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Laura Hollenbaugh

The Siren Call of the Boston Marathon

I first heard the siren call of the Boston Marathon on the bus ride out to the start of the Steamboat Marathon. It would be my second marathon and I'm listening to this guy saying we should all qualify and do the 100th Boston! Since I didn't know what he was raving about I stored it away, ran the race, and went home and looked up the Boston Marathon. I've been chasing that qualifying time ever since!

I ran a 4 hour when I needed 3:45. I ran 3:45 pace once until mile 22 when they were out of the GU they promised and I was counting on, and I cratered. I ran 4:03 and 4:09 when I needed to be under 4.

Then I joined Runner's Edge, followed their train slow method, which allowed me to get my mileage higher without injury, and went to run my 11th marathon in Houston. I followed their paceband for the 4 hour time while also wearing the faster time. I was determined and I had Coach David's pep talks and advice and Coach Julie's confidence to get me there. I ran strong, relaxed and on plan. I held at the 4 hour pace until mile 22 when I was able to pick up the pace and was still running fast at the finish (my husband got a nice shot of my back because he couldn't catch me). I not only qualified for Boston with 5 minutes to spare (3:55) but I set a PR at age 49 with my 11th race!

The Boston Marathon I ran was the 111th Boston and it was my 13th marathon (I deferred a year just to revel in being a Boston qualified runner). I'm not a pipe dreamer. I don't believe in yearning for the impossible. I'm a realist and I had begun to think that qualifying for Boston was beyond my reach. The two attempts before Houston were strong attempts and I fell short. It was really hard to keep putting that effort out. Boston was a goal that required me to stand on my tippy toes and stretch way up to reach it, and honestly the sound training and good advice gave me the confidence to do it. I thought while running Houston that I didn't want to work this hard at all my marathons!

My goal was to qualify for Boston so actually running it was the victory lap. My pace group's advice was to enjoy and celebrate Boston and since I'd had bronchitis all spring that is what I did. I read the book "100 years of Boston". I bought all the bling ? jacket, hat, pin, Champion chip, necklace, bra top, poster, DVD, plaque. I snagged 3 of the specially printed towels they were handing out at the start. We got the Boston water bottles at the Patriots race. The hotel's Boston shirts were on sale after the race so we got one of those. I'm still thinking about getting the shorts!

I celebrated the start, "This is MY Boston," and the miles, "Mile 1 of MY Boston", "Mile 2..." and I almost collapsed at the finish. I noted each town and payed attention to the sites the book referenced. I high-fived people and waved and smiled at all the cameras (except at the finish, oops). I admired the coeds at Wellesley and took an orange from the littlest of a family of spectators. Don't ask me about Boston unless you've got time because I remember every step of the way! "Boston was my Olympics", is what I tell non-runners, so they understand. I just tell runners how long it took me to qualify and they understand. Some qualify easily and some never will. But maybe if you stand way up on your toes and train really well...dreams do come true!

Laura Hollenbaugh
Member since June 2007