Well Boston 2022 was just simply breathtaking. I was smiling from the moment I got off the plane until about mile 22 😂😂 It is a well oiled machine, slick and everything just works and cannot fault it.. The bib pick up was easy and no waiting, the expo was really big and took a lot of my money.... I feel robbed. :) Race day - the bag drop worked well, the busses to the race were shambolic but you try organising 800 busses for the runners.. Pre race village was massive, plenty of room to stretch, have a drink, have a poo, then another.😏 The race started on time, and was amazing, the crowd was loud and proud, imagine London but 10x better. Plenty of hydration on route, every 1 mile or less, not too sure but felt like they were on every corner. Heart break hill on mile 20 was not what I expected but I carried on regardless. The closer we got to Bolylstone Street the crowd got louder and louder, until that last left turn then its just simply amazeballs. everything you ever dreamed of.... The finish line was great, paparazzi everywhere, loads of water, banana, the foil blankets were needed sooner as it was brass monkey as the wind was kicking up... bag drop we froze as they seemed to take an age to get bag... But overall this was a fab race, if you ever get a chance do race it as its just simply breathtaking......... I love racing in the US of A, always seem to come away with a P.B

Can't blame BAA for the weather, especially when it was as terrible as it was. However, the waiting area could have been improved at the Athlete's Village. Runners had two options: stand in the freezing rain for an hour +, or walk through mud to get to a tent that was muddy too but at least you'd not have the rain on your head. BAA should have a word with Glastonbury Festival to get some tips on how to cope with awful weather. 

That said, it's an iconic race and I'm glad I did it. It just wasn't the OMG-totally-amazing experience I was hoping for.

The Boston Marathon is one of the six World Marathon Majors and is the oldest consecutively run marathon in the world. Securing a place at Boston is often described as getting to the super bowl (especially by our American cousins). For anyone attempting to complete all six of the majors it's a must do marathon and obtaining a place by hook or by crook is essential. My thoughts and feedback on the race is as follows:

+ve

• The organisation for Boston was flawless, from confirming my place to receiving my race passport it felt like a well oiled machine - and I was in awe of how the fleet of big yellow school buses managed to transport c30,000 runners from Boston Common to Hopkinton.
• The course took in a full tour of some beautiful towns all the way back into the City. Some notable points along the route included Wellesley were the female college students scream at the top of their lungs to try and secure a kiss from a runner. And when you finally crest heartbreak hill at mile 21 the decibel levels from Boston College were a huge boost. The crowd support throughout the whole course was brilliant.
• The course was also really challenging, don't ever let anyone tell you down hill running is easy, but Boston has some epic climbs from mile 15 - 21 which really test your lungs.

-ve

• The pasta party (which is a great way to meet fellow runners) can be a challenge with a field of c30,000 runners, as such the queues were literally 0.25miles long. So my advice, get there early!
• The expo venue was equally challenging to get into, I've run a number of big city marathons (including NYC, Chicago, London, Paris) and by comparison it was not ideal. Notwithstanding the queuing or the confusion I spent as a little time there than I'd planned.
• The venue for the mile 27 party at Fenway Park was brilliant and I made my way there in eager anticipation having duly noted that Samuel Adams was a lead sponsor. Once through the gates I was really disappointed to find that there was no free beer. For anyone finishing Chicago, you're greeted with a beer from the Goose Island beer company. So once I got over the fact that wasn't even one free beer, I went to the bar to order the special 26.2 brew and discovered that a single beer was a princely $10.25!!!

Overall, I loved my Boston experience and would do it again in a heartbeat. I'll never forget the advice that even appears on tshirts to help any jaded runners as you hit mile 26, right on Hereford, left on Bolyeston - remember that and want go wrong.