Days after completing the Boston Marathon, I continue to be in awe of the this iconic Boston sports event. First, I am astonished by the generosity and goodwill of so many people who supported the homeless through this initiative. Together, we raised nearly $40,000 through individual donations for Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program https://www.bhchp.org, a top fundraising effort acknowledged by the official sponsor, John Hancock. The prayers and moral support of many friends carried me through each mile of the course.
I was struck by the community support each step of the way. The 32,000 runners were not competitors but partners, and the crowds lined the streets from Hopkinton to Boston as if it were a 26.2 mile block party. Many runners would have dropped out if not for their support. The whole community came together in unity as I've not experienced before, with volunteers, medics, the police, town officials, and many others who showed up to support the runners. My biggest takeaway is that the region came together for a common purpose and enjoyed being present for one another.
There were notable moments along the ways: Seeing the first mile marker and realizing that this was real and achievable, seeing the second mile marker and realizing I had a long way to go, petting Spencer the official mascot of the marathon, blessing the crowds with the sign of the cross and wishing them Happy Easter, getting to the half marathon mark and noting that reaching this point was a milestone, meeting friends and supporters along the way, being lifted up in spirit by the Wellesley College Wall of Women, discovering that the best snacks on the route are on the way up Heartbreak Hill, waiting for the famous Citgo sign to get a little larger, and the running down Commonwealth Avenue to turn the corner onto Hereford Street and then take a left onto Boylston Street where the crowds at my late hour of finishing were not diminished.
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