For my second day in Boston I received a real thrill when I met marathon great, Bill Rodgers. Four times winner of the Boston and New York marathons, a former US olympian, and Boston resident, it was Jim Fixx's stories about Rodgers that first got me interested in the Boston marathon all those years ago.Even though I was just one in a long line to see him at Boston's Hynes Convention Center, Bill was incredibly friendly and was keen to talk. He asked me about Deek and Monas and surprisingly even asked about Benita Johnson who he described as an outstanding run
ner. He said he had visited Australia to run the Melbourne Marathon and would love to come back. Without me asking he gave me some pointers for Monday's race, suggesting especially that I dress well given the doom-like forecast (see below).Bill gave me his autograph writing: "Don, run steady on the Boston Hills, Bill Rodgers 2007". While I was waiting to meet Bill, I was chatting to a young American from Florida who had been an exchange student in Australia and at the University of Queensland of all places, which was my alma mater. Small world.
Marathon fever continues to build in this phenomenal city with the weather remaining the main talking point. Boston's two
major Saturday dailies ran front page stories on the Marathon. For its headline story the Boston Globe wrote: "With a nasty brew of heavy rain, cold and headwinds forecast for Monday, authorities are scrambling to mitigate the misery of 23,000 runners in what could rank among the worst conditions in the history of the Boston Marathon".I think I have come well prepared and will be running in my full winter k
it but it will be interesting to see what the weather does throw up on Monday. Race organisers have sent emails to all runners with guidelines for avoiding hypothermia and snow is forecast for tomorrow. Gulp!At least we should have God on our side, judging by this banner I saw outside of the Old South Church near the marathon finish line.
I have never come across a level of anticipation and excitement as I have for the Boston
Marathon. It reminds me of the build-up to the Melbourne Cup back home, but yet this is for a road race. The local WBZ TV station continues to give regular weather updates and station promos for its live coverage. Runners are everywhere and you can't go anywhere without being reminded of the race (subway poster at left).Is there another city in the world with such a devotion to a road race? I would be interested to find out. It's as if all the running gods have descended on this city, this Mecca of the running world for the once in year celebration of the running spirit. For me, the dream continues. Meeting Bill Rodgers just made it even more a bit surreal.
As I write this my friends running the Canberra Marathon should just be coming to the end of their own race. I hope their dreams have come true too.
