Dedicated to all affected by the Boston Marathon Bombings: the victims and families; first responders and all the city's medical professionals; and all the runners who trained so hard but were unable to finish. This was all because of an evil act by a coward. Rest assured that we are a strong and vital city and we continue to be. We cannot--will not---be stopped.
On April 14th, 2013 the Boston Athletic Association held its 5th annual 5K (3.1 mile) road race. Traditionally held on the Sunday of Marathon Weekend--the marathon itself was on the following day-- the race takes participants past some of the city's most famous historical spots, and straight through the Marathon finish line.
I have run this race since the beginning, and this year it was the biggest yet, at 6,500 runners.
THE EXPO
But before I get to that, I have to go to the Runner's Expo at the Haynes Convention Center. Here there are hundreds of vendors from all around the running industry. There are representatives from all the major names: Nike, Reebok, New Balance, and of course the Marathon sponsor--Adidas. There are many other companies, too. Other clothing lines and sports related companies of all kinds, tables promoting various races and marathons from around the world --yes, there really is an Antarctica marathon--and lots of food (runners love food!) There are seminars and talks throughout the weekend; you could even get a pre-race massage, and there are posterboards and markers throughout so spectators can prepare their signs.
The Expo is free and open to the public, but my colleagues and I are here on serious business. There is plenty of time to look around, but first I have to pick up my material for the race (I'm here on Friday afternoon, the opening day of the Expo). After wending my way through a couple of rows of vendors, I reach the 5K pickup area (the marathoners have a separate area, although many are here, some use our race as a last training run). I turn in my pickup card and get my goodies: my t-shirt, bib (the paper with your number that you pin to your shirt), info on the course and, of course, a few snacks, random coupons, and advertisements.
RACE DAY
8:00 AM Sunday. I've arrived at the start area in Copley Square and am ready to go. We are all lined up, various running legends have wished us luck, the National Anthem has been sung. The starter's gun goes off.....and so do we.
We are divided up according to our expected pace--I'm about a quarter of the way back from the start, about a 10 minute mile. About 40 seconds after the official start, I cross the start line. My sports watch is in chrono mode, I activate and begin my race.
Starting on Boylston St, running towards the Public Garden, the first turn is a left onto Charles St between the Public Garden and the Boston Common. Thus begins a giant near-loop around the Garden. Left on Beacon St, another onto Arlington. Just before the loop closes, a right onto Newbury St. Half a block further and one mile complete. Quick check of my chrono--9:28. Looking good.
Passing the water station, I grab a cup and start mile 2. The course takes us up and down various side streets, alternating runs along Newbury and Commonwealth Ave. Ultimately settling on Comm, we hit the two mile mark. 1.1 to go. Running down Comm, under the Mass Ave overpass, left on Charlesgate W, and back up the other side of Comm, under the overpass again, grabbing a last water along the way.
Almost there. Taking a right onto Hereford St--a short but steep incline, my personal Heartbreak Hill--from this point on I am on the actual Marathon course. One more left back onto Boylston, and through the finish.
Passing through the finish, we continue walking down Boylston, picking up our medals and goodie bags along the way: yes, more food!
(Click here to see the full course map.)
THE NUMBERS
Well, as might be expected I didn't win. The male winner finished in a blazing fast 12:46, the female in 15:16. But I did have a respectable run: finishing in 32:08--an average of roughly 11:09 per mile. Given the number of runners and the bottleneck at Mass Ave, I'm happy with this time.
I was the 4108th finisher overall, and out of the 324 people in my age group, I finished in 279th place.
All in all, it was a great day. Perfect running weather, good run, and looking forward to next year!
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Monday, April 1, 2013
Book Review: The Casual Vacancy
JK Rowling
The Casual Vacancy
Pub. Little, Brown & Co., 1st Ed. Sept. 2012
Hardcover, 503 pages
Rowling starts her first novel in the post-Harry Potter era with a death in a parking lot: Barry Fairbrother, a council member of the Parish of Pegford. Fairbrother, who was going into a restaurant with his wife Mary, has an aneurysm. This creates the "casual vacancy"--a sudden opening on the Parish Council. The news quickly travels through town, and thus the story begins.
The election of Fairbrother's replacement will have an effect on the parish for generations to come. It all started 60 years before, when the local estate deeded some land to Pegford. On that land a housing development, called The Fields, was built and over time The Fields had become a slum. The problem is this: Under the unusual deal, The Fields is under Pegford jurisdiction, and therefore the parish is responsible for the social services; meanwhile, the neighboring city of Yarvil has responsibility for the infrastructure. In the economic downturn, Pegford can no longer afford to keep The Fields on. A border war has broken out, and at the same time a civil war wages on in the Council over this question: Keep The Fields, or redraw the border and make it part of Yarvil? This is what the election is all about: Will the new councilman be Pro- or Anti- Fields?
Ultimately, the novel--using the vehicle of the election campaign and other secondary stories--is about the people of Pegford and The Fields. We learn everything about them....everything....and that is my biggest issue with the book. The character detail may be useful for the author doing prep work sketches, but for the reader there is almost too much story. Perhaps if Rowling had stuck with the election and it's central issue--keep The Fields or cut it loose-- this would be a tighter book. I do believe she is a great storyteller who has created interesting characters, but it is overwhelming here. With careful editing, the novel could easily lose 20 or 30 pages and still have a strong enough plot. (For instance, cut everything about Andrew's crush on Gaia. As realistic a take it may be on how a 16 year old boy's mind works, it has no bearing on the main point.) Rowling could always have come back to Pegford in future work.
The other thing, and this did take a little getting used to, is this is not your kids' Harry Potter. Billed as Rowling's first novel for adults, these pages are full to the brim with curse words, OCD issues, computer hacking, marital infidelity, rape, drug addition and recovery (and the funding of both), pedophilia, suicide, cutting, binge drinking, sex (both adult and teenage), domestic violence, and teenage pregnancy. It is almost as if Rowling had held so much back in trying to create a unique and relatively kid-friendly Potter universe, that the dam broke and it all spilled out here.
It is interesting to note, however, that the BBC has commissioned a TV series based on the book. I am curious to see how that turns out, as it may play better on screen than on paper. In fact Rowling herself has said that she thinks the best adaptation would be for television.
Overall, the election storyline is interesting--especially given that the US release was a mere two months ahead of our own election. But Rowling didn't need to put everything in one book. I can understand trying to do something different after living with Harry Potter for 10 years, but she should have paced herself a little. Good effort, but my final grade is...C.
The Casual Vacancy
Pub. Little, Brown & Co., 1st Ed. Sept. 2012
Hardcover, 503 pages
Rowling starts her first novel in the post-Harry Potter era with a death in a parking lot: Barry Fairbrother, a council member of the Parish of Pegford. Fairbrother, who was going into a restaurant with his wife Mary, has an aneurysm. This creates the "casual vacancy"--a sudden opening on the Parish Council. The news quickly travels through town, and thus the story begins.
The election of Fairbrother's replacement will have an effect on the parish for generations to come. It all started 60 years before, when the local estate deeded some land to Pegford. On that land a housing development, called The Fields, was built and over time The Fields had become a slum. The problem is this: Under the unusual deal, The Fields is under Pegford jurisdiction, and therefore the parish is responsible for the social services; meanwhile, the neighboring city of Yarvil has responsibility for the infrastructure. In the economic downturn, Pegford can no longer afford to keep The Fields on. A border war has broken out, and at the same time a civil war wages on in the Council over this question: Keep The Fields, or redraw the border and make it part of Yarvil? This is what the election is all about: Will the new councilman be Pro- or Anti- Fields?
Ultimately, the novel--using the vehicle of the election campaign and other secondary stories--is about the people of Pegford and The Fields. We learn everything about them....everything....and that is my biggest issue with the book. The character detail may be useful for the author doing prep work sketches, but for the reader there is almost too much story. Perhaps if Rowling had stuck with the election and it's central issue--keep The Fields or cut it loose-- this would be a tighter book. I do believe she is a great storyteller who has created interesting characters, but it is overwhelming here. With careful editing, the novel could easily lose 20 or 30 pages and still have a strong enough plot. (For instance, cut everything about Andrew's crush on Gaia. As realistic a take it may be on how a 16 year old boy's mind works, it has no bearing on the main point.) Rowling could always have come back to Pegford in future work.
The other thing, and this did take a little getting used to, is this is not your kids' Harry Potter. Billed as Rowling's first novel for adults, these pages are full to the brim with curse words, OCD issues, computer hacking, marital infidelity, rape, drug addition and recovery (and the funding of both), pedophilia, suicide, cutting, binge drinking, sex (both adult and teenage), domestic violence, and teenage pregnancy. It is almost as if Rowling had held so much back in trying to create a unique and relatively kid-friendly Potter universe, that the dam broke and it all spilled out here.
It is interesting to note, however, that the BBC has commissioned a TV series based on the book. I am curious to see how that turns out, as it may play better on screen than on paper. In fact Rowling herself has said that she thinks the best adaptation would be for television.
Overall, the election storyline is interesting--especially given that the US release was a mere two months ahead of our own election. But Rowling didn't need to put everything in one book. I can understand trying to do something different after living with Harry Potter for 10 years, but she should have paced herself a little. Good effort, but my final grade is...C.
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