12.4 miles: Through Wellesley College
This is the emotional high of the half- marathon. The women of Wellesley College form a narrow passage through
which the runners receive pass while being greeted with the loudest ovation
-- no, it's more of an uninterrupted scream -- they will hear on the course.
A steep downhill and a pitched incline later, my parents, siblings, wife and
daughter greet me at the halfway mark. Now, the work begins.
15.4 miles: Wellesley Hills
Until this point, the race has been an
exercise in caution, an attempt to conserve the body's fuel for the gritty
finish. But the time has arrived to make a full commitment, to match one's
energy to the distance to be covered, and to make sure nothing is in reserve
after reaching the finish line. Here, after crossing Route 9, is the steepest
descent of the race, and a half-mile of quadricep-pounding braking begins to
Newton Lower Falls.
16.6 miles: Route 128
After letting gravity do its work into Lower
Falls, one of the most deceptive stretches of the Marathon lies before the
runner. It's a tough, unshaded climb of three-quarters of a mile that spans
Route 128 and crests at Beacon Street in Newton. The inclination to push the
pace here is strong, especially after the swift drop from Wellesley. But,
thanks to running buddies Len Femino and Dan Peterson of Beverly, who
suggested we jog the hill in reverse one day, I have a new perspective on how
dangerous this grade can be.
17.5 to 21 miles: The Newton Hills
A slightly downhill mile from
Newton-Wellesley Hospital brings the runners to the fire station at
Commonwealth Avenue, where a right turn puts the marathoner face to face with
the race's legendary ogre -- the four hills of Newton.
The first hill is a steep, sweeping, 1,200-yard turn past the Brae Burn
Country Club. The crowds have become larger and more collegiate. Expect to be
offered a beer, or several, along the road from here to Boston College. It is
wise to refuse the gift.
The second hill is a quarter-mile knoll, after which follows a flat
recovery mile leading to the third hill -- a sharp, wrenching 800 yards --
just past Newton City Hall. For me, the crowd noise tends to become less
noticeable here as I focus more and more on the inner struggle.
