Our 50 Runners for the ONE FUND have a training plan that Spencer and Dan from Marathon Sports put together to prepare everyone in a fairly short time frame for the marathon.  On Saturdays, as many of the team members as possible do group runs.  The group runs so far have started at the Marathon Sports store in Wellesley or Brookline.  The stores are conveniently located on the actual Boston Marathon course, so each of these runs includes at least one trip up Heartbreak Hill.   Did you know it is steeper running it backwards than the way the official course takes you?  A few of our training runs you go up and over the hill, and then you come back over again.  We did both sides of the hill on the16 mile we just completed this past weekend.  I have been amazed throughout this training process at how many people are always out running the course, tackling Heartbreak Hill over and over again – and all this occurs even on the 12 degree days.

During each training run with the team, I just ran and never really thought much about what Spencer and Dan were up to.  They are not just working on the physical conditioning…they are working on our mental conditioning as well.  The hardest part about Heartbreak Hill is where it comes in the marathon.  The Wellesley Hills start around mile 18 and finish a little past mile 20.   Mile 18 in marathons has been the downfall of many marathon runners because mentally the mind begins to tell the body, “hey you ain’t going to make it 26.2 so you might as well go home now.”  If the mind wins out over the body, the next thing you know you are a spectator of the marathon instead of a participant.  What Spencer and Dan have done is taken the “fear” out of Heartbreak Hill to the point that anyone who has been going on the training runs with the team will not only be in shape, but they will roll right over the hills into Cleveland Circle…and cruise right onto Boylston Street.

I learned a long time ago that if your mind can envision the outcome, you can reach any goal.   Don’t get me wrong, just because you can convince yourself you can run a marathon, you still need to train and get in marathon shape.  Everything you do in life is a marathon, whether it is going back to school, starting a business, getting married.  If you set your goal and then work it, you will succeed.

So, Spencer and Dan… Ok, I get it.  I’ll run those hills.  But at some point, let’s go find some rolling hills and flat grass!

Just as a side note – if you want to have some fun in the next month – go out to the race course anywhere near Heartbreak Hill and hang out.  There are hundreds, if not thousands, of runners out training on any given weekend day.  There are water stops set up by charities, and at the bottom of “The Hill” is a gorilla that will give you a “high five” – and if you are early enough, a banana!  It is almost like a Jimmy Buffet Concert…without the tequila.

And…while you’re up and out at Heartbreak Hill…you might as well put on your shoes and go for a run!