Sunday morning and thoughts of Boston 2016

Sunday, April 17, 2016 · Mike Davis

Good morning! Grab your coffee and pull up a stool. Tomorrow morning the streets of Hopkinton Massachusetts will be packed with runners, media and spectators. All basking in the excitement that comes with the start of the Boston Marathon. This race may generate more excitement than any other race in the world. Runners from all over have burned through numerous pairs of running shoes to get a BQ (Boston Qualifying) time. While others raised money for great charities for the opportunity to line up in Hopkinton. Both are impressive and are what makes this marathon so special. As each wave of runners make their way from Hopkinton to Boston, they will be challenged by early down hills that will entice them to go faster than they should. Overall the first 16 miles feature some rolling hills that actually have a greater amount of decent. After mile 16 the course begins to challenge even the most skilled runners as the uphill’s come into play and of course “Heartbreak Hill” lives up to its reputation. Excessive speed early may lead to a runners undoing between miles 17 and 20, in particular right around “Heartbreak Hill.” Boston is a unique race that requires some thought and a lot of discipline in order to manage the course. Between the excitement and the descent early, it has trappings that can affect those last miles. Honestly my knowledge of Boston comes purely from the coaching standpoint as I have never been skilled enough to qualify or have taken on the challenge of raising that kind of money. NFLR has had numerous runners that we have helped prepare for Boston, both those running for a charity as well as those that got there via a “BQ”. Between researching the course and getting a post-race briefing, I feel like I have been on the course numerous times. I won’t lie, I would certainly like to run Boston and experience the course firsthand but, the idea and the reality have a great distance between them. You never know… Tomorrow NFLR will have 2 great runners packed in to corals in Hopkinton. Dan Verdick and Mark Arsenault both qualified for the race and have trained vigorously to prepare for their second Boston Marathon. Both these guys are great runners and have that unique desire that drives them to improve each time they put on their running shoes. They are great to work with and have both in-turn helped me to be a better coach. I am excited for both of them and will be following them closely tomorrow as they make their way around Boston. The fact that they are there is a success in itself so to me they are superstars already! Good luck Mark and Dan! More importantly enjoy every step of the race! While most NFLR runners are not necessarily “BQ” runners, they all have a similar desire and the heart for running. Qualifying for Boston is extremely challenging and requires many qualities and the runners we work with all share many of those same qualities. However, every runner is different from goals to ability and that is what makes running so awesome. Boston represents a passion that carries over to every runner, whether they are running a 5K or out enjoying a Saturday morning run. The enthusiasm that Boston brings is far reaching and often brings out excitement to even the non-running world. Whether you’re running Boston or through the streets of Portsmouth and Dover, you feel that same appreciation for the discipline and effort that it takes. Running at any level is truly special. Good luck Boston runners! I hope you have a great Sunday and hope to see you on the streets! God Bless! Mike