April 21, 2014 - Nothing in my life will ever come close to this marathon!

Tim Kowols

“So, how was Boston?”

I have been asked that question by just about everyone since we got back home from Massachusetts. It only makes sense. I had not run Boston since 2008. Outside of the Marine Corps Marathon and the Walt Disney Marathon, I had done nothing under the current 3:05 qualifying standard. I registered for the race in September and became an official competitor by October. Then followed six months of waiting and training. Waiting for a dream to come true again, and training in the worst weather I have ever experienced.

Then, all of sudden, it's April: Hotel is booked, flight is booked, bags are packed. The only mishap was the USPS not handling my Runner's Welcome Packet properly, causing my Passport to fall out somewhere between the B.A.A. and Green Bay.

During this time, the hype begins to build. Expectations begin to rise. With most, if not all races, you hope the race gets within shouting distance of those expectations. Maybe it's because I love the Boston Marathon so much, but two times completed, two times absolutely blown out of the water with everything that is part of the marathon weekend in the city of Boston.

April 21, 2014 - Beauty from ashes. That is what I witnessed in Boston

DeDe Gibbs

Wow.

That's the first thought that comes to my mind when I reflect on the past weekend. Just. Wow.

I ran the Boston Marathon yesterday. My seventh marathon - my second Boston. And yet it felt like a new experience - like nothing else I've ever done. I can still hear the cheers. See the faces. Passionate. Determined. United. Urging us on toward the goal.

Overwhelming. Compelling. Powerful cheers.

Wow.

2011 - God took my two marathon verses, put them into one, and marked them with my Boston Marathon time!

DeDe Gibbs

In September 2010, I ran the Fox Cities Marathon, placing 3^rd Masters and 18th female. It was my third marathon, but the first I would run after having six children.

I ran it in memory of my mother who had passed away a year before. My qualifying time was 3:33:23. My mother’s birthdate was 3-23-33! So ironic. I hoped to improve at Boston 2011 by ten minutes and get the numbers in the correct order!

The following spring, at the age of 46, I did even better than that, finishing in 3:19.

My 2011 Boston Placement Stats:
Division: 36/1591 Top 2%
Gender: 593/10073 Top 6%
Overall: 4936/23879 Top 21%

Boston Qualified! 2015 - "By my fourth race, I was passing my buddy and really enjoying competing!"

Dale Sandley

 I really haven’t been running very long. When I turned 50, in 2005, I started thinking more about my health, and joined a fitness center. I ran on the treadmill, used the elliptical, and regularly went to fitness classes.

In 2010, a buddy talked me into running a 5k with him. This was the first time I ever ran outside. It was a small event and I finished 4th in age group (behind my buddy). My next 5k I finished 3rd in my age group, again behind my buddy. It was wonderful winning an award. I had never played sports in school, so it was a new experience. By my fourth race, I was passing my buddy and really enjoying competing!

The more races I won, the more motivated my training became. By the end of that year, I had my 5k time down to 21:30!