Sports

6 Turtle Riders Dominate Boston Marathon

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If you’ve run the Boston Marathon before then you understand just how much of a pain in the ass it can be to not only run the race, but do the training that led up to it. How anyone actually found a way to train through the insanely shitty winter we had this year is beyond me. But we’ve reached out to six Turtle riders who were insane enough to run Boston this year and asked them the following questions:

  1. How old are you, and was this your first marathon? If not which ones have you run before?
  2. What was your time?
  3. The marathon is awesome when people are supporting you, but at some point it starts to suck. At what point did the marathon start to suck for you?
  4. Did the crowd help you out? Any cool stories?
  5. What was the best sign you saw from the Wellesley girls, or anyone else on the course?
  6. Would you ever run this or any other marathon again?
  7. How do you feel today?
  8. If you were to give someone advice who wanted to run next year, what would you tell them?
  9. How much did the rain suck.

Our first interviewee is Dan Koh. He is Mayor Marty Walsh’s Chief of Staff, ran the whole thing with his girlfriend and then proposed to her right at the end. Because what girl doesn’t wanna be proposed to in the pouring rain while drenched in sweat? Bad ass. Marty was waiting for him at the end holding the ring. Hopefully this gets Mayor Walsh to start riding the turtle, because I think Marty’s good shit.

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  1. 30, I have run 18 marathons before this one.
  2. 3:39
  3. It was very tough around the hills, starting at mile 17 or so.
  4. There are people at the hills cheering for those running up them.  It is so helpful when it seems like the hill is too much!
  5. One of the best I’ve seen came a few marathons ago: “One day, you won’t be able to do this — today is not that day.”
  6. Yes — I hope to run many more.
  7. Sore, but hanging in there!
  8. Just one foot in front of the other.
  9. It was tough but also cooling.  It wasn’t as bad as I thought it might be.
  10. Did your fiance know you were proposing? What was the crowd’s reaction like?

She didn’t — the crowd was fantastic.  We will never forget it.

 

Julie Coppenrath

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  1. I’m 43. This was my 4th Boston Marathon. I ran in 2011; 2013 (DNF due to bombing); 2014 (DNF due to health issue) & this year. I have also completed the New York City Marathon in 2013. I have one Ultra Marathon under my belt too – 30 miles at the Ghost Train Ultra Marathon.
  2. My time was 5:36:49
  3. The Marathon really started to suck Mile 23 – The rain and wind picked up
  4. The crowd definitely helped (not as many as usual) – I was impressed anyone showed and stayed for us back of the packers. I got the salty chips and pretzels I needed to keep me going on Heartbreak Hill. Also everyone that told me they would be there, they were there! It was worth missing a PR so I could stop and thank each of them.
  5. There were a few good signs but none that stuck out other than one that looked like a Welcome to Brookline sign about 3 miles in. It really confused me and I had a few choice words for the person that hung it.
  6. I think this is my last Boston. Fundraising is no joke, but you never know, if someone twists my arm I might change my mind. I plan on running more marathons and ultras. I’ll be returning to Ghost Train this October to attempt 45 miles
  7. I’m really stiff and my muscles hate me. I basically feel ill. I’m convinced that the roads on the Boston course are harder to run on. I was not this sore after NYC nor my Ultra.
  8. Don’t go with high hopes of a specific time goal (come up with a range that you would be happy with) – start out slower than your anticipated pace – conserve energy – the crowds, the downhill start & the excitement will make you want to run too fast. Train outside in all weather conditions – treadmills don’t prepare you for running outside in different weather conditions.
  9. The rain actually didn’t suck until it started pouring down and I couldn’t see well – the drizzle & cold kept my core body temperature in a good place (I have a nice layer of fat). I could have done without it definitely

 

Jaclyn Crain

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  1. I am 30 years old and this was my first marathon. I ran as a member of one of the charity teams – Marathon Strides Against Multiple Sclerosis.
  2. My time was 5:16. All of my training had me pegged for a 4:30 finish but the weather really threw me for a loop!
  3. I started to fade a little after halfway – right around mile 15. What’s funny is that one of our long training runs was 21 miles along the route from Hopkinton to BC and I started to fade at that exact point as well. Both the training run and the marathon had cold, windy, wet weather and when it got to the point where I couldn’t really feel my hands, I think I kind of mentally psyched myself out.
  4. The crowds were so great. I don’t think there were as many spectators as there usually are due to the weather but the people that did show up were troopers! I knew I had family at mile 3 and friends at mile 25 to look forward to but I had some surprise family/friends around mile 17 and then mile 23 which definitely gave me the pick-me-up that I needed!
  5. I saw a lot of “Don’t shit your pants” signs which made me laugh every single time. I also saw a sign that said “I thought this was a Cheers marathon – is there still beer?” with a picture of Norm on it. I giggled pretty hard at that one as well.
  6. Right now, I say probably not but that’s everyone’s typical response so who knows. Boston was always on my bucket list so I’m thrilled to have had the opportunity to complete it!
  7. Walking down the stairs is a bit of a challenge for me and I’ve been moving at a glacial pace. Oh and getting up from the couch is also kind of tough which is probably a sign that I should permanently become a couch potato.
  8. If it’s your first Boston, don’t be upset if you have to throw all of your racing expectations out the window. From what I’ve experienced, you really never know what the course is going to throw at you that day so just focus on finishing however you can!
  9. My wave started at 11:15am. I was soaked by 11:20am. I don’t ever want to see another raindrop as long as I live.

Veronica Reichardt

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  1. 31, first marathon.
  2. 4:16
  3. Mile 13 or so
  4. It was nice to know that people were out there cheering as it was pouring rain! Loved that! I did see one girl jump over the side railing and starting running, seemed to be his daughter. I think the best part of the course was watching, kids hold there hands out for high fives and handing out oranges.
  5. Kiss me I’m a virgin
  6. No comment.
  7. I’m sore but feel amazing
  8. The best advice I would have, to any runner, make sure you train. I trained without a 16 week program, made sure I did my long runs. I trained in the weather all winter, rain and snow
  9. The rain didn’t suck

 

Arthur Besse

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  1. 42 yrs old, this was my 3rd marathon, ran Manchester City Marathon in ’13-’14 as part of the USATF-NE Grand Prix series for Central Mass Striders
  2. 2:48:58 a personal best
  3. “When did it start to suck?” I never allowed myself to think about it sucking or negative thoughts during the race much at all, but early on when guys started running off the sides of the road to relieve themselves and running into the porta johns I thought “oh no when is that going to happen to me?” and sure enough around mile 2 I felt it, must’ve been psychosomatic but I suddenly had to go and debated holding off but finally made the decision to hit up the next available porta potty and get it done earlier to avoid problems later, it was a wise move and being just a stop of the minor version only cost me about 40 seconds I guess. The last 10k of the race starts to hurt a lot but that was practiced in training so I felt prepared for that feeling. Where it sucked I guess was when it was over, not too long after stopping I began to shiver uncontrollably from being so wet and so cold (something that was not a problem while running), with the winds whipping around downtown I ended up in the med tent briefly until I could get my body temp regulated
  4. The special thing about Boston amongst many other things is the spectators, the crowd, they are amazing for all 42+ kilometers like nothing I have ever experienced, ever. They don’t let you falter and knowing I had friends and family along the course was motivating as hell. A lot of people I didn’t know were cheering for the Central Mass Striders team singlet I raced in as well, it’s always a mental boost to hear “Go Central Mass!” or “Go CMS!” Taking the train back into Worcester after the race and all the passengers offering congrats to the runners on the train was cool, the conductor announced it as well on the train.
  5. The two signs that I remember from the ladies in Wellesley were the one that said “Kiss me I recycle” and “Kiss me I eat bacon”. For sure the Martin Richard signs were all touching and couldn’t help but to choke you up. The Wellesley girls were off the charts awesome, they were having a blast, I had specific instructions from my wife to stay to the left at Wellesley College haha. But seriously I was warned by other runners as well to not get caught up in the craziness over there that early in the race, my ears are still ringing from from all the screaming on that stretch of road, I stayed way, way to the left!
  6. I’d run again. I’m Planning on running VCM the end of May. Training was so difficult this winter with the conditions that I told myself this may be my 1st and last Boston, but on my way to the starting line I was so overcome with how special the race is that I realized I’d be back. Near the end of the race making the right off Comm. Ave onto Hereford and the crowds are going bananas then the left onto Boylston and seeing the finish and knowing Holy Crap I’m about to finish the Boston marathon, then crossing that finish line there is no feeling like it and at that point it was cemented, I intend to be back.
  7. Actually I feel great today, a little fatigued but recovering quicker than I did after both Manchester 26.2s, still have a little post marathon emotional let down which is unavoidable after a 20 week build up and now nothing for a week or so.
  8. Make sure you have a solid base in place before beginning training, find a good program or even better a good coach to put together an intelligent plan for you (Kevin Beck put together a great one for me and has been coaching me since August), follow the workouts they are all building blocks towards your ultimate goal and are all important, it may seem like you have a long time before the race but it sneaks up on you fast and hitting the key workouts is the best way to have a great experience. Have fun but try not to use up too much energy at the expo and other events surrounding the race, you will need it on race day, do not, DO NOT go out TOO FAST the early portions of the race are downhill and tempting and will burn you and haunt you in the later miles of the race if you are not patient early.
  9. Honestly the rain didn’t bother me at all during the race, I actually like running in the rain and didn’t avoid training in poor conditions so was ready for the weather on Monday. After the race being so wet and cold was tough.

 

Jonathan Marshall

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  1. No comment. In 2006 I suffered a very severe knee injury in the Marine Corps that hindered my running for many years. It wasn’t until a few years ago I was able to actually run long distances with only the usual minor training pain.
  2. I finished at 5:07 …paced out at about 11min per mile the whole way, except mile 25-26 when i turned it up to a 9min mile due to the crowd. They brought the thunder!
  3. This is going to sound odd, but at no point did the marathon suck. I was smiling almost the whole way. I think many people view running as this painful experience, but really we are born to run. If you embrace the run, not try to distract yourself with music or TV then you listen to your body and you flow like water. Super meta, I know not really my personality, but it really worked well all winter for training.
  4. The crowd is amazing, it is one thing I cannot get over. There is never a point where you don’t see someone cheering, even more impressive due to the weather this year. I was very fortunate due to the support I had running. I was representing the town I teach in and many of my students came out with signs of support. This was so heartwarming and motivating at the same time, they are great. You feel like an absolute rock star the whole way, however this is really emphasized as your turn onto Boylston. As soon as you make that last turn I saw my family and the whole crowd there is going nuts. I can only equate it to running onto the field at Gillette, it is literally booming and awe inspiring.
  5. There were a lot of great signs out there, but the best probably came from my friends and students. One of them had a “Suck it up Marshall” sign. Another one from a student caught me off surprise, I was running just about to hit Framingham and a store marquee’s sign said “If it’s raining we are training” which is a slogan I use all the time. I then noticed my name lower on the sign and realized it was one of my student’s and their family. It was unexpected and really spoke to how much the marathon means to the local communities.
  6. Absolutely! The whole experience from working to raise funds for the Framingham HS Resiliency for Life program, to the training to the actual race was a great experience. I really hope I will be chosen again next year to represent Framingham.
  7. I really have felt amazing since finishing. It’s like being on cloud 9, the soreness isn’t even noticeable compared to the euphoria of running Boston.
  8. Understand it is a very large time commitment and not something you can hop into. If you respect your training program and respect the course, you will be successful.
  9. This may sound a bit odd, but the rain actually helped. I’m a bigger guy and I sweat a lot when I run. Due to that my hydration plan is aggressive while running, so the cool weather and rain actually helped me the whole way.

There you have it. Turtleboy Nation dominates Boston. You running next year?

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3 Comment(s)
  • Finnish Goalie
    April 26, 2015 at 2:37 pm

    You guys should do a write up on 20 years of hockey in Worcester and the loss of the team.

  • Yes
    April 26, 2015 at 12:37 pm

    Central MA, LOL! UMass, LOL! Turtle Riders, LOL! #whitetrashworcesterianUnite #trash #whitetrash #sogladimnotfromthere #idratherbefromliterallyanywhereelse

    • Not a Race Baiter
      April 26, 2015 at 3:49 pm

      Good thing u love in Sutton, Joycie.
      Keep stealin’!

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