Details
- April 15, 2023
- Entry: Open Registration
- Marathon Number: 6
- Expected Finish Time: 3:45:00
- Actual Finish Time: 4:00:30
Overview
I had planned on joining this rolling race party twice, and both times had things come up that prevented me from running (the Chicago and then Boston marathons). There were a number of things drawing me to be part of this event, namely my connection with the founder of the Pioneers Run Crew (who puts this event on), the fact that it is run entirely inside (the city) of Boston, and everything with this crew is a great time. With a unique route, the race starts in Roxbury at Malcolm X Park, heads down into Hyde Park, back up through Mattapan then Dorchester, over into Southie (South Boston), then Downtown, the South End, Back Bay, Fenway, Allston, Brookline and then circles back into Roxbury to finish at the same place.
The route is unsanctioned and not for use as an “official qualifying time” for bigger races, so there aren’t your usual road closures. There are a number of places where you have to stop and wait for cross signals, but cheer squads are out in full force and there are plenty of water stops along the way. Aside from being a local race with no qualifying standards, I think the best part of this race is the finish line tape and roaring cheers for every single person who finishes. Not just the first person. Or second. Every. Single. Finisher. It’s such a unique and great way for all participants to cross the finish line. For many runners, it is their first marathon. Runners who never thought they would run that distance, but who were encouraged and drawn to the event because of all that it brings. It’s not just a celebration for the fastest finishers. The same cheers are given for every runner, maybe none louder than the final person to cross the line.
Don’t get me started about the swag… I could go on for a while, but I’ll just say that the event has some major support from great brands. I’m fairly certain that I received well over $300 worth of stuff before I even put on my bib.
Lessons Learned
It’s not always about your finishing time
I had not pursued this marathon as a “race” in order to get a shiny new PR or place high in my age group. This event actually replaced the 23 mile long run I was scheduled to complete that weekend in my build up to the Providence Marathon. With a number of friendly faces in the mix, I opted to zip alongside a fine young gentleman (also one of the Pioneers Captains) as well as some periodic fly-bys with others for various lengths of time.
This young man is one that I quite enjoy chatting with, so we fell right into our conversation and very comfortably carried on for the 4 hours we joined forces along the route. At one point near the end, he told me was going to slow down a bit and encouraged me to keep on pushing. The thought that I would run along the last few miles alone had never crossed my mind, so I happily joined him in his more comfortable pace for the remainder of the run. While I could have possibly pushed to get a better finish time, I would have not enjoyed the time nearly as much. At one point, we even stopped and chatted with someone (Roscoe) I had played basketball with at the YMCA many years earlier. It was a way of “stopping to smell the flowers” along the way.
Talk with the runners around you
I’m very guilty of trying to “lock in” during my previous marathons, especially ones where I have tried to stay focused and get the best time I can for that given day. I can’t say that I’m very proud of that fact, but given that running a marathon is hard, my focus has been fully internal for the better part of 4 hours, trying to stay focused and steady. With the amount of self-talk I’m doing throughout the entire race, I’ve had a hard time fitting in external conversations with other people. My guess is that most other runners are in a similar space as me, especially given the majority of runners have some sort of earbuds on for the race.
I was happy to pass the time in conversation with my fellow runners, and this marathon is the perfect place to do this. With the many red lights, crosswalks and more, there are plenty of opportunities to look to your left or right and strike up a conversation. As expected, talking with those around me throughout the race was the right choice and made this marathon far more enjoyable.
Support your local run crews
Their are likely run crews in every major city around the United States, and probably in many around the world. In my experience they are a great way to meet people and engage in healthy and productive activities at the same time. From everything I’ve seen with the Pioneers, their leadership team works really hard to create great events and welcoming spaces for any and all people joining them. There is a nice variety of events (some not running-related) in and around the city, and the people who show up are enthusiastic and looking for positive connections. Many of these run crews don’t charge you anything for coming and joining, so paying them back in your attendance and engagement is the best thing you can do. While the big events serve a great purpose, don’t forget about the community organizers when you decide what running events to join. A HUGE perk of running with the Pioneers is the army of professional photographers catching iconic images along the way (as featured throughout this post).
Run around your city – All of it
Here in Boston it’s common to have people focus their running routes to the same popular areas: along Commonwealth Ave in Newton, Charles River alongside both Storrow and Memorial Drives or along the Emerald Necklace, to name a few. Granted there are plenty of other places that you will find people running, there are large areas where it is relatively uncommon to see runners. There are many communities in Boston that people tend to avoid altogether.
It is not at all breaking news, but only a handful of the final miles of the Boston Marathon actually occur within the city of Boston. Our city has so much diversity among the neighborhoods, and many people who don’t even venture into the many of them. 26.True does a small part in changing that. Passing through almost every city that makes up Boston, it routes runners through many areas that are not typically visited, outside of locals. Normalizing running in all parts of Boston is the cornerstone of what the Pioneers promotes, and for good reason.
Stick around after you finish
As is often the case, there are festivities and refreshments to enjoy after completing 26.True. Being a great event, more sponsors are coming out to support the Pioneers as an alternative to the ultra-competitive Boston Marathon. The year I ran, there was a local complimentary food truck, all sorts of beverages and a fun, celebratory environment cheering on all the finishers as they rounded the corner and broke the tape. I’m not revealing any hidden secrets here, but I recommend sticking around and basking in the accomplishment of finishing a big athletic achievement.
