As a native Bostonian, it is hard to imagine Boston without runners gearing up for and running the Boston Marathon on Marathon Monday, Patriots Day, a local holiday (the Massachusetts State offices even close on this day). Marathon Monday is a jubilant day that always sports a tremendous amount of fanfare all the way from Hopkinton (where the race starts) to its finish on Boylston Street in downtown Boston. Even months before race day, the course is electric— weekend group charity runs along Commonwealth Avenue, the 11-mile New Year’s Day training event that starts at the bottom of Heartbreak Hill and conveniently ending at a local pub on Boylston Street near the finish line, the 22-mile charity run on the Boston course flanked by charities and sponsors on the side-walks to providing fuel and swag to runners preparing for the big day, and of course there is the marathon race weekend with the pasta dinners, running expos with athletes parading around Boston, and scores of eager runners wearing their Marathon jackets! On race day, the cool spring air often mixed with the scent of nearby grills at race parties, and the screams of thousands of fans (especially around Boston College)! Spectators are lined 2-deep the whole way, both sides (that’s 52 miles), the Boston Red Sox even coordinate a home game so that fans can walk out post game and cheer for runners while offering enthusiastic encouragement to “run wicked fast” down that final mile!
Imagine all the excitement and work leading up to the Boston Marathon-- earning a qualifying time, the massive fundraising efforts by charity runners, the training, anticipation and excitement- then BAM…enter global pandemic…the marathon goes virtual SO CLOSE to Marathon Monday. Though the pandemic stopped the actual Marathon, its spirit was very much alive- runners continued to fundraise for their causes, athletes ran virtually, and the tradition remained strong and was left unscathed.
In January 2021, the Boston Athletic Association (BAA) announced the Boston Marathon was postponed until October 2021. The race was not canceled and even better— the BAA offered a virtual race option in celebration of the 125th Boston Marathon. This was tremendously exciting news! Shortly after this announcement, Stroller Warrior members from several chapters registered for the virtual Boston. An captivating buzz spread throughout our Stroller Warriors community with members sharing their registration confirmations online and convincing others Stroller Warriors to join! The exhilaration of registering for Boston was unicorn running happiness!
The week and weekend leading up to the 2021 Boston Marathon was thrilling— after watching many of our Stroller Warriors share their Boston Marathon training journey, the race time was finally here! Many members shared their running journey with their local chapter communities:
Imagine all the excitement and work leading up to the Boston Marathon-- earning a qualifying time, the massive fundraising efforts by charity runners, the training, anticipation and excitement- then BAM…enter global pandemic…the marathon goes virtual SO CLOSE to Marathon Monday. Though the pandemic stopped the actual Marathon, its spirit was very much alive- runners continued to fundraise for their causes, athletes ran virtually, and the tradition remained strong and was left unscathed.
In January 2021, the Boston Athletic Association (BAA) announced the Boston Marathon was postponed until October 2021. The race was not canceled and even better— the BAA offered a virtual race option in celebration of the 125th Boston Marathon. This was tremendously exciting news! Shortly after this announcement, Stroller Warrior members from several chapters registered for the virtual Boston. An captivating buzz spread throughout our Stroller Warriors community with members sharing their registration confirmations online and convincing others Stroller Warriors to join! The exhilaration of registering for Boston was unicorn running happiness!
The week and weekend leading up to the 2021 Boston Marathon was thrilling— after watching many of our Stroller Warriors share their Boston Marathon training journey, the race time was finally here! Many members shared their running journey with their local chapter communities:
Colleen R. with Stroller Warriors Yuma, the virtual Boston Marathon was her first marathon! She recently completed the C25K program in Stroller Warriors Iwakuni in June 2021.
Leyda S. with Stroller Warriors Elsewhere crossing the finish line in Texas!
For Stephanie S. from Stroller Warriors Kaneohe Bay, the virtual Boston was her tenth marathon. This race has always been a unicorn race so to run Boston as number 10 was incredible. On to Honolulu marathon in December.
This marathon as number five for Jessica Berlin from Stroller Warriors Fort Meade. She had an incredible crew/cheer squad consisting of SW members and family! She is currently training for an upcoming 50k!
After many early morning training runs to beat the heat, several SW members from Okinawa ran the virtual Boston Marathon on October 9th. With a start time of 330am, they enjoyed views from the Ayakashi Bridge, Hamahiga Island, Miyagi Island Bridge, and Ikei Island. The weather was perfect, but what made the day over the top was the amazing support by fellow chapter members, minis, and spouses. They followed the group in cars providing snacks, fuel, drinks, photos, and even a chair if needed while cheering “Ganbatte” along the way.
Lorena R. with Stroller Warriors Monterey ran the last mile of the marathon with her son running along side her!
During the race, Nina W. created an incredible 26.2 mile running course around her neighborhood!
Ashely S. ran the marathon on the track on Buckley Space Force Base. The virtual Boston was her third marathon!
The City of Boston buzzed with happiness on the weekend leading up to the return of the Boston Marathon. Virtual runners setting their courses in Boston seized the opportunity to run across the 125th Boston Marathon finish line through a massive crowd of people whilst taking pictures, enjoying the marathon fan zone/festival, and cheering for those crossing the finish line. Imagine any previous Boston Marathon race day and amplify the excitement by 100— that was how the 2021 Boston Marathon will be recorded in the history books! Everyone from spectators to runners were ecstatic to be back— a bliss was in the air that I had never experienced before during a race! Deafening cheers and screams rose from the crowd the entire time…so loud that the use of music with headphones was futile. During the final half-mile, as I turned right onto “Mount Hereford” and left onto Boylston (after passing my kids, husband, mom, and all my brothers) the crowd’s roar was nearly disorienting…it jolted the inner-most fibers of my running soul!
If this race is indicative of the running scene to come, I can only imagine how the runners at-large will feel when everyone’s favorite races are again open! The 2021 Boston Marathon will forever be a joyous memory for myself and many members of the Stroller Warriors® community!
Happy Running!
-Rose
If this race is indicative of the running scene to come, I can only imagine how the runners at-large will feel when everyone’s favorite races are again open! The 2021 Boston Marathon will forever be a joyous memory for myself and many members of the Stroller Warriors® community!
Happy Running!
-Rose
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