2013 - "I Have Unfinished Business in 2014"

John Hazen

My Journey started on a very good day, as I was blessed to qualify in my very first marathon, September 2012, at Presque Isle, Lake Erie, PA, running a 3:52:00, three minutes under my BQ time of 3:55.

At age 60, I was the oldest runner from Shelby County to run the 2013 Boston Marathon. Jan Jensen, a fellow runner in the Gazelles & Geezers and Germantown Thoroughbred groups, and a Boston Marathon veteran, convinced me I should try a full marathon, based on good runs I ran at the St Jude's 1/2, Gulf Coast 1/2 Ironman, and Navy Nautical 10 miler. Jan ran a PR at Presque Isle and also qualified for Boston.

In January, I tore a calf muscle, but Dr. Laura Linderman and Therapist Joel Lyons got me back up to 18 miles two weeks before Boston.

Marathon morning is exciting and the logistics of getting to the bus with your bag in hand are a challenge for a first timer. Athletes’ Village is busy; I hardly got off my feet though before I began the three quarter mile walk to the start. On the way, you shed clothing and my black Memphis Runners Track Club hoodie is now in a Boston charity. Jan and I both started at 10:40 a.m. in Wave 3, Corral #2, and we ran together the first two miles in a large crowd. There is no maneuvering and you are packed in very tightly with fellow runners. Boston is a hilly course, and my quad muscles really tightened up forcing me to walk several times. The spectators lined the entire route, were incredibly vocal and supportive, and made you feel special, like an elite runner.

2013 - "My legs were screaming to stop, but my brain wouldn't listen."

Joe Peters

I am a practicing physician in southwest Tennessee’s Hardin County, and live in a small community just north of Corinth, Mississippi. I started running seriously later in life, and over an eight year period worked my way up from 5k’s to marathons. I first ran Boston in 2011, after qualifying in 2010. I thought I was in heaven! There is nothing to compare with the Boston Marathon (at least for me)!

I have qualified four times for Boston since 2010, but did not run in 2012 due to a severe knee injury just one month before the race. I had knee surgery the week after Boston 2012, and spent the next four months not running and doing a lot of therapy. This included eight weeks on crutches. I had already qualified for 2013 Boston in February 2012. So, my recovery, including being able to run again at Boston, was a big challenge and goal for me. Boston 2013 was special.

2007 - Not Ready for the Kenyan JV Team

Steve Penrose

It’s three days to the Patriots’ Day holiday, or more correctly, Marathon Day. I head down to the convention center to pick up my official number and information packet. There are about 23,000 people signed up to run, but few show up right at the opening and the volunteers process us smoothly and quickly. Naturally the exit from the number pick-up leads directly to a massive exposition where purveyors of everything associated with running—shoes, clothes, watches, energy foods—compete for attention.

Attractive young male and female salespeople assure me that just this one last item will allow me to challenge the Kenyans for victory on the big day. All participants no doubt scoff at these assurances, as every runner is schooled to understand it is idiotic, if not dangerous, to wear anything new and untested in a race. Thus educated and fortified against foolishness, I leave with only a new windbreaker, fleece pullover, tights, and watch with GPS locator and automatic pace alerts. Long lines of the equally unfoolish keep me from buying more.