I was so nervous about this race – three months of training, four long-haul flights, and ten hotel nights were on the line. After last year’s DNS at London due to injury, I kept bracing for a repeat. But this time, no drama: I was healthy, the training had gone well, and here we were in Boston.
We hit the expo on Friday morning. Thanks to jet lag, we were up early and arrived just before the doors opened. The bib pickup was quick and painless, I had mine within 10 minutes.
The expo itself, though, was a bit of a let-down. The only running-related vendors were Adidas and Maurten. I had my heart set on one of those iconic Boston jackets with the embroidered logo on the back, but to my dismay, they switched to a screen-printed design in 2024. Not only did it look cheaper, it felt cheaper – yet it came with a price tag of $120. Hard pass. Instead, I picked up a running tank – I will probably end up wearing it a lot more than a jacket anyway.
On Saturday and Sunday we figured out the logistics. We scouted the start line in Hopkinton, tested the commuter train to Boston and toured the finish line on Boylston Street. I also got a glance of Heartbreak Hill, which didn’t look too bad (HAHA!).
We stayed in Milford, which is about 8 minutes by car from the start. The hotel (a Holiday Inn Express) was packed with runners and their entourages, which gave it a great pre-race buzz.
On race day, I woke up at 5am, even though my wave didn’t start until 10.20. No chance of sleeping in! We had breakfast at 6am (I had a bagel with honey) with a breakfast roomful of jittery runners. It was like a nervous beehive!
At 8am, Kai dropped me near Hopkinton, where shuttle buses took us to the Athletes’ Village.
The organisation was flawless. Herding 30’000 nervous runners with unpredictable bladders is no easy task, but you could tell that Boston has been doing this for nearly 130 years: I’ve never seen so many portapotties in my life!
We sat on the grass in the sun and waited. The vibe was one of “quiet excitement”. Some were sitting in groups and chatting nervously, others were sitting quietly and trying to focus on what lay ahead.
Finally, Wave 1 with 8’000 runners was called at 9.15am. Twenty minutes later, Wave 2, my turn. We walked the half-mile to the start and past yet another impressive row of portapotties (Boston really knows runners!!). Of course, EVERYBODY went again for a last nervous wee.
Corral 7 for me – with my bib 15’785, I was smack in the middle of the field. I looked around and was happy to see a good amount of young women around me. Hard to imagine that there was a time when women couldn’t run this race!
And then – finally – we were off! The first 10K was mostly downhill and felt like flying. I was actually running Boston!
The course was packed, though. Overtaking needed real focus. I slowly weaved my way through the runners, hoping that the cluster of runners would disperse at some point.
I’d planned to see Kai at the 10K mark in Framingham, and sure enough, there he was! I stopped for a quick sticky gel kiss and pushed on. Next time I’d see him would be at the finish.
But I was never alone. Boston shows up for its runners. The cheering never stopped—kids handing out orange slices, DJs blasting music, locals offering paper towels and popsicles and beer. It felt like one long street party, and we were the parade.
I hit halfway in 1:37. Not quite on pace for 3:15, and the hills were still ahead. I adjusted my expectations and locked in on sub-3:20.
Then came the famous Wellesley scream tunnel. We heard the high-pitched cheering long before we saw the college girls. Their joy was infectious, their energy electric. How do they keep that up for hours? I wondered who had the harder job – me running a marathon or them screaming through one?
Speaking of hard jobs: mine was starting to feel very hard. By kilometre 25, my glutes were on fire, my quads were screaming. I couldn’t imagine doing another 17km. And then – just in time – we hit the FOUR Newton Hills. Oh no.
Right then, in the middle of my crisis, I passed a spectator holding up a sign that read “One day you will not be able to do this. Today is not that day.” Boom. That was exactly what I needed. Keep going!
Another thing that helped tremendously: the timing mats. Every time I crossed one, I imagined the little ping going out across the globe – to my parents in Zurich, to family and friends in the US, Canada, Europe and South Africa, all watching those splits roll in. Keep going!
Heartbreak Hill was the last of the four hills and it lived up to its name. At the top, the organizers had kindly put up a giant sign declaring victory. Reaching the top felt like a dream. From there, it was fortunately all downhill.
My heart jumped for joy when I saw the iconic Citgo sign in the distance. That beacon of hope! I knew the finish wasn’t far now. The crowds were reaching fever pitch, lining the streets in full celebration mode. It was impossible not to be pulled along by the energy.
I turned onto Hereford, then made the final turn onto Boylston Street. And there it was: the finish line. That legendary blue and yellow banner I’d seen in photos a hundred times before. The crowd noise was deafening, the energy off the charts. I gave whatever I had left and crossed the line, arms up, heart full.
3:18:21. Not a PR, but faster than Berlin, my qualifying race. After the DNS heartbreak of London, it felt like a full-circle moment. This time, my body had shown up. I had made it to the start, and I had made it to the end.
After the finish line, I found Kai and hugged him – sweaty, salty, happy. This dear man deserves his own medal for crewing through it all with patience, good humour, and steady support.
We battled our way to the train station. As we sat in the train with the other runners it struck me again what a privilege it was to be part of this. Boston is more than just a race. It’s a runner’s pilgrimage. A celebration of grit, history, and human stubbornness.
Thank you, Boston! You were worth every step.
Heute ist doch gar nicht Dienstag ! Überraschung ! Aber du hattest es ja schon angekündigt.
Was für ein Abenteuer, das du sicherlich nie in deinem Leben vergessen wirst. Boston, die Massen, dein lieber ständiger Begleiter, das macht das Läuferleben noch schöner (ich weiß, wovon ich spreche !!)
Die ersten Kilometer bergab, guter Beginn – alles hat gestimmt, die vielen Anstrengungen im Vorfeld haben sich voll gelohnt, Catrinas Strahlen beweist es – wie immer !!
Nochmals ganz herzlichen Glückwunsch, ich freue mich sehr für dich – und wie ich dich einschätze, schwirren dir schon wieder neue Herausforderungen im Kopf herum – oder irre ich mich ?
Liebe Grüße von der sonnigen See
Ha, ich musste das einfach schnell loswerden – die beste mentale Verarbeitung nach so einem Lauf!
Es waren so viele Eindrücke auf einmal! Im Rückblick glaube ich, dass auch die Menschenmassen eine grosse Rolle gespielt haben: am Start, auf der Strecke, am Streckenrand…
Jetzt hier auf Cape Cod haben wir das komplette Kontrastprogramm: weniger Menschen, weniger Trubel. Das tut richtig gut!
Und natürlich warten schon die nächsten Herausforderungen. Im Juni steht der Comrades an. Seit Boston bin ich noch keinen einzigen Meter gelaufen… im Moment kaum vorstellbar, in ein paar Wochen einen Ultra anzugehen! 😅
Liebe Grüsse aus dem sonnigen Cape Cod!
Jetzt also die volle Packung Rennbericht und es steht viel weniger Leid darin als ich befürchtet hatte 🙂 Aber dass das alles auch ein großes Abenteuer war, das kommt klar raus und überwiegt. So muss das sein, auch für sowas machen wir das.
Für mich am schönsten zu lesen, wie wichtig der Support (Kai) ist und vor allem der “full-circle moment”, das brauchen wir, das lässt Zweifel verschwinden.
Du hast ein grandioses Rennen hingelegt, auf einer für dich unbekannten Strecke, mit eigentlich viel zu viel Eindrücken und das Ergebnis dafür ist einfach mega, das viele Training hat sich absolut gelohnt! Der letzte Absatz spricht Bände 🙂
Erhol dich gut und für dein nächstes Abenteuer brauchst du mehr Kopf- als Lauftraining 😉
Danke dir, Oliver! Vielleicht habe ich die schlimmsten Qualen im Nachhinein einfach erfolgreich verdrängt! 😅
Aber du hast völlig recht: Es war vor allem ein grosses Abenteuer – und genau dieses Gefühl überwiegt jetzt ganz klar.
Dass Kai dabei war, hat wirklich alles verändert. Ohne ihn hätte sich vieles nicht so stimmig angefühlt. Und dann hat er auch noch die komplette Logistik übernommen. Dieser full-circle moment… der war cool! 😊
Boston war definitiv reizüberflutend – aber irgendwie hat alles zusammengepasst. Jetzt heisst es langsam den Blick nach vorne richten… Comrades steht an. Langsam macht sich eine grosse Vorfreude bereit, obwohl ich mir in Ultra im Moment überhaupt nicht vorstellen kann! 😅
Und jetzt du: Ich wünsche dir einen richtig starken Lauf in Düsseldorf morgen! Das wird ein Hammerlauf! Ich freue mich jetzt schon auf deinen Bericht!
Liebe Grüsse aus Cape Cod!
Congratulations!!! And I think you can with all honesty say that you achieved your goal – 3:18 is really not that far from 3:15, just mere minutes!
Sounds like the Boston marathon is a huge deal for the whole city, not just for the participants. No wonder it´s so sought after among marathon runners.
Haha, thank you, Riitta! 🤗
You’re so right! The marathon is THE major event for Boston.
Funny story: yesterday Kai was at the hairdresser’s, and she mentioned she’s from Hopkinton (where the start line is). Her great-grandfather, grandfather, and father were all involved in organising the marathon. She said that growing up, the whole town basically revolved around it. In April, EVERYTHING was about the marathon, even as a little girl she was involved. It’s in their DNA! 😂
Um die Magie zu verstehen, muss man das Ding wohl gelaufen sein. Ansonsten wirkt dieser Marathon auf mich wie jeder andere auch, obwohl ich mir sicher bin, dass er das nicht ist. Ich hoffe, du verstehst, was ich meine. 😉
Aber wie schon im anderen Beitrag gesagt: Tolle Leistung. Ich bin sehr beeindruckt.
Absolut, das verstehe ich vollkommen! 😀
Es ist schwer, die ganze Atmosphäre und Bedeutung des Boston Marathons zu begreifen, ohne ihn selbst erlebt zu haben. Es ist wirklich ein einzigartiges Gefühl, wenn man mitten in der Menge steht und die Geschichte und Energie spürt.
Ich kann dir versichern, es ist definitiv mehr als nur ein weiterer Marathon! 😉
Danke dir!! 🤗
Congrats. What an experience. So happy it went so well.
Now you can relax.
See you soon.
I really needed a few days to let it all sink in, ha!
Looking forward to seeing you! Have a great weekend!
YES!!!
It’s funny how much of the Boston race course I know from reading these recaps. I can picture that Citgo sign like I’ve been there, which of course I haven’t.
3:18 is an amazing time for any marathon, let alone Boston! Full circle from last year indeed!
I also wonder how many people run Boston faster than their qualifying race! Not many, I’d bet.
Congratulations Catrina! You ran an amazing race! Glad you got a chance to soak it all in. It all flies by so fast despite the physical agony. Haha! Yes Bostoners totally show up for this race and it is an experience of a lifetime! How great that Kai was able to make it to the 10k point to see you before heading to the finish. Spectating Boston is a challenge for sure! I heard from friends about the very small expo and cheap jacket. What a shame. Not sure why they decided on those changes. : ( The Boston expo used to be pure, gigantic chaos. The edited version sounds a lot like what I experienced in Tokyo. Only Asics stuff was available, and much of it sold out and the jacket is cheap. Sigh.
Huge congrats to you Kat! What an epic comeback for you! Such an inspiration you are! Expos used to be so much better years ago. I would have wanted one of those jackets as well. Get some recovery and enjoy the rest of your trip