Expo-sing with Tom and the Beaupres

Because you can NEVER get enough chomps, granola bites, tortilla chips, jelly sandwiches, and Gu, it always make sense to hit the Boston Marathon expo a SECOND time, with a different runner in tow, experiencing the madness of the expo for the first time.

Bring on the Beaupres!

Tom, Laura, and their son Ian made the seven hour sojourn from Allentown, PA to arrive in time for Tom to pick up his inaugural number.

But before he could get that, he needed to pay homage to the granddaddy of the Boston Marathon himself, Johnny Kelley, whose statue waits for runners in Newton, around mile 18, just as they prepare to crest the hills that break hearts. So of course, we stopped to pay our respects and hope a little of Kelley's Marathon Magic would rub off on Tom. (Spoiler alert: it did!)

After Tom got his first glance at Heartbreak Hill, Boston College, Cleveland Circle, and the Beacon Street torture that would lay before him on the final five miles of Monday's run, we made it in to Boylston Street and Tom had his first up-close encounter with the most famous finish line in the annals of running.

He made sure to pay it the proper respect.  He was superstitious about visiting the site prior to his official arrival there on Monday, but the exuberant atmosphere that surrounds the finish line on Marathon weekend is intoxicating and helps enhance the overall experience, and is not to be missed.

Not a cloud in the sky, sunny dispositions all around.  This was a moment to remember.

And then it was off the number pick-off.  You may recall seeing a near-identical shot of Tom's running cohort Andrew picking his up in our last scintillating blog post.

Yep.  Only one Boston.  And plenty of reasons to smile.

The course looks pretty flat when it's laid out on a map.  Trust me, it isn't.

Inside the expo, at the Disney booth, I had a chance to salivate while admiring/fondling the Avengers Half Marathon medal that finishers of Disneyland's Avengers Assemble race collect at that race's end in California.

Alas, it's not a race I was able to make it to last fall.  Instead, I can just hold the gorgeous hardware in my sweaty palms.

Ian is ready for his dad's gorilla run on Monday.  This fella waits for people just as they prepare to climb the vaunted Heartbreak Hill.  Many runners probably think they're hallucinating when they see the hirsute simian out there cheering for them.  It's just one in a series of mind-altering visions that await you during the run.

The most welcome sign Tom found at the Expo.

Ian, proudly sporting his Red Sox gear, can tell his schoolmates he met Sam Adams during his trip to historic Boston, so it was an educational trip as well!

And his parents can tell THEIR friends they sampled the 26.2 Sam Adams ale made especially for the Boston Marathon! 

Ian edged out last year's Marathon winner, Meb Keflezighi, and he didn't even break a sweat

The obligatory father/son Boston 2024 celebration, complete with laurels, flags, and medals.  Start training Ian, our money's on you!

He's right, There's Only One First Boston.  And it's unforgettable.

Finally, Ian was doing his best Mr. Crabs imitation, though it was actually a lobster.  And those lobster sneakers and socks we scored on Friday during our first pass?  Completely sold out by Sunday.

The swagging's done.  Bring on Race Day!

Expo-sing with Andrew and the Hatems

First in a series of blogs spotlighting this year's 119th running of the Boston Marathon, so if you're weary of running stories, or the majesty and glory that is Boston, you're gonna wanna sit out the next few days worth of posts.  I just can't let the historic event pass without some documentation of all the laughs, achievements, and milestones that mark this weekend every April.  This year was a special outing, coming on the heels of the most historic winter we've ever experienced, along with the debut of some first-time Boston runners.  (More on them later.)

But anyone who's been a regular reader of this blog over the years knows that it all begins with a pilgrimage to the expo that packs them in by the thousands at the Hynes Convention Center.  You know, some years, I truly think Andrew has more fun at the Expo than he does at the actual marathon itself.  He certainly eats more there.

Before we could spend a small fortune on memorabilia at the expo, though, there was a pit stop on Boylston Street to pay tribute to the four victims whose lives were lost when a pair of cowardly terrorists attacked the finish line two years ago.

It was nice to see the acknowledgement at the site of where the first bomb exploded.  Never forget them.

A new addition this year were the hundreds of daffodils scattered around storefronts on Boylston Street and Newbury Street, sporting the blue and gold colors that have come to embody the spirit of the 2013 Marathon. 

At the Expo, after producing the necessary paperwork to confirm he was the crazy fool who had committed to running the 26. miles, Andrew was handed his badge of honor. 

Because anyone who's ever run even one step of the course knows, there's only One Boston. 

Oh yeah, and there's only one of these, too 

Andrew and I got there early on Friday so we were able to stake a claim to primo real estate on the autograph banner.  So natch, we left our mark for the 2015 edition.  By the time I returned on Sunday, there were thousands upon thousands of other sigs surrounding ours.  But there was only one E Streeters. 

And then it happened!  Andrew connected with his lifelong bud and first-time Bostoner, Nicole Hatem, who was doing her doggonest to support the Boston running economy.  Nicole gets props for logging her first marathon after taking on most of her longest runs on some of the coldest days of the 2015 season! 

Yup, Andrew was ready to meet the challenge. 

Tell us: what's been YOUR Greatest Run Ever? 

Anyone who's trekked the final mile of Boston knows these two street signs intimately.  Say it with me: Right on Hereford, Left on Boylston.  And then straight on to victory. 

Mugging it up for a Runner's World Magazine Cover 

Wheedling our way through the aisles, we came upon Dick Hoyt - an icon known far and wide across the nation for his inspirational achievements, pushing his son Rick in his wheelchair.  Dick stepped back this year to let another member of Team Hoyt pick up the mantel and run Boston (no, not John Piekos) but it was still an honor to shake hands and thank Dick for all of the lives he's touched with a father's love over these past two decades. 

Scoring a pair of lobster socks (don't ask), Andrew took to the Brooks treadmill, hoping he'd look this good come Mile 17 on the real course. (He did).

But no matter what, he'd never look as good as THIS guy - a critical member of our Marathon team and clearly, the best dressed runner on the fabled streets.  Take a bow, Elias! 

Yeah, there's only one E Street.  Shuffle on over there. 

And finally, a sign of the times to come, perhaps? Hamming it up in the Boston 2024 Olympics pavilion to throw our support behind Boston's bid to bring the world showcase to Beantown come 2024.  I doubt I'll be a medal contender at that point, but Andrew?  Don't count him out! 

That's a wrap on Expo Day One!  We're not done yet......

Track Your 2015 Boston Marathon Runners

The glory that is Marathon Monday is upon us again, and that means it's time for this blog to collect all the info you need for one-stop shopping to track the extended E Streeter family who'll be logging the 26.2 miles from Hopkinton to Boston this year.

As followers of this vaunted blog know, we try to make it as easy as possible for you to get live-time updates about our runners, with a little help from the BAA and the AT&T Athlete Tracker.

So without further ado, here's what you need to know.  And ado.

Start here, at the BAA's official website to get the details.

Athlete Alerts

You just text the runner's bib number to the following number: 234567

So where do you get said runner's numbers?  Well funny you should ask.

Andrew is running his third consecutive Boston Marathon.  He'll be sporting his Marvel Comics shirtwear throughout the day.  Avengers Assemble on the Marathon Course.

Andrew's number is 29336

Tom Beaupre will be making his Boston Marathon debut this year.  This from the guy who used to curse me out every time our annual three-mile jaunts during the holidays ended up stretching into 4 or God forbid, 5 milers.  And now he's about to crush 26.2.

Tom's number is 29335

Nicole Hatem is following in her mom's footsteps and blazing a trail through the hills of Newton for HER first marathon, and laughing all the way! The Scream Tunnel at Wellesley College will take on a whole meaning for the woman who used to lose her own voice leading the screams.

Nicole's number is 31437

The father-daughter tandem of Phil and Alyssa Maia are making history as the Senor and Senorita run into the history books, on Alyssa's birthday, no less.  And her dad marked the day she was born by logging a blazing 3:15 marathon 23 years ago!  All of Lowell High Cross Country and Track alum - take note - the Senor Is Holding Court!

Phil Maia is number 14712,

Alyssa Maia is number 28085

And finally, the Godfather of the Boston Marathon, Scott Graham, is running in his, like, 48th consecutive Boston Marathon.  Or something in that neighborhood.  When he's not occupied running runners off the road in Westford, Scotty G. is rocking the striped pants and burning up the trails and roadways at a blistering pace.

Scott is number 13791

And that's a wrap for this year's "Official" E Streeter entrees.  There's certainly more that will be checking in at various points throughout the run, but these are the folks who have earned the laurels, the blisters, and the accolades.

Follow them, get your text alerts, and wish them all their Greatest Run Ever!

See you on the other side!

Stepping Up For Sue

The wind was (maybe) the biggest blow in Tyngsboro on Saturday when nearly 200 people stepped up to log the miles around the Notre Dame Academy track in memory of Susan (Scanlon) Bradley who passed away last summer after valiantly fighting brain cancer.

Admittedly, more than a few people were more than wee bit concerned when we arrived to see javelin practice underway on the track.  It had all the makings of a Hunger Games competition.

So as the supporters began flocking in and lining up to buy their tee-shirts, make their donations, and hit up the raffle tables, a foolhardy group of E Streeters decided to log a few miles around town.

Proof that Scott, will indeed, run in Tyngsboro.

We had to allow Carlos to take the town line, seeing as how it's the town he patrols and keeps safe from all those Westford hooligans

But to get INTO a town, you have to get back out, and Carlos' streak was brought to a heartbreaking end, as a new Town Line victor emerged.  Who could that be?

Back at the track, it was time to get the walk-a-thon underway.  After, of course, an obligatory E Streeters group picture, which was missing a number of key participants who had other last-minute tasks to take care of before the opening gun.

The windswept morning also featured the reunion of three best buds from St. Joseph's Regional High School.  Brings back memories of Luke, Laura, Beecher's Corner, and the Ice Princess!

With inspirational words from Sue's daughters Mikaela and Lauren, the wild and woolly walkers were off!

The horde

You think these folks have their hands in their pockets because it was fashionable?  Wrong.  They were freezing.

These mugs apparently thought it was a STAND-a-thon 

Afterwards, it was raffle time, and E Streeter offspring held their own.  Heather got her spa treatment, and Finn, well, let's just say the lottery commission is still looking into that last second victory!

All around, a fabulous morning for family, and friends, and a great tribute to a super woman who's missed by everyone.

From the event's Facebook page:

Sue passed away from a Glioblastoma, a type of malignant brain tumor.  The Walk-A-Thon was organized as a way to remember and honor all the wonderful things she did for so many, while also allowing her family to give back to the community.

Susan was a big advocate of education her entire life.  She worked in the school systems for 25 years and was also very involved in the schools her children attended.  The funds raised at the Walk-A-Thon will be applied toward the Susan Bradley Scholarship set up at the Academy of Notre Dame so that even in her absence, she will continue to give back to others.

To find out more about Susan, the scholarship, or to make a donation, check out the scholarship's website here: Sue's NDA Page

We miss you, Sue!  It won't come as a surprise that your family kept their bad jokes running throughout the Walk-A-Thon in your memory!