[hobey]

We should start planning the meet-up for Boston Marathon weekend. Off the top of my head, I can think of the following LITers who will be around:<br><br>
Running: Brew_Dad, Alaska Mike, Janie, Thor (maybe), Gator Girl, anyone else?<br>
In the Area but not running: hobey, LRR, JulieB, Dougie Fresh, anyone else?<br><br>
I'd love to get together for a beer/dinner/lunch or something. Right now, the hobey clan will be rolling into town on Friday afternoon and staying in Cambridge. The only sure things on our agenda pre-Marathon are the Women's Trials on Sunday since one of our clubmates is running and Brew_Dad's college roommate may be coming up from Long Island but he doesn't bite. <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif"><br><br>
It's been a few years since we last visited Beantown so I'm relying on the locals to help steer us to good places to meet.<br><br>
Who's in?

 

[Thor]

I am unfortunately out. I will be flying back into Boston on Sunday. Sorry.<br><br>
hobey, do you know where YOU will be out on the course cheering on BrewDad? Because if you do, I'll make sure to stop for a great big sweaty hug. But I'll have to know before April 5th, as I may not be in e-mail touch until AFTER Boston.

 

[Alaska Mike]

I'm absolutely in and really looking forward to it. I arrive on Saturday about noon. Our plans are pretty fluid right now and I'm willing to be flexible. I was going to hit the expo on Saturday afternoon, I was thinking about the Freedom run on Sunday and maybe the Marathon Tours bus tour of the course again and I have some tenative dinner plans for Sunday night, but like I said, I'm flexible and willing to change all of that for Team LIT!<br><br>
Mike

 

[LeftRightRepeat]

I'll be working one of the fluid stops at the Women's Trials (not sure which one yet). That race goes off at 8AM though. So lunch on Sunday is a possibility... Saturday's good too.<br><br>
Should probably pick a day/time and then I/we can help with a suitable location near public transport/parking/hotels and such.<br><br>
I'll also be out on the course Monday (location TBD, maybe Mile 16 (at the 128 crossing) or 22 (at BC)) with my kids (and probably Sponge Bob) cheering on Gator Girl. We're gonna try to coax the Muffin Queen into coming with us too and talk her into running in with Gator Girl! We may be able to offer "special needs" packages... We'll let you know when our details are firm.

 

[Dougie Fresh]

I'd love to get together but that doesn't mean it will happen, especially on a weekend <img alt="sad.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/sad.gif">. It would be fun though! How long are folks sticking around post-Marathon?

 

[Stitcher]

One of the other runners in my running club is doing trials.....<br>
I love knowing famous people!!

 

[hobey]

No clue yet. I'm thinking of taking DS out for breakfast/brunch and then meandering back towards Copley by the time you fasties get there. Do you have post-marathon plans? A sweaty hug plus a beer if nothing else. Just don't expect one from DS since he doesn't like sweaty hugs. <img alt="biggrin.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/biggrin.gif"><br><br>
For all of us who are planning in meeting, we should plan to exchange cell numbers through PM or e-mail to facilitate the group gathering.

 

[hobey]

We're flying out early on Tuesday morning.<br><br>
Sunday lunch may be good. Our hotel is just off the Lechmere T Stop and a few blocks from where the Trials will be.

 

[LeftRightRepeat]

Just know that the finish area is totally nutz. It's a bad place to actually see anyone. If the weather is anywhere near tolerable, for the last several miles of the marathon, the crowds are 6-10 or more people deep on both sides.<br><br>
It's also often difficult for potentially disoriented runners exiting the finish area trying to find a specific family member they're meeting. It's a huge crowd of people wandering. Make sure you have very specific plans if you actually want to make a rendezvous. (There's a "family meeting area" with signs for letters of the alphabet - you can meet by first letter of your last name or whatever. That works.)

 

[hobey]

Good to know...I should do some more research. <img alt="icon_salut.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/icon_salut.gif">

 

[LeftRightRepeat]

There's a <a href="http://www.bostonmarathon.org/BostonMarathon/CourseMaps.pdf" target="_blank">map of the finish area here</a> (lower left corner - Zoom!). The whole area in grey is fenced off and inaccessible. Runners exit <i>only</i> over at Stuart Street.

 

[Chris the Wheeler]

I'm not doing Boston, but on Monday I'm either going to be at mile 20 with the Boston hashers or mile 18 with my club. I'm probalbly going to be riding my handcycle back and forth between them both.

 

[hobey]

LRR: If you'll be out by BC, maybe we'll join you there.

 

[em73]

AdCo and I will be out spectating on Monday, as always. We're usually near Centre St. in Newton (and often with a big black dog), but could go elsewhere depending on where people want to hang out. We may be available for meetups that weekend, although it is the beginning of Passover so it will depend on what time.<br><br>
Speaking of that, if there are any out-of-town peeps looking for a pre-marathon seder, let me know.

 

[LeftRightRepeat]

I've run the past five years... Each of those years (but one when they were delayed and ended up at mile 24), my family has been at the 22 mark, <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Chestnut+Hill+Drwy+and+Commonwealth+Ave,+Boston,+MA&sll=42.339387,-71.154885&sspn=0.008549,0.017209&ie=UTF8&ll=42.339086,-71.155078&spn=0.008549,0.017209&t=h&z=16" target="_blank">roughly here</a>. It's the end of the Heartbreak Hill climbs and a good place for a boost. You can reach it on the B (100y walk), C (0.3m walk), or D (0.4m walk) branches of the <a href="http://www.mbta.com/schedules_and_maps/subway/lines/?route=GREEN" target="_blank">Green Line</a>. We'll probably shoot for here unless...<br><br>
If the Muffin Queen decides to run the last 10 miles with Gator Girl, we'll shoot for <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Wales+St+and+Washington+St,+Newton,+MA&sll=42.327633,-71.253526&sspn=0.004275,0.008605&ie=UTF8&ll=42.328077,-71.253097&spn=0.008551,0.017209&t=h&z=16" target="_blank">roughly here</a>. There's usually a big crowd from our running club there and, because it's an unrespected hill and always a killer wind, it's again, a good place for a boost. It's about 0.6 miles from the D line. It's also a rather unpleasant place with the wind and traffic below so... Might try 16.5 or so. Dunno.<br><br>
We're still planning. As we get closer to a plan, if you'd like to meet us someplace, that'd be fun.

 

[26.2]

I'll be volunteering this year! But I'm not sure where yet. Has anyone volunteered before? Do you usually get your 1st choice?

 

[hobey]

A guy in our running club's parents live about 1/2 mile away from the last steep climb on Heartbreak. They're making noise about a *special needs* aid station in the vicinity. Might be fun to join forces for Gator Girl and my fellow Lizards. They're all reptiles after all. <img alt="wink.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/wink.gif">

 

[Janie]

I am flying in with DH on Sat. about noon. We are staying near the finish at the Hilton. I am excited about watching the trials on Sunday. We do have some plans on Sunday for dinner with some friends but might be able to change plans. Is anyone going to the Pasta Party?<br><br>
If anyone is going to be out there around 20 miles or so , I would love some flat Coke. That would be a great boost for me.

 

[hobey]

Janie: If the aid station comes into being, you can be sure I'll have some flat Coke for you. If not, we'll figure out a way to make it happen.

 

[Alaska Mike]

Reading the responses, it looks like Sunday would work best for a pre-race get together. If it was lunch, it would probably need to be later (1:30?) to allow Janie to get attend. Other option would be dinner on Sunday night, which I'm also open to but might be tougher for a group on the night before the Marathon. A late lunch might work well if folks are going to be downtown for the Trials.<br><br>
Mike