After the drama and style of the Men’s Olympic Marathon Trials in November, I was anticipating the Women’s Trials with equal parts excitement and trepidation. Excitement, because I would have the chance to watch women like Deena Kaston, Elva Dryer, Kate O’Neill and Joan Benoit Samuelson do their miraculous thing. Trepidation, because could the women’s race live up to the amazing spectating experience of the men’s challenging criterion course in Central Park?
I don’t know why I was worried. The marathon rarely lacks for surprises, because as we know anything can happen over 26.2 miles. Add to that another criterion course through the heart of downtown Boston, a town that is packed full of the best marathoners in the country, and a beautiful 50-degree day, and there was magic in the air.
Up at 6:45 (it felt like Christmas morning), out the door at 7:25 (am staying with a friend who lives 4 blocks from the Boylston Street finishline), and in position by 7:40. I was going to try and cross the Mass Ave Bridge into Cambridge to watch from there, but realized I could see the runners ten times if I stayed on Boylston Street and ran over to Comm Ave and back. While we waited for the women to come by on their next laps, the crowd was chatty, swapping information on the competitors and personal race stories. Everyone I met was totally cool, the best examples of why runners are great people. I met the families of a few of the competitors, too, including a woman who had competed on the same high school track team as Kate O’Neil.
And then, with a gunshot, they were off in a tight pack. They moved past us in a brightly-colored cluster, and it was nearly impossible to pick out the runners. (My only complaint: the runners only had numbers, unlike the men’s trials where they wore their names on their front and their numbers on their backs.) And immediately we were all dashing over to Comm Ave to catch them as they headed back for the first crossing of the Mass Ave Bridge, after the only hill of the entire course. Still tightly bunched, but beginning to spread out now. I took a few photos of this but am having trouble getting them off my camera; I’ll post them as soon as I get home.
For the first four loops, the front pack was more or less consistent, with Deena in her white cap striding with Kate O’Neill and assorted others. I say the front pack, because Deena was not the frontrunner until somewhere after mile 22 — Magdalena Lewy Boulet led by nearly two minutes for most of the race. In fact, when the women came around for the final Boston leg of their race, when we saw Magda on Boylston, she had a 1:17 lead on Deena (who had broken away from the pack) and then when we saw her just minutes later on Comm Ave, her lead was down to 57 seconds. Wow! That’s when my merry band of fellow spectators and I all got totally jazzed for what was going to happen next. We couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen when the runners came over the Mass Ave Bridge for the final time up Boylston to the finish line.
So, I waited for most of the field to pass on Comm Avenue before heading back to Boylston–a small mistake since I was now boxed out from a front row view. I stood there in a cluster of three women who are running Boston tomorrow, and another who had run the hot Chicago Marathon just this past Fall, and we speculated on who we’d see first over that bridge, Deena or Magda. And so, when the motorcade came, I stretched and craned and the second I spotted that white cap I shouted, “It’s Deena!” and a charge moved through the crowd. We saw her coming up on us, taking one last long look behind her, in case Magda had been on her heels. But no. Deena passed us by and still no sign of Magda. And then, there she was, with Blake Russell following far behind her, too.
I am thrilled for each of these women, clearly Magda ran the race of her life, and it was a magnificent upset for the spectators, probably not-so-magnificent for favorites Elva and Kate. (In fact, I don’t remember seeing Elva on the course; am waiting for the official results–I am wondering if she got a DNC.) Another thrill of the race was getting to cheer for Joanie. I got some fabulous photos of her, and the other leaders, as the race went on. (Sorry, you’ll have to wait for me to post them; after the first loop my camera battery died and I had to buy a disposable.)
More posts to follow as final results are available online, etc. To summarize now: an exciting, historic day in women’s marathoning. Bring on Beijing!
LINKS: Boston Globe coverage. WCSN.com coverage. WCSN photos.
Pigtails Flying 