Boston Marathon Weekend '12

I'm so exhausted from this weekend I feel like I could sleep for 24 hours - unfortunately as per usual that's not an option. I wouldn't do it anyway, 11 hours seems to be my absolute slumber plateau. And that's only reserved for special occasions.
It started off early at the ass crack of dawn with me crawling out of bed to catch a 6:45 am T-ride to Seaport. Interesting crowd on the sub-7 am T...happy I don't have to do it every day. I did make friends with a delightful homeless man who was inquiring about my shoes. Who knew lime green fastwitches could be so popular?
Seaport is where the 2012 Boston Expo was held (much to my dismay). It is the single most inconvenient place to get to in the world. Fact. Instead of being at the normal venue, the Prudential Center, located a speedy 20 minute walk from BU's west campus, it's located a dreary 45 minute T ride + 15 minute walk. I'm not quite sure how I looked at 6:45 in the morning on the T but I wouldn't doubt it was something like....

I didn't even have time for coffee, or breakfast. And non-caffeinated, hungry, sleepy Katies are the WORST Katies. So I was in. a. mood. It took me about 20 minutes into the T ride to fully open both my eyes. Then another 20 to gain all consciousness about what was going on around me. 

But it all got better once I arrived at the expo. Finally! Surrounded by thousands of people who speak my language! They get how I, for the most part, skip the partying, drinking, late nights in exchange for running, biking and swimming. They get how ALL of my friends are on the triathlon team, because other people just don't quite understand. Can't wait to do your next marathon or ironman even though it's the worst pain you've ever felt? Me neither. Crazy for doubling the length of your run because you just felt like it? Never. Insane for spending thousands of dollars a year on triathlon equipment and race entry fees? Absolutely not. Your criteria for a boyfriend included that he own a bike, run consistently, and hold his own in a pool? And place in his age group at races? Isn't that in everyone's criteria? Come to the marathon expo, we understand you here.

So I got my free pair of shoes as promised and 4 free tshirts and the whole nine yards and was placed in clothing for all of 30 seconds until I got switched to...the trolley.

Yes, you read right. The trolley. Why meeee.

My job for 7 hours was to ride around and around and around Boston on the trolley shuttle - bringing people from Niketown to CS on Boylston to Seaport. Oh gee. It was a grand ol' time for the first 3 hours...until I realized that trolley drivers tell the same jokes, play the same songs, and use the same lines over...and over...and over. That, and I got car sick. Probably partly from scarfing down the 2 burritos, a bag of chips, and candy that Matt gave me...but mostly from the stop and go of Boston traffic. But I was definitely spinning after 6 hours.  

When I finally got to step off the shuttle, unfortunately my legs turned to jello, the world spun, and I probably would have a nasty gash on my head had some random dad not caught me as I lost my balance off the curb. WHEW. I may lose my legs but I will NOT lose my dignity! Even when I collapse into some stranger's arms! Don't worry. I played it cool...obviously.

Katie - 1

Universe - 0

But because it's me and God loves to poke fun at people who are too confident, I lost all sense of composure no less than an hour later when I was completely star struck by triathlete/marathoner, Brian Boyle. There I was just standing at the register being useless, talking to people about marathons, admiring the calves of those around me, and poking fun with Colin, when I look up and think, "He looks familiar. WAIT. WHAT!?" Immediately I started sweating. Yup, Katie started nervous sweating. I don't even know the last time that happened. I looked frantically around for someone, anyone, who I could asked if that was actually him. Unfortunately he has a small following who have read his book/know his story, most of which are triathletes, none of which worked at CS. Drat! Left alone to my own devices! Never a good thing!

So I strategically waited for him to mosey away and I casually say to his mom, "This is so random but....by any chance did he..do Ironman Kona?" (pure brilliance - that's that college education at work.)

 But she knew that I knew that she knew I knew. Basically she knew I already knew it was him. So she laughed at me (the first of many) and replied "It's him." And what do I do? I squeal. Like the pig squeal. Good one, Katie.

So as if I hadn't been through enough that day already, I had now made a total ass of myself stuttering and shaking my way through a conversation with a guy who probably just wanted to buy a sweat whicking tank top from Nike. But can you really blame me? Here's a kid who's done more in the past 7 years than 99% of people do in their whole life - AND he died AND came back (obviously, I believe in ghosts, I don't see them). Anyway. Instead of shaking his hand like normal people do I wrapped him up in a ginormous midwestern hug. I also hugged his mom. And then made him go through about 4 different pens giving me an autograph on a waxy flier that in no way was ever meant to be written on. After holding him up and probably embarrassing the hell out of him for ten minutes, I finally let him go on his way. And then I immediately sprinted to the backroom to tell Chris. And then I was TORTURED by the rest of the Citysports crew about being such a spaz.

I've said it once and I'll say it again: sometimes I hate myself. 

Katie -1

Universe - 1

But hey. If I hadn't happened to pick up his book a week ago and started reading it, I would have never recognized him at the expo and never gotten to meet such an incredible person.

Katie -2

Universe - 1

Now I'm just mad because I'm not finished with the book and I know the end of the story.

Alright so then I went home, curled up in bed with How I Met Your Mother and fell asleep until I woke up at 7 am the next day to do it all over again - I love groundhog days! So once again I took an hour long T, walked the rest of the way to the expo, was all "RAR RAR RAR" until someone fed me and gave me coffee, then I turned human again and was my normal, perky, friendly self.

I even requested to not be on the trolley again! But manager Phil, being manager Phil, told me that because I'm perky and friendly and outgoing, that I had to be the trolley sign girl.I hate trolleys! And that dumb sign I had to carry all day! I don't get embarrassed easily, but that doesn't mean I want to stand in a room of thousands of people for 8 hours and scream, "FREE TROLLEY RIDES!" 

I like to think of myself as a laid back, easygoing, level headed individual. High-strung? Yes. Energetic? Absolutely. But not dramatic. But once again I turned into an idiot when Brian came back to the Nike booth to sign my book and take a picture. GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF WOMAN. But this time his mom hugged me first - must be a Missouri thing (she was born there). But that didn't help my rambling or my propensity for speaking at incredible fast rates. At least I'm starstruck for people who overcome amazing odds and do extraordinary things. There are worse things than life than being excited. I just wish I didn't look so stupid when I did it.

Imagine if I had met Lance Armstrong - I probably would have had a heart attack...or fainted. Or both. My blood pressure would never be the same. And don't get me started if I met Chrissie Wellington or Crowie. I get jittery when I see them on TV. 

The second best part of the day was Chris randomly visiting me at the expo with Gram and Louise :) They made the last half go by a lot faster and he always makes me feel better - even when I have to be the trolley sign girl. I missed his race that morning though. The only thing worse than not being able to race with Chris is missing his race altogether.

So after that 12 hour fiasco, I came straight back to my dorm where I was met with....

HENRY!!!

Handsome Henry the Hound. Henry the Great. The most handsome pup in all the land. We had an absolute blast. He was a perfect angel all last night and today. Whatta guy.

I absolutely loved to see everyone's reactions to his adorable coonhound face. Even big, fraternity guys couldn't help but coo, "aww...puppy..." when they walked by. And those big brown eyes kept him from getting in SERIOUS trouble when he snatched 3/4 my bagel out of my hand and ate it in one swallow. Doesn't he know better than to steal a triathlete's food? He'll learn.

So that brings me to now...when I'm completely overwhelmed with finishing up homework and packing for nationals. 

Overall? Best weekend this semester. At leat until....COLLEGIATE TRIATHLON NATIONALS! 3 days 'til our plane leaves for Alabama!

love,

me