Sunday, May 5, 2013

Boston Qualified! 2014 – "By pushing ourselves to our limits, we truly discover we’re limitless."

Kyle Durham
Sometimes getting into the field of the Boston Marathon is more than half the story. Here is an account for a first time entrant in 2014. Look for an update next April!

When my running hit a plateau in 2007, I decided that I needed a change. It was time to master a new distance. The mystical concept of "the Wall" is what first drew me to the marathon. I had never experienced that kind of pain. I wanted to face the challenge and see how I stacked up.

Whether or not to try for the Boston Marathon was never a question. My competitive nature immediately kicked in. Boston was in my sights.

My first marathon attempt in 2007 was disastrous. It was literally the most humiliated I’ve ever felt. A few years passed before I fully recovered. But in 2011 I was ready to go again! My training was more well-rounded, more challenging, and several weeks longer. Additionally, the course I had chosen was flat with crisp October weather. My 3:10:59 was in the bag. And it was! Unfortunately for me, October 2011 marked the drop of the Boston qualifying time for my age group to 3:05:00.