Reinstein: Marathon 2006: An insider's peek at the grueling course-
Metrowest Daily News/April 16, 2006

Every day I get to see my wife run the Boston Marathon. Sort of. Actually, I walk past a photograph in our house of her crossing the finish line in 1999. There is no corresponding photo of me. Don’t get me wrong -- I am hugely proud of my wife’s accomplishment. (I framed the picture.) And it’s not that I am unfamiliar with the course and how grueling it can be; I cover some parts of it nearly every day, year-round. But never the entire length, all at once.

As January turned to February this year, and February to March, I watched on weekends as pockets of runners ran their training miles along Rte. 135 through Natick. I would point them out to my daughter as we ran, too. Ran our errands, that is.

Then, on a sunny Saturday a couple of weeks ago, I decided to just get up and do it. Finally. Right then, right there. Hopkinton to Boston. Crazy, right? No time like the present. Seize the day. Live in the moment. OK, I didn’t actually have any of those Hallmark thoughts. But I did dress sensibly, put on my Nikes, and grab a water bottle. After all, it is 26.2 miles.

I headed first west, to Hopkinton, and the starting line. I was determined to soak up all of the sights and sounds that one never sees by merely watching the race on television. I have been to Hopkinton before. I have even been there on race day. But not to run.
I walked around town for a bit before starting out. Near the starting line, the classic white bandstand on the Common looked crisp as a postcard in the brilliant spring sunshine.
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