Yay for Boston's marathoners

Boston marathon winners: Robert Kiprano Cheruiyot and Teyba Erkesso

I love watching the Boston Marathon. I really like watching running sports in general, but marathon's are clearly a class above other races. I love the tradition of the Boston Marathon. I love the enthusiasm of the fan's and runners. And I love seeing strangers interact with each other in very compassionate ways. 

This year I watched the marathon from outside Boston College's main gate on Commonwealth Ave. that is the spot just past Heartbreak Hill. Many of the fan's who lined Comm. Ave were BC students who were rowdy and excited. And in some cases smelled of alcohol. 

My friends and I cheered on the men and women who where quickly running past us toward Cleveland Circle and ultimately the finish line in Copley Square. I was able to cheer on some friends from B.C. who were running in the marathon and that was incredibly fun. 

During the past few months I have watched runners up and down Commonwealth Ave. training for the marathon on weekend mornings. And I wonder what their stories are or where they are from. I also love talking to my co-workers, who are born and raised in Mass. about their family's marathon traditions. I love to ask them where they watched or what their families did to celebrate this day. This marathon at 114-years-old has such a wonderful tradition that I will miss it when I leave. 

At one point this afternoon after many of the runners had passed by I went back out to the course . I wanted to go back and cheer. I found one woman near St. Ignatius church who had her hands poised on her hips and was voicing her impatience to a cop who was nearby. I heard her comments and caught up with her. Asking if I could walk with her and hesitating for a moment she said, 'yes.' Slowly, she started to regain her breath, we exchanged some small talk and then took off with me loudly cheering, 'You can do it ... Let's go!'