Let me tell you, Boston takes no prisoners - Vince Hemingson (April 17, 2006)

Vince Hemingson

Boston is one tough marathon course. Reading about the route and even driving the course doesn't really prepare you for what it is like to race at Boston. Everybody who struggles with the Boston Beast can take some solace in the fact that even four-time winner Bill Rodgers dropped out of his first Boston race at twenty miles. I often caution people in training for the marathon to remember the saying, "You have to respect the race, you have to respect the distance." This goes double for Boston. After completing my first Patriots Day race, I developed a whole new reverence and respect for the Boston Marathon.

A Postponement for a By-Pass - Randy Lambert (April 18, 2005)

Randy Lambert

I ran the Chicago Marathon in 2001. My goal was to complete my first marathon in under four hours, but that day I crossed the finish line at 4:15. I was overwhelmed by such a large race atmosphere and was not prepared for a race of that caliber. A few months later I ran the St. Jude Memphis Marathon where I finished at 3:39. Comparing the two courses, I saw Memphis as the more difficult course. In my mind I knew I could return to Chicago and get the 3:30 BQ time I needed.

Shortly after the Memphis marathon I began training seriously for my return to Chicago. What I remembered about the Chicago course was it was flat, fast, and there were around 40,000 runners, and well over a million spectators. Over the last quarter of the race, there were  bands stationed every mile,  with musicians anxious to help push tired runners to the end. Thinking of all this motivated me during my training. On October 12, 2003, I crossed the finish line at 3:30.08 and qualified for the Boston Marathon. Thank God for cushion time! My wife and girls had accompanied me on this trip and were there to celebrate with me. I still get emotional thinking about reuniting with them after I made it through the chute.

I was on track to run Boston the following April. Two weeks after I came home from Chicago I began training. I returned to Memphis six weeks later to run the half marathon as part of my preparation. During the race I noticed I could not maintain the pace I was used to running, and when I would hit that particular pace I felt a burning feeling in my chest. I knew something was not right, so after the race I consulted my physician, who is a good family friend and fellow runner. He urged me to get this checked out immediately.

The following week I made an appointment with a cardiologist. I completed a stress test on a treadmill where I was told to run as long as I could. Well, it did not take long till the doctors and nurses started referring to me as “The Marathon Man.” I was told I passed the test with flying colors and there should not be a problem with completing the Boston Marathon in April. I was then instructed to go across the street to eat a hamburger and come back for one more test. It was during this test the doctor saw something suspicious. He ordered a heart cath for the following day as a precautionary measure. However, during the heart cath they found blockage that could not be corrected with a stint and would require open-heart surgery. I had this surgery the next day and returned home after a four-day stay in the hospital on Christmas Eve. I told the nurses Santa was coming and I had to be home for my girls.

Knowing I had two years eligibility to run the BM and knowing there would be no way I could run that April, I made the decision to run the second year. I guess it was not really a decision, but just what had to happen. Time went on, and even though I had been given the go-ahead by my physician and cardiologist to start training, there was still a part of me that was hesitant to put my running shoes back on. I bumped into Kenneth Williams one night at Walmart, and he asked about how my running was going. After sharing I was not doing any running and hesitant to start training again, Kenneth told me to stay put and he would be right back. Next thing I knew, he comes back with a heart monitor and told me to see if that would give me the peace of mind I needed to start running again. This did in fact provide me the encouragement and confidence I needed to get back on the road. After my hopes began to rise a little more, I got back into running 5Ks and 10Ks nearby until the time came to become serious in my training for Boston. In these races I would wear a shirt that said, “A guy with a by-pass just passed you.” While I was making my comeback, I was still hesitant to complete my long runs out on the road. I found solace with the treadmill at work. It was on the treadmill where I completed every single one of my long runs. Work even bought me a brand new treadmill, and I ultimately burned out the motor by the end of my training!

April came and it was time for my wife and I to make our way to Boston. We were both so impressed with how organized the expo was, and I loaded up on my Boston Marathon merchandise, unsure if I would ever have the chance to get more. We had a great weekend in Boston. My wife and I ate great food and enjoyed sightseeing. Come race day I soon found out training solely on a treadmill for a marathon was not wise. I vividly remember looking up and realizing I was at the bottom of Heartbreak Hill. I was so discouraged I started walking. I experienced cramps for the first time. I was planning to complete the race in four hours, but finished in just under five.

Although this was not my best race experience, I was so thankful to have made it to Boston. I know running saved my life. If I had not been running, my doctors told me I would have never felt the burning in my chest that led the doctors to find the blockage that would have led to a fatal heart attack. While I was running the Boston Marathon I focused not on the pain I was in, but how grateful I was to have the opportunity to run.

Recently I have put my running shoes back on and am training for my first marathon in many years. I am proud to say I will be running with my youngest daughter for her first half marathon with hopes of one day soon returning to Boston for my revenge on Heartbreak Hill. We have a score to settle.

Randy Lambert
Corinth, Mississippi



For more personal accounts of the 2005 Boston marathon, click here.

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April 21, 2014 - Thank you, Boston, for your strength, perseverance, beauty, and grace.

Curt Metzger

Just about anything I say will not do it any justice. But let me try…again.

Amazing support. The BAA kept in perfect contact with us through the final crazy month and few last weeks. Their information content was right on and they repeated very important items.

Volunteers realized what they were in for and they were ready: From the loads of service men and women stationed everywhere along the way of our trip out to Hopkinton, in Athletes’ Village, along the course inside and outside the barricades, to all the completely amazing course support. There was always someone there. A splash of water or two. Some lube. A cold rag. They were happy to be there and ready to help. True SERVANT’S HEARTS. Well trained. Thank you.

April 21, 2014 – “Toronto runner conquers double Boston Marathon — and much more”

Jean-Paul Bedard

Two weeks prior to last year's Boston Marathon I disclosed to family and friends that I am a survivor of childhood sexual abuse. I was on the street when the bombs went off... After five months off work with PTSD, I decided to return to Boston and run a double marathon to raise funds and awareness of childhood sexual abuse. During the week leading up to the race, I did over 25 media interviews about the project.

Alyshah Hasham, a reporter for the Toronto Star, provided this introduction to my 2014 Boston story in her front page article the next day:

April 15, 2013 – Left or right? A seemingly minor decision leads me away from danger

David Meier

[In 2013, David Meier cruised through his fourth consecutive Boston Marathon in 3:23:10, finishing in the upper half of his age group. Here he offers an introspective look at what happened next…]

Left or right? That was the choice we faced as we exited the Westin Copley Square that beautiful April afternoon. I had just finished the 2013 Boston Marathon and was feeling pretty good about myself. I was starving, so I said to my wife “Let’s go this direction away from the crowds.” So just a few hundred yards from the finish line, we turned away and headed down Dartmouth Street.

And there it was – a boom that stopped everyone in their tracks. People stood in the street and looked around, while cars blew their horns at the confused pedestrians.

2013 - "Though in a crowd of stunned runners and spectators, I felt alone"

Jimmy Johnson

After months of training, my wife and I had arrived at the marathon event of the year, the 2013 Boston Marathon. We started together in Wave 3, Corral 6, running for an American Medical Athletic Association charity. In four hours our day would drastically change.

A knee injury forced me to slow my pace and allowed me to just enjoy the scenery, the cool weather and cheering fans along the legendary Hopkinton to Boston course. Little did I know, had I slowed down another ten minutes, I would have been directly in front of the explosions.

I had just received my finisher’s medal when I heard and felt the first blast.

No one knew what was happening. Some thought the explosions were planned events, such as cannons being fired to celebrate Patriots’ Day. Several minutes later, the fear in the back of my mind was confirmed when the ambulances began pouring in. Not wanting any lasting memory of the event I was witnessing, I resisted taking any photographs.

2013 - "Back at the hotel, our phones went wild!."



Curt Metzger

My new boss called me on Monday evening to make sure I was OK. After I told him Kathy and I were not harmed or immediately affected by the blasts, he left me with a final statement/ directive that really took a while to sink in. He said, "Be sure to look after the Mrs. She was there. She was close. She may be a little upset and freaked out. Just keep an eye on her."

Anticipation had been growing since late September 2012, and I thought the day would never arrive. Boston is the pinnacle of road racing and getting there was important. The hard part of qualifying was over. The best part of running and soaking in the moment was drawing near. Boston was finally here.

Kathy chose Golden Adventures to plan our stay and some activities. The Boston Park Plaza Hotel would be our Mother Ship for four days and three nights. This fine building has been welcoming tired souls since 1927 and is beautiful. Our room was 1134, which was pretty close (kinda) to my Bib #11032.

2013 - "Like no other marathon I’ve run. I understand why people who love it, love it."

Greg Halen

This race is going to be remembered for a long time, and for all the wrong reasons. I've gone back and forth in my head about whether or not to post this Race Report. Most of y'all know my background (or at least a lot of it). Over the years I've gotten pretty good at compartmentalizing things (a useful skill if you are called upon to be an interim aircraft accident investigation board member when there are civilian casualties--like a four year old boy who happens to have the same name as your four year old son). This ability is a blessing and a curse. And now, a VERY long Race Report...

Boston Race Report: A quick disclaimer. I had finished the 117th Boston Marathon an hour and twenty-four minutes before the bombs detonated. In fact, I had already left downtown Boston and as far as I can tell figure out was on the subway or maybe even the rental car when the bombs went off. Prior to the attack, it had been an amazing trip. This report will dwell on things leading up to the race and the race itself.

2012 – Record Hot Weather Provides A Different Experience

David Meier

If you ever wonder how weather affects people’s moods, look no further than the 2012 Boston Marathon. For those not aware, Marathon Monday in 2012 was one of the hottest on record with temperatures near 90 degrees by the end of the race.

If you’re a tourist, this beach-like weather was a real treat, since April is typically cold, wet and windy. However, if you’re running, you would prefer July temperatures to take their proper place in line and come much later in the year. Either way, what was striking to me was the difference in how the city presented itself under these conditions compared to previous years.

On my first Boston Marathon trip in 2010, my experience was most of the people we encountered on race weekend were crabby, rude and even belligerent. In previous years, the race seemed to present more of an inconvenience to the locals than an opportunity to showcase their city.

2011 - "I mean I only had nine seconds to spare..."

Alan Smith

Running the Boston Marathon was not my goal as a runner. I didn’t start running with that on my mind. I was a tri-athlete in 2008 and had completed several sprints triathlons, Olympics, and one half Ironman.

I wanted to do a full Ironman before the age of 50. To do that, I had to be able to run a marathon, AFTER swimming 2.4 miles, and riding a bike 112 more. I could do the first two stages of an Ironman but the 26.2 mile run afterward was something I would have to work on.

From some of my cycling friends, I had heard about Kenneth Williams: "Koach," as most runners know him. They said he was a marathon guru so-to-speak, and could help me if I wanted to train for a marathon. I contacted him and scheduled a visit. Soon afterwards, I sat down in Koach’s office to discuss training for a marathon. A discussion of "the greatest marathon" came up, and while sitting there, I began to think how great it would be if I could run the Boston Marathon someday.

1991 - "One and Done, I Thought!!!"

Kenneth Williams

I began running in 1977, just after returning from a trip where I met a guy who had "run a marathon." That sounded like a neat thing to do, so I decided I’d like to try it.

I had no running experience, other than trying to prepare for high school football, a sport I participated in only until the coach first handed out uniforms. Needless to say, this disappointing event marked a lackluster end to my short football journey.

The morning after I returned from the trip, November 2nd, 1977, I laced on my Converse Tennis Shoes and went to the Corinth High School football field and onto the cinder track. I ran a half mile. I rather enjoyed it, and ran well (little did I know the unkempt oval around CHS field was far less than a quarter mile!).

I continued and progressed with distance, endurance and speed. I trained all through the winter and towards spring, felt I was about ready to pick a marathon. Early summer I chose a "Big City" marathon, with all the hype, Chicago. The race was in its second year and was HUGE - 9,000 runners, perhaps the largest marathon at that time. Mid-September, my buddy, Terry, and I ran the Chicago Marathon.