Now that I am home I can add some pics of my adventure in Boston.

Saturday:

When I arrived it was rainy. On my way to the expo I passed a sporting goods store:

Next I spotted where they were putting together the finish line:

Then I went to the expo and checked in. I also picked up a free white “California International Marathon, my Boston Qualifier” hat. Then, of course, I picked up the obligatory 2010 Boston Marathon Jacket.  I found my friend Anthony and we hung around together for awhile….

Anthony, is a friend I met in one of the now defunct online runners forums. I do not remember which one. In 2000 he came out from his home in Georgia and ran a very rainy Los Angeles Marathon. I met him at the expo, and we have been emailing running stories and more ever since. It was great to get to know him a little better this weekend.

Sunday:

Dave Hoglund, who shared my hotel room with me, arranged for he and I to go with friends of his, Paul and Amy Carter, to church ……

to lunch, and then for a ride of the marathon course. Along the way I snapped a few pictures: The course starts in Hopkington near this church, where the elites get to hang out prerace. Justin waited for his race here on Sunday:

6 miles down the road in Framingham, was this train station:

Nearing the finish I spotted the famous Citgo sign. This sign is the 1 mile to go marker for the marathon:

Later that evening Dave and I went to the prerace pasta dinner. I was impressed with the service and the enthusiasm (dancing – therefore blurry servers), but not so much the food.