I know, I don't mind missing a day -- I've only missed like 4 classes this entire year. I don't necessarily need their permission, but I need them to be at least ok with it, that's just how our family works.

Interestingly enough... Ian is skipping tomorrow because he's going to a concert tonight. ??? I can't logic my way through THAT one.

Lid, Nora, and I will have a room at the Park Plaza Hotel at 64 Arlington Street, just stumbling distance from the finish area.

We got an excellent price and I expect that has something to do with the fact that the room is explicitly described as 'cozy' which I take to mean compact. Nevertheless, Edenistas are welcome to use that as a post-race rendezvous point and for showers should that prove convenient.

As for spectator support -- don't worry about location from the runners' points of view. We'll all be busy and occupied and happy to see you if we do at any point. You pick a place that makes sense for your own logistics.

See you there.

(And, Rae, believe it or not, I've gone from 70 miles per week to 50 in the last seven days, well down from my 90 mpw peak. And I assure you I can feel it.)

I am the absolute last person to offer you advice on training for a marathon but the run you posted yesterday looked grueling. I know we will see the results of all your hard work in 2 weeks.

The Park Plaza sounds like a good place to reconnect and congratulate after Edenistas have finished. With the staggered start I don't want to leave our 3:30+ racers out on the course. I know there will be 10s of thousands of strangers cheering but it doesn't seem like enough.

...less quantity -- yes -- but not less quality.

That threshold pace stuff is just good maintenance and it doesn't tear your muscles down the way fast speedwork does.

I've never watched, but as a runner any place for a familiar face is welcome. Cleveland circle, T-stop turnaround (green line I believe) seems a good spot. This is well after the hoards of heartbreak, is accessible with the Green line above ground through there and, at mile 22-23 a key spot in keeping yourself together. The course is narrower there also and I've heard easier to spot runners.

My first Boston Mary and the gang made it to a side street there and really helped rally me off the wall. Allmost off anyway.

Dr Dave

This sounds like a good meeting place to me: accessible, visible, close enough to the end for people who want to go to the finish and meet a runner, a tough spot for runners.
What does everyone else think??

I think that Cleveland Circle would be a good place for us to have an Eden Athletics base camp. You get a great view of the runners as they come down the hill at that point and bear left on to Beacon. If any participant would like some of us to be stationed farther up the course we can send a scout team to do that as well.

If I have it, I will wear my new blue Eden Athletics hat and we hope to have some balloons and signs, so people should be able to recognize us. Tom is 6'4" so he stands out in a crowd. I think Alyie will be with us and most Edenistas know her.
What's a good time to meet 1:45????

There are three ways to get to Cleveland Circle: B Subway - Boston College, C Subway Cleveland Circle, and the D Line - Riverside. The day of the marathon the C Subway may be closed since it goes right up Beacon Street along the marathon route. I don't remember hearing any trains during the race (but at that point I'm lucky to remember my name). Anyway, even if it was open I wouldn't recommend it since it would crawl along too slowly due to the crowds. I'd recommend taking the D Subway and get off at Reservoir which is one block from the Cleveland Circle turn onto Beacon Street. I hope to see some Edenistas there at about 2:45 if my run's going well!

Keep running!

We usually meet up after at the Somerville Holiday Inn somehow from what I hear. The plan is to park there in the morn...and rail it in...or park/stay in Medford and take the T in from Davis Square.

BUT, I will likely be there around mile 22 as well, for a couple reasons...

It's usually where Scott and the others from the prracing crew spectate and cheer
and 2...I may hop in to help a fellow team runner...Tom Noonan who is trying to go sub 3, but realistically 2:52-55 range for a few miles if he's falling apart/decides to risk the company.

I'd be willing to post my cell number as well if that helps.

-Chris

Where is the Eliot Hotel, about what mile on the course?

I believe the Eliot is on the corner of Mass Ave and Comm Ave. Since the course goes under Mass Ave at that point (last year and previous years it went up to and over Mass Ave) the vantage point will likely be different, but the overpass of Mass Ave could be a good vista (but might be crowded,too). It's about a half mile from the finish a block from the turn on Hereford Street.

Keep running!

I had to check a map because the Eliot was one of my drinking spots in my college days (Frat house two blocks away). The 70's were a bit blurry. But that's the spot. The Eliot's on Comm Ave right at Mass Ave. This year Mass Ave will be open to traffic since the race goes under it on Comm Ave. Then up to the Hereford turn.

Keep running!

The route's been changed so that it now goes through the backside of the Green Monster and onto the field. The Sox are going to have Billy Buckner there and you're all going to run through his legs.

And I thought the drunks in Kenmore Square were scary, the ladies at Wellesley College were deafening, butt ...

Keep running!

Dr. Mary D., Lou I., Austin, Kitty F. (posts, but not local), and Simon Isaacs (summers here) are the others I know of from Eden. Also Matt F., Jim N. I'll probably think of some more.

Don and Jean B. and Erik McC.

Tom and I are putting together a list with bib nummbers and our predictions for when they will reach us. I thought this might make it easier for us to find people. The start times make it a little more complicated. Do 3:45 and faster start at noon?

Buff: You can do a search of Boston marathon entrants by state. Tom found it on a BAA site.

I'm not posting them for fear of insulting or scaring someone with my wild a$$ estimates.