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When it comes to spring, fans of the national pastime, major league baseball, are anxious to shake off the dust on the gloves, clean off the cleats and break out the bats. They can’t wait to hear the call of the umpire to “Play ball!”
For runners the right of spring means marathon season, and for many, stepping on the start line in Hopkinton, MA to run the B.A.A. Boston Marathon. Steeped in tradition, “Boston” is the oldest, continuously run marathon in the world. Patterned after the original, modern-day Olympic Marathon of 1896, in Athens, the revival of the Games held for centuries in Greece.
In 1897, the Boston Athletic Association used the same theme, the celebration of a messenger doing his duty, when creating their event. Pheidippides ran between Athens and Sparta and back, then to the plains of Marathon and back, to first, request the aid of the Spartans and then announce the Athenians’ victory over the invading Persians, before dying.
The messenger chosen to celebrate his feat, during the Boston Marathon, was Paul Revere, to honor his midnight ride to warn the British were coming. Thus, the race is set on Patriot’s Day, a state holiday in Massachusetts.
My first-time running the Boston Marathon, in 1984, meant a commitment to training, running faster and reaching goals. I needed to run 2 hours 50 minutes or less. I ran a 2:49:12 and then lowered it to 2:38:47 at Milwaukee’s Lakefront Marathon, before going. I finished in 2:44:16, that year, among the top 900 and was one of my state’s top finishers.
It was a nasty day and I learned what a nor’easter was! Wet shoes and socks are not the way to start any race, but I got through it wearing my Wigwam marathon socks, heading into the wind the entire way, with cold rain biting my nose and cheeks.
Still requiring a Boston Qualifier (BQ), means a runner must meet a standard set by the B.A.A. These standards (www.baa.org) are for open runners, meaning those under age 40 and then in 5-year age groups, by gender. In 2011 these standards were tightened, making it more difficult to qualify and the 59 seconds considered a grace minute, was eliminated.
In 2007, I began my current streak of 5 official Boston’s and one unofficial, which I ran with Dave McGillivray the race director following my 2010 finish, which was his 38th consecutive finish. I started going back yearly, in memory of my wife and have found each time to be as rewarding as the year’s before.
This year was no different. I was asked by Wigwam to be part of their raffle drawing and draw the winner’s name from those race participants who purchased 3 pair of socks. I chose Don Langdon of Barstow, GA and he took home a gift basket of Wigwam products and gift certificates, including one from www.ShoeBuy.com who partnered with Wigwam at this year’s expo. Two interns from Northeastern University, Kelsey and Kayla, helped manufacturer’s representative, Mary Gustafson, sell 515 pairs of socks and give away another 179 pair. There were 125 marathon entrants who took advantage of the buy 3 and get one free offer and received entry in the drawing.
When I presented the gift basket to Don, I commented on his sweatshirt with the Paavo Nurmi Marathon logo on it. The oldest marathon in Wisconsin, it is one of my favorites. Apparently, Don felt the same, as he was a multiple time finisher on Hurley’s Silver Street. This year I will go for my 19th finish there. He asked how I had done last year, when he ran it and I told him I was first in my age group. He said he was 4th and then asked which group I was in and when I told him 60-64, he said I bumped him out of a medal position. I told him today you are a winner. Anyone wearing Wigwam socks is a winner!
With experiences such as these, I will keep returning to Boston and, hopefully, to the Wigwam expo booth, to be part of a tradition and to create another Wigwam tradition.
See you in a few miles….roy