Saturday, May 3, 2008
BU homepage
I've started a new website hosted by Boston University that I hope will become one-stop shopping for all my clips, musings and multimedia offerings. It's pretty bare-bones for now until I get them to up my disk quota. Still, take a look.
Monday, April 21, 2008
At the finish line
B.U. freshman Tim Wolfe got a front-row view of the Marathon's most dramatic finishes today, though not without cost. As a volunteer for Silver Wings, a civilian volunteer group associated with Air Force ROTCs, Wolfe woke up as early as most runners to help out with security around the race's Copley Square finish line.
Spectators often forget that Marathon participants are not the only ones exhausted from after the races many demands - thousands of volunteers also spend the whole day standing and performing repetitive tasks like handing out drinks or answering spectators' questions. Wolfe said spending more than eight hours on his feet proved a challenge despite its rewards.
"I never said I was tired until after I was done," he said.
At first, Wolfe said he found the finish line area surprisingly quiet even as wheelchair racers closed in on the area. Then the first wave of women's runners streamed in, followed by the men, and with them came a crush of rowdy onlookers.
As the Marathon's star harriers finished their 26.2-mile trek, Wolfe remembers being astonished as the top athletes "walked off nonchalantly" rather than collapsing at the finish line, still mustering the energy to walk off to awards ceremonies and press conferences nearby. On the whole, Wolfe said he had an ideal first marathon experience.
"The closer you can get to it, the better," he said.
Spectators often forget that Marathon participants are not the only ones exhausted from after the races many demands - thousands of volunteers also spend the whole day standing and performing repetitive tasks like handing out drinks or answering spectators' questions. Wolfe said spending more than eight hours on his feet proved a challenge despite its rewards.
"I never said I was tired until after I was done," he said.
At first, Wolfe said he found the finish line area surprisingly quiet even as wheelchair racers closed in on the area. Then the first wave of women's runners streamed in, followed by the men, and with them came a crush of rowdy onlookers.
As the Marathon's star harriers finished their 26.2-mile trek, Wolfe remembers being astonished as the top athletes "walked off nonchalantly" rather than collapsing at the finish line, still mustering the energy to walk off to awards ceremonies and press conferences nearby. On the whole, Wolfe said he had an ideal first marathon experience.
"The closer you can get to it, the better," he said.
Sox come first
Victoria Skiffington, 16, of North Reading, Mass., said she has never seen the Boston Marathon before, and this year is no exception. Though Skiffington and her friend Nick are only a block away from the marathon route, they chose instead to see the Red Sox play the Rangers. With the game winding down (Boston was up 8-2 in the bottom of the 8th), both are going back home before class starts tomorrow. Skiffington said she does not think she is missing much by going to the game.
"Not really," she said. "I mean, I choose the Sox over everything."
This year, the traditional Patriots' Day game at Fenway Park had a different impact on the race because the marathon began a few hours earlier than the usual start time around noon. Because of this, most game attendees began leaving Fenway while the middle and late finishers in the Marathon passed through Kenmore Square. Though the entire marathon route is more crowded than it was as the men's and women's leaders passed, so far the crowd is manageable and sidewalks still have a little space.
"Not really," she said. "I mean, I choose the Sox over everything."
This year, the traditional Patriots' Day game at Fenway Park had a different impact on the race because the marathon began a few hours earlier than the usual start time around noon. Because of this, most game attendees began leaving Fenway while the middle and late finishers in the Marathon passed through Kenmore Square. Though the entire marathon route is more crowded than it was as the men's and women's leaders passed, so far the crowd is manageable and sidewalks still have a little space.
1-mile marker
Though they don't know him, marathon runners look happy to see the white-whiskered face of Glenn McKidden of Litchfield, N.H. McKidden is manning the 1-mile marker in Kenmore Square, in his 15th year as volunteer for the Boston Athletic Association. He rings a small cowbell to let runners know they've nearly made it to the end. Spotters like him serve to both encourage the runners and protect the mile markers from falling down.
Though he has never run a full Boston Marathon (he has run "two halves," he said, which might as well be considered "one whole"), McKidden said he understands the trials of running cross-country from his own athletic club in New Hampshire.
"Right about here, they're happy to be here," he said.
Though he has never run a full Boston Marathon (he has run "two halves," he said, which might as well be considered "one whole"), McKidden said he understands the trials of running cross-country from his own athletic club in New Hampshire.
"Right about here, they're happy to be here," he said.
Cheruiyot wins again
Word is that Robert Cheruiyot won his fourth Boston Marathon earlier, though he didn't beat the 2:07:14 record he set in 2006. Cheruiyot was on pace to beat his all-time record as he reached the Beacon Street bridge, but he slowed down on Commonwealth Avenue before reaching the finish line, according to Boston.com's live marathon blog.
Drumming up support
B.U. sophomore Max Esposito is wailing on a silver bongo drum until it hurts.
"My hands are getting tired," he complains, but the show must go on. Esposito said he has a running tradition of playing the drum in Boston until people start dancing around him.
This is not Esposito's first marathon - growing up in nearby Holliston, Mass., Esposito said he has seen more marathons than he can count. It is, however, his first marathon in a tie-dye shirt and baby blue tuxedo-style blazer, an addition Esposito said he added to "spice it up a little."
Though there are no takers yet, Esposito said he is confident people will loosen up as the day progresses. Last year, Esposito said dozens of people started randomly dancing in the streets.
"I'm not sure what the catalyst was," he said. "Maybe alcohol."
"My hands are getting tired," he complains, but the show must go on. Esposito said he has a running tradition of playing the drum in Boston until people start dancing around him.
This is not Esposito's first marathon - growing up in nearby Holliston, Mass., Esposito said he has seen more marathons than he can count. It is, however, his first marathon in a tie-dye shirt and baby blue tuxedo-style blazer, an addition Esposito said he added to "spice it up a little."
Though there are no takers yet, Esposito said he is confident people will loosen up as the day progresses. Last year, Esposito said dozens of people started randomly dancing in the streets.
"I'm not sure what the catalyst was," he said. "Maybe alcohol."
From the sidelines
A few racers in wheelchairs have been passing for the last hour, but still no sign of the main runners. A chopper passed overhead two minutes ago, and birds are flying over Audubon Circle, as if to see what all the fuss is about.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)