Boston Re-cap - somewhat disjointed however!!

The medal - now there are 10!

 

1st carel in wave 4 - 30,000 runners - 7,500 in each wave.

 

We went a week early - and enjoyed some true R and R - which was very therapeutic!!

So much water back east!!

Tributes to the victims of the bombing in 2013!

Click to see how Hopkinton - where the race starts - welcomes runners!

Why do I love smalltown post offices??  I just do!!

Tributes everywhere!!

  

We stayed at an air BnB - best decision ever!!  Our host was an artist who made these signs!!

Meeting up with Harry at Boston Commons after the race - on a day when it rained all day!!

After all these years of going - finally went to the Boston Public Library - next year, we will go there first - and spend the day!!

A great trip - all in all - even looking forward to next year already!!

Boston - where we are right now!!

These shots are from Harry's first Boston Marathon in 2002.  It was quite an adventure for us.  We stayed near Bunker Hill in a bed and breakfast that had once been a sea captain's house.

By "dumb luck" we connected right after the race - that's never happened since!!  Actually we just meet at the park with the swan boats now - and after the bombing, we were certainly glad we hadn't been at the finish line waiting!

 

Harry took phone calls that afternoon - everyone seemed to be keeping track of us!!

I have posted this to run while we are gone - hopefully I can post some stuff on FB and Instagram.  Just know that we are hopefully having fun getting ready for the big race and enjoying some downtime!!

Who knows what the day will bring??

I posted this photo on Facebook, but I know some of those who like to know what's going on in our family don't do FB, so I'm doing a little update on the blog.

I posted this finish line photo from 2005 because I didn't want the bad guys to get the last word!  Harry was a mile from the finish line when the bombs went off.  They didn't hear them or even see the smoke right away; he said everyone just stopped.  The word filtered through that the race had been stopped, and Harry decided to take off through a residential neighborhood to get to where Matt and Eliza were waiting for him.

While at school, I had no idea what was going on.  I don't usually check my phone or the internet while I am teaching.  So when the office manager sent me a note asking me to come to the principal's office at the beginning of lunch, I thought some parent had complained about me!!  She told me that there had been bombs at the Boston finish line.  She offered her phone and her office for me to do any calling and contacting I needed to do.

I got hold of Eliza, who said they were waiting for Harry.  Then Harry called me and said would I get a message to Eliza about the street he was following to get to them.  We didn't talk much - he was anxious to meet up with everyone.  I finally looked at my cell phone - and there were 17 messages!!

It went like that for the rest of the day - text messages, voicemails, calls, emails.  I had asked Eliza and Bonny to put something on Facebook so people would know everyone was okay - at least every Terrill was!!  Noah texted me at 3:30 asking if we were still going to go to the show at 4:30.  I figured we could do with a little distraction!  So we went and saw 42 - which we enjoyed - and then out to dinner.  We came home to more emails, texts, and calls.

Talked with Eliza - who pointed out that Harry had had about 10 minutes worth of delays towards the end of the race - and he was running 10 minute miles - slow for him, but he does have that "bum hip!'  And the bombs went off when he was at the 25 mile mark.  You do the math - and the delays kept him from being at the finish line when the chaos began.

Small mercies indeed!

Matt, Eliza and kids are just about now driving into their neighborhood.  Hopefully Harry is asleep and not being awakened by leg cramps.  I have tried to answer the text messages, emails, and phone messages.  (I'm compulsive that way!)  Harry is scheduled to fly home tomorrow morning.  I will be glad to see him!!

Many are posting the famous quote from Mr. Rogers about looking for the helpers whenever something scary happens - good advice!!

And the word is that the 4,000 runners who didn't get to finish will get to finish next year!

I don't think the bad guys have a prayer!

Getting ready to run!!

Harry is in Boston - hopefully in bed asleep by now - for the Marathon.  Once again my Spring Break was too early for Boston - but I'm getting tired of not getting to go - so I may just have to take Personal Leave next year!!

Anyway, they visited Concord - and he forwarded this and some other photos of the grandkids - so grateful to Matt and Eliza for making the effort to be his support team!!

I don't have his bib number, but he said you can just put in his name and you can track him online.

Go Harry!!

The Runner Rests on His Laurels - well, a park bench anyway!

I certainly was missing being on the sidelines for the big event. But so glad that Eliza, Hannah and Lars were there to cheer him on. His time was 4:21:54 - not what he'd hoped for, but with the 90 degree heat, he opted for "stayin' alive!" instead! (Good choice!)

He does make it look easy, doesn't he??

Wrapping up Boston

A few random shots to wrap up the trip report. Here we are at Boston Common, awaiting Harry's arrival after completing the race. They had a very slick texting program that allowed you to receive informative updates on just where your "athlete" was!!

It was gray and overcast at the end, but there were some blue skies during the race too. It was actually perfect running weather according to Harry.

Near Newton, we stopped to cheer Harry on at the 16 mile mark - that is Matt holding Ida.

Here's Theo playing with his "helicopter" at the Orchard House. He was a real trouper.

Lining up for treats in the hotel room. Every other motel I stay in has a microwave and a fridge - when I don't need one!! La Quinta Inn was a bit chintzy - thin towels, few amenities, hard old pillows, and a very small room - and no fridge or microwave!!

On Sunday we drove to Nashua, New Hampshire and attended church at Sister Elva Lopez's ward. She served in the Arcadia Mission from 2006 to 2008. On a side note, Dad was recently released as Ward Mission Leaders after over 6 years of service - now we can maybe track down all the great sisters and elders who came through our doors!! Sister Lopez and her family emigrated to New Hampshire from Cochabamba, Bolivia, and it was indeed delightful to meet her family and renew our acquaintance with her.

Another great Boston year comes to a close - it had been 4 years since I had come, so it was nice to get back into the swing once more!!

Boston - for the 7th time!!

Boston is a great town - and they certainly "embrace" The Marathon!!

I think back to the first time we went to Boston - 2003 - and so much has changed. For starters, we are no longer there alone - it is so great to have family with you!!

And grandkids make it fun.

Snuggling in bed and eating chocolate chip cookies!!


Seeing the sights - even in the chill!


The traditional "on his way to the race" shot of Harry. Looking calm, well-rested.

And a "guy shot!!"


A "midway" shot at mile 16, near Newton, where we gathered to cheer him on.

And then enjoying a well-deserved lunch at Boston Common at the end of the race.

As we wound our way through the Back Bay to Boston Common, we of course saw many runners and finishers. I am always amazed at this sea of people who have just run 26.2 miles - and they are upright and talking about it with gusto!! (Perhaps those who are feeling less perky are not out on the street!!)

Eliza and Hannah have both posted other photos on their blogs - and I will post more tomorrow - but we got in very late last night - and I didn't get to bed until after 1:30 a.m. I am dragging.

But it was certainly worth any lost sleep to go and spend time with Eliza, Hannah and families - and to watch Dad complete Boston Number 7, and marathon number 15!!

Not bad for an old guy!!

Happy Birthday to Eliza!!

This was the first photo I came to on Dad's file - since my files aren't with us - and it seems almost fitting since it's from the last Boston Marathon I attended before this one, when Theo was just a babe in arms! And I think Robbie changed the settings so that we could post that very large photo of Harry F. But every time I try to change it, it posts instead. So I will just say for now that it was a great day when Eliza joined our family!! And it was also a Tuesday that year!!

Have a great day and a great year - it was a treat to spend the days before your birthday with you this year!!

Boston Results!

Harry finished in 3:52:10 - not too shabby! The rest of the crew drove to Wellesley and rang our cow bells and cheered him on! It's pretty inspiring to watch 27,000 runners cheered on by half a million spectators!!

We met him at the end at Boston Common - and he was in good enough shape to eat a sandwich and soup - and to call his mom!

Now to "sleep, perchance to dream!!"

Boston Update!

Harry did not bring the cord I need to upload the photos - so the photo report will come later!!

Suffice it to say that we are enjoying our time with Hannah, Robbie, Eliza, Matt, Theo, and Ida.

We did Orchard House and Walden Pond yesterday. We hit the Expo today - Harry in his hurry forgot his registration and bib!! But a photo i.d. did the trick.

We feel like we've paid a small fortune to the Mass Turnpike toll road stands.

We have checked out numerous eateries - some better than others.

Dad and I did an REI run with some nice results. (Why is it so much fun to shop a chain store that is across the country from the one you go to all the time??)

There is not much on the hotel's T.V. channels.

Fortunately we enjoy one another's company and the conversation has not lagged.

Hannah, Robbie, and Harry are doing the Freedom Trail as we speak.

The rest of us are kicking back. (The little ones are getting bathed and ready for bed.)

We wish you were here though!! It would be fun.

It is cold - very cold - at the moment - and it is supposed to rain tonight. But it was sunny and warm yesterday - and is supposed to be sunny and warm tomorrow and Monday - but their idea of warm is high 50's.

Not sure where we are going to church tomorrow - maybe Cambridge? Or New Hampshire - if Dad can find a phone number he needs to connect.

We still wish you were here - this would make a fun Terrill reunion spot!!