Coming from small town America, I was always told that people in big cities are not very nice. Of course, this was proved wrong last year when I spent a week in New York City. The people there were extraordinarily friendly and helpful. And last weekend in Boston, one local was very nice to me.
The morning after the marathon we went to breakfast at a restaurant called Steve's. Most people in there were wearing marathon jackets and walking very gingerly. The woman at the table beside me saw me in my jacket and asked if I had run the marathon. I said yes and then she asked me what I thought about the water stops. I thought, what a weird question?! I told her that I thought Boston had some of the best water stops: they're evenly spaced, the volunteers give the water to you instead of you taking the water from them, and there are tables on both sides of the road so people don't jam up at the water stops. Turns out, this woman was the manager of the water stops and that's why she wanted to know my opinion. And in one of the nicest gestures, which totally made me feel like I was an Olympian, the woman took her Boston Marathon pin off her jacket and gave it to me. I'll cherish it always.
Some more pictures from Boston:
The morning after the marathon we went to breakfast at a restaurant called Steve's. Most people in there were wearing marathon jackets and walking very gingerly. The woman at the table beside me saw me in my jacket and asked if I had run the marathon. I said yes and then she asked me what I thought about the water stops. I thought, what a weird question?! I told her that I thought Boston had some of the best water stops: they're evenly spaced, the volunteers give the water to you instead of you taking the water from them, and there are tables on both sides of the road so people don't jam up at the water stops. Turns out, this woman was the manager of the water stops and that's why she wanted to know my opinion. And in one of the nicest gestures, which totally made me feel like I was an Olympian, the woman took her Boston Marathon pin off her jacket and gave it to me. I'll cherish it always.
Some more pictures from Boston:
At the expo there were these HUGE dry erase boards where you could find you're number and write why you run. If you can't read it, it says "Because God gave me the ability." The famous Hoyts had their's displayed all over Boston that said something about 'Because I always enjoy beating my dad.' I should have put mine as "Because I always enjoy beating my dad too!"
This is the finish line two days before the race.
Me and my pastries on the podium.
The group before the Freedom Run. From the left: Dave, my dad, me, Jim, Andrea (in the bunny ears), Doug, Mok, Jen, and Andy.
Looking at the Capital (I think) during the Freedom Run.
The view from our seats at the Red Sox game.
Dave and I at the Red Sox game.
The girls or as Andrea called us, The Boston Bitches.
2 comments:
i loved how all the locals would chat you up after the race. you never get that in la or other cities i've raced in. and what a cool gesture for the lady to give you her pin. that rocks.
is that the cake you bought at the bakery after dinner?
HELEN called us that!! I just used the name again when I labeled my pics..
I think the best thing about Boston is how the locals embrace the event. Ha, I'd even love to volunteer if I didn't run one year, it's such a big deal!
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