is 2348, I think he'd get a HUGE kick out of being called Cameron's uncle! He'd even laugh harder if you shouted "Go Uncle Buck!" because thats what Cameron yells out at his races!

They actually wanted to bring Cam because he has so much fun at his races, but they knew it would be mass chaos at this one.

I am so proud of him. I wish I could be there for him, but I can't stand crowds and would be having a day-long panic attack. He might be running the Broad Street Run in Philly in a few weeks with my dad.... and even that "small" race is too crowded for me to sit with my mom.

Oh well, Callie and the kitties appreciate having me home with them

**Laura's Babies** · 04-18-2009, 09:37 AM

How exciting. Karen, you could make signs for him and place them along his route! Wouldn't he be surprised!

**Karen** · 04-18-2009, 03:17 PM

Originally Posted by Laura's Babies

How exciting. Karen, you could make signs for him and place them along his route! Wouldn't he be surprised!

Completely not allowed, trust me - they have already been cleaning up the whole route, setting up porta-potties, fences, etc. for days! But I and the neighbors will watch for his bib# and WILL yell "Go Uncle Buck!" really loud! He won't have any idea what I look like, so I won't bother to bring fruit or anything for him, as it would slow him down to look for me!

**catnapper** · 04-20-2009, 11:01 AM

How exciting! We've been watching him all day. He passed Karen a bit ago --- I think I heard her yell for him in Pennsylvania!

**Karen** · 04-20-2009, 12:01 PM

We (me, the mom next door and two kids) didn't see his number pass us, but we yelled for lots of people, a couple of the guys in orange and black had their numbers obscured, so we may have seen him and not known it was him! He's almost done ...

He IS done!

Official time: 3:05:39
Overall placement: 1975
Placement within gender: 1872
Placement within division: 1335

**Karen** · 04-20-2009, 12:56 PM

Kim, I am sorry we didn't spot him. We did look really hard - Asia and Windsor and their Mom and I all were looking for his number. It was pretty cold out there, and some runners had jackets and hats on. In the middle photo there is a man in red, it probably isn't him, but often we couldn't see numbers, and they went by pretty quickly.

The first is the eventual winner - crossing the crosswalk, near us!

The man running with the American flag was very noticeable - and must have amazing arm strength and endurance - he had at that point been running for almost 20 miles, and he was carrying the flag in one hand!

There were many Army folks in full packs walking the course - the guys Paul got a picture of clapped each of our hands as they passed - the kids and me!

Enjoy!

**Laura's Babies** · 04-20-2009, 03:23 PM

WOW Karen! Those are some great shots!!! That had to be fun!!!

**Karen** · 04-20-2009, 03:42 PM

Thanks, Paul took the pictures, as he's a better photographer than I! It is fun, every year - we like when the runners have their names or cities or countries on their short, so we can yell "Go Mike!" or "Go Alaska" and we yelled really loudly for the two people in Iowa shirts, as Lydia (mom next door) is from Iowa!

I spoke to Kim's hubby by phone, and next year we'll be better organized for this!