Thursday, September 4, 2014

To Boston or Not to Boston?

I'm "#blessed" (that's for you, Mike) to have a dilemma on the immediate horizon. 

I posted our tentative travel/vacation plans for 2015 already, but it looks roughly like this:

 

I intend to use all my vacation days for "the big trip" (the Spain-Morocco-Italy adventure in October), and work remotely on all the other trips.

But then there's Boston, which for some reason escaped my mind when we were drafting our 2015 plan.

I had a pretty solid training season last year, so I have a qualifying time from last fall's goal race (Berlin).   Do I want to use it?  I go back and forth and truly have no idea. 

Reasons not to run Boston 2015
One less day in Spain, Morocco, Italy (Boston is on a Monday, so I'd have to use a vacation day for the race, which would otherwise be spent overseas).
I've run Boston before.
I should mention that my one Boston run remains a perfect memory: it was amazing weather, it was my second wedding anniversary so I was smiling the whole time, I ran what was a PR at the time, the course record and fastest marathon ever was set that day, I totally loved it.
No guarantees the weather will be good.
No guarantees my run would be good.
Unlikely my Boston 2015 experience could top my Boston 2011 experience.
Expense (another plane ticket beyond what was planned, plus hotel, jacket, race, etc.).
I usually do best taking a season off from full marathons every year (physically and mentally).
Hubby probably wouldn't go with me (he's taking real vacation for all the trips above).
I would likely miss our wedding anniversary (probably fly to Boston that day) (it should be noted that my husband would totally understand this, I had to spend our 4th anniversary in Philly for work, and since he has to work the following day anyway, we'd probably do an early low-key dinner) (also, we will have our traditional rehearsal dinner anniversary party as we do every year, which is our usual main celebration).

Reasons to run Boston 2015
It's Boston! By far, my favorite marathon ever (see above, 'twas a perfect day).
Tons of my friends will be doing it!
I am always bummed when they train for and run Boston and I'm just watching.
The 2011 jacket sucked, so I would LOVE to get another one.
I never know if I'll have another opportunity.

What to do?  Need to decide soon since registration is in the next week or so (it starts Monday I think for people who have BQ -20). 

7 comments:

  1. haha you ARE #blessed :) crack me up ...

    That IS a tough call ... but I look at it this way:
    - Nothing from 2015 will ruin 2011. The horrible surprise heat & humid wave that hit last year for Wineglass did nothing to mess with the perfection of the 2012 race for me.
    - And yet ... I feel the 'no' reasons out weigh the 'yes' reasons.

    Like you say - tough call, and I don't think there is a 'wrong' choice (or conversely a 'right' one). Does your husband have a preference?

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  2. I did it once, and it's on my list to do again - but not now. Maybe in a decade. It was a really big trip/expense/ordeal for a race, even though you are right, it is amazing.

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  3. Oh wow tough one! I'll come cheer you on if you run. Probably not a reason to run, but it would be fun to meet a fellow blogger/runner. I think you have to go with your gut on this one. There's no way to wait a year? I'm not sure how it works. I'd live to run Boston someday but it will likely be with a fundraising group. A BQ is light years away for me. Good luck with your decision.

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  4. OK, call me crazy because I would LOVE to run Boston one day (not convinced it'll ever be a possibility for me but still). However, I actually think 'no' for you in this situation. Your 'no' reasons are much stronger than your 'yes' reasons, and I've had too many sucky marathons to want you to potentially ruin one memory. (Chicago twice in two of the hottest years on record = I shudder even thinking of the Chicago Marathon and think it's a terrible race, despite it being one of the popular favorites). Of course, if you DO run, then I'll have another someone to look out for when I'm glued to the coverage on Marathon Monday!

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  5. Curious to hear what you decided!

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  6. Need to decide by COB Wednesday, leaning no.

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