Boston Marathon First Timers
- By Doug Kurtis
Free Press Columnist

Last year more than fifty first time marathoners from the Detroit Free Press/Flagstar Bank Marathon qualified for the this years Boston Marathon. Not all of them made it to the starting line in Hopkinton but quite a few did.   Here are a few of their stories.

Mark Wright, 40 from Farmington Hills used a solid twelve week training program to prepare. Running three days a week with the Sunrise Runners at the Farmington Y made a big difference. His only regret was not doing enough hill training. The Turkey Trot was his only race between marathons.

Wright said the Boston Marathon expo was incredible. "It was packed, and the lines were several people deep to buy the official Boston Marathon gear, especially the jacket. I'll bet ninety percent bought the jacket."

Wright found the course very scenic, although he paid much less attention after the halfway point, as the sun has sapped much of his energy. He was impressed with the phenomenal crowds especially the constantly screaming female students of Wellesley College. "Many of the male runners moved over to the side to slap high fives with them", he said. "Volunteer groups manned unofficial aid stations handing out everything from cold water, sports drinks, sponges soaked with cold water to ice treats and orange slices. Over the last 5 miles, it seemed like you could not run more than 100 yards without help which was a lifesaver for me."

Just a few hours after he finished the marathon Wright and several others who ran started their drive home still wearing their race clothes and medals.   At stops along the way people shook their hand and congratulated them.   "I realized we had just joined a very special fraternity."

Sheri Darlison, 33 from Windsor, credits the Running Factory gang for helping her qualify for Boston. "After Detroit I wasn't sure marathons were for me, she said."   "It took me a good month before I could get back into running again. When I heard that I qualified for Boston I couldn't believe it. I knew I had to go!   Although, training this winter was pure hell but I did it."

"The bus ride to the start in Hopkinton seemed so long it was hard to believe that we were going to run this all the way back. I didn't wear a watch because I decided I wanted to enjoy this whole experience and not worry about my time. The final stretch to the finish line is something I will never forget, especially when realized I was going to finish with a personal best time of 3:34, nine minutes faster than Detroit . "

Paul Simon, 50 Grosse Pointe Shores found the course demanding.   "It's a net down hill course with 18 down hills, 5 that are up and three are flat; talk about doing a number on your legs! With low 70's and a head wind for the last 10 miles I've never been through anything more physically demanding in my life.  On the course it seemed like the whole town showed up.  In route to Boston you run through a lot of small New England towns where every family (from grandparents to grandchildren) turn out with refreshments. The Boston Globe estimated that approximately 1 Million lined the course.   And, I got a chance to raise $16,000 for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital."

Chris Gregory, 24 of Portage. Had only nine solid weeks of training after being injured all of January and February although he did some aqua pool jogging and weight training. "The experience was almost breathtaking. Most awesome experience of my life, aside from my first marathon in Detroit. It was sweet to unexpectedly run into friends from college (Creighton University in Omaha, NE) and discover that they were also training hard and wanted to share a similar marathon experience. It was remarkable to be able reconnect with them at a premier event like the Boston Marathon!"

Gina Watson, 27, of Chelsea. "After the Detroit Marathon, I was sure I would never run another Marathon. I didn't run at all for at least two months.  In December, I came across a "Boston Bound" training group (2 Dogs Running coached by Kathleen Gina) out of Ann Arbor. There is no way I would have made it through a Michigan winter with chapped skin, frozen fingers, and miles of running without the group. I boarded a bus to the marathon start with five of them.

The scene in Hopkinton had the appearance of an all out invasion as 21,000 runners descended on the sleepy streets and white picketed lawns of this small town." 

"Listening to the crowds, slapping high fives with kids, made me realize the significance and joy that comes from Boston's Marathon.  I was able to run 19 miles of the race with a girl from my running group which made the experience even better." Because of the heat and the hills, I spent the rest of the evening in my hotel room, curled in the fetal position, staving off nausea and dizziness. I was fortunate to have my mom there to help me out.  And yes, I swore off marathoning again."

Samantha Matoush, 29, South Boston, Mass, ran parts of the course several times in training. "Hopkinton was full of nervous energy and butterflies with a lot of waiting after the bus ride.  At mile 2, a woman yelled out Go Sam!  I looked over at her, trying to place her face.  After I passed I realized she was shouting my name because I had written it down my arm!  It took me a while to get used to people yelling that throughout. After the finish line there was a lot of walking to reach your family. In the moment, I was angry at the organization.   Later, I was realized that the walking help ease all the soreness and that nothing in this world will come close to the high you get from this accomplishment."

Contact Doug Kurtis at Detroit Free Press, 600 W. Fort St. Detroit, 48226