2025 Boston Marathon Weekend Recap

2025 Boston Marathon Weekend Recap

This year’s Boston Marathon didn’t go quite the way I originally planned—but in the end, it became one of the most meaningful race experiences I’ve ever had.

The original goal was clear: break 3 hours in Boston. I’d been building toward that benchmark for a while and finally broke through in Chicago last year, and Boston felt like the perfect place to make it happen again. But about 10 weeks out, I suffered a hamstring injury that significantly changed my trajectory. It forced me to step back, scale down my training, and seriously consider whether I’d even be able to toe the line.

Ultimately, I was able to keep moving through the injury—very cautiously—and adjusted my expectations. My long runs were limited, my weekly mileage was much lower than planned, and quality workouts were basically non-existent. But despite the setbacks, I committed to showing up and giving the best effort I could with the body I had on the day.

What made the weekend special—maybe even more than the race—was everything around it. Katie and I made the trip together, which made the entire experience feel more like a celebration than a solo mission. From the moment we landed in Boston, it was nonstop energy: grabbing my bib at the expo, catching up with old friends, meeting new ones, and constantly running into familiar faces. It honestly felt like half the running world was in town, and getting to share it all with Katie made it even more memorable.

We packed our days with walking around the city and reconnecting with friends and family we hadn’t seen in a while. Family members came into town and I felt so supported heading into race day. It’s easy to get tunnel vision when you have a big goal in mind, but being surrounded by people I care about reminded me of the bigger picture.

On race morning, standing in the corral in Hopkinton, I felt surprisingly calm despite missing my start time due to higher security measures (you can always start later, but never earlier). The nerves were still there, but they were layered with gratitude. I wasn’t in sub-3 shape anymore, but I was healthy enough to race—and after what I’d been through with the hamstring, that felt like a win on its own.

I took the early miles conservatively, letting the energy of the crowd carry me while keeping my effort in check. I still managed to hover around a 3 hour marathon pace, despite knowing it wouldn't last. My hamstring stayed quiet, and by the halfway point, I felt steady. But then, as always, the Newton Hill were tough. I hadn't run on a 4-5% grade hill in about 3 months, and despite struggling and falling significantly off my previous pace I got through them. But not without some help from the crowds on Heartbreak Hill.

I crossed the finish in 3:13. Not what I once dreamed of, but honestly, I was proud. Proud of the fight it took to get to Boston. Proud of how I adapted. Proud I beat my previous Boston PB of 3:17, and especially proud that I could celebrate it all with Katie and our friends afterward.

Boston 2025 wasn’t about chasing a perfect time. It was about showing up anyway—and it’s a weekend I’ll never forget.

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