"Marathon Monday"

I arrived Boston tired but in good shape around midnight local time Thursday (2 pm Canberra time Friday) and am already getting a feel for the extraordinary hold the race has over this city.

The place is abuzz with runners and talk about the Marathon. The streets are adorned with posters (at right) and you just know that that lean looking dude in the running shoes and track pants at any street corner in Boston at present is here to do business on "Marathon Monday" as the locals call it.

The local TV station is already giving regular promos about its upcoming live coverage of the race and the local Boston Globe newspaper even produced a 10-page lift out spread for the race in today's edition (below left). I could never imagine this happening for any race in Australia.

The weather is the big talking point. The temperature in Boston today (Friday 13) ranges from 0 to 4 degrees. Similar temps plus heavy rain and strong winds are forecast for the race itself. It might be spring here but the weather feels like an unpleasant Canberra day in mid-winter. It's chilly.

I have had an easy day so far. I have been to the runners' expo (at right), which is impressive in itself - massive in size - to pickup up my number and other bits and pieces. I have already met some runners from Aus and also had a good chat today to several US runners who had made the trek from Arizona and Pennsylvania.

Such is the feeling around town that I think I am coming to understand Jim Fixx's observation in his Complete Book of Running that Bostonians love their marathon. Even as spectators they look on it with pride and recall the day that they were there in one particular year to watch such and such do battle. The weather might reduce the spectator numbers a little next Monday. But I am still told that crowds of ten deep will line the course up to 500,000 in number. And these people are there there to cheer on the back of the pack guys as much as the elite.

I took a snapshot of the finish line in Bolyston Street (at left) and am trying to imagine what it will be like on Monday. Three days out from the race the atmosphere is already fantastic. It's hard to describe my feelings at present. I just know that my dream has started and I enjoying the sensation.

Time to go as I am trying to squeeze in a light run before it gets dark.