This was my fifth marathon, and I thought, after qualifying at Steamtown that nothing would ever rival that experience. For someone who never had the idea that Boston would be a possibility, there was almost nothing that could have happened to dampen that feeling. The weather was raw, with the last four miles into a headwind, and the porta-potty lines long, but the fellowship among the runners and spectators offset that plus my pre-race anxiety and post-race aches. Thanks especially to a runner who shared my bagel at the bus line and told me I would PR because I did! I must say that there is a nagging memory that my pre- and post-race experiences were more upbeat than the reality of the feet pounding during the race, but here's to next year, which, with a year under my belt, will be even better.

Ditto, ditto, ditto on all the great comments. A must if you are fortunate enough to qualify. Having said that, I do have two negatives I hope they can change. First, they need more port-a-johns at Hopkington. I was waiting in line for 45 minutes and almost missed my Wave 1 start. Also, the expo was WAY too crowded to fully enjoy. Otherwise, what an experience!!!

I have run 12 marathons all around the world, but I've never found people so kind and interesting as those at this race. I'm very proud to have this medal because, for me, it's the most important of my life. Congratulations to the people of Boston and the organizers of the race.

This was my first Boston Marathon. God willing, it will not be my last. Words cannot describe the true joy of running in the footsteps of marathon gods. The historic nature of this course cannot be overstated. Fans were screaming, cheering, and joking with you from start to finish. I will never forget the lady with the sign "Lap Dance at the Finish Line" or the beautiful SCREAMING coeds of Wellesley College. As a race director, I have a clue as to the logistics involved to pull this event off. Boston, you ROCK!

I was fortunate enough to qualify to run Boston with my first marathon. Having Boston as your second marathon sets a pretty high bar for all others. The organization for Boston was excellent. Everything seemed to run smoothly from the bus ride to Hopkinton, to the wait at the village, to the clothes drop-off and retrieval buses, to the number of water stations, right down to the post-run chute (liquids, thermal blanket, chip removal/medal claim, food bag). That's astounding considering that there were 25,000 runners.

The volunteers were amazing. All were very friendly and energetic. We got a cheering send off when our bus departed Tremont Street. Village folks made sure you got the refreshments needed. Every water station cheered you on as you took what you needed. After crossing the finish line I got wrapped in a blanket and asked if it was around me OK. When I turned in my chip to get my medal, it was placed around me like I was an Olympic champion with a sincere "Congratulations!" And I couldn't believe how quickly we got our clothing bag back!

The spectators were awesome. There was not an empty spot the whole length. People of all ages were out there cheering the whole time. If a runner looked like they were having issues, the crowd would encourage them on. Water, Popsicles, oranges, M&M's, gummy bears, etc. were offered all along the course. It was a 26.2-mile-long party.

For anyone who has the opportunity to run Boston, do it! You won't regret it. I definitely want to run it again!

If you ever qualify to run this race, DO NOT put it off until later. You may never get the chance again and then you wouldn't be able to experience the Boston Marathon firsthand. The entire weekend was incredible and the atmosphere in Boston was electric. The BAA has all of their ducks in a row for this race, and you won't be disappointed. The course is challenging, the organization top-notch, and the fans were INSANE. Having run the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, I thought I knew what great fans were. I was mistaken. The entire Boston area embraces this race as the sporting icon that it is and they are out in force.

Be prepared to wait at Hopkinton for about 2.5 hours before you can start. Bring something to sit on that you can throw away, like a plastic tarp. Bring extra clothes to stay warm and something to eat. Wear old shoes and change into your good ones right before the start or you'll be shaking mud from the "athlete's village" out of your soles for the first three miles. Don't forget to train hard on hills (both up and down) or you'll fade fast in the last three or four miles. If you live where it's flat (Illinois, for example), use a treadmill at 5% incline for 5 minutes for 5 reps with a downhill/flat recovery between each. That should put you in the ballpark to handle the Newton hills.

Most serious marathoners agree that no other race can compare to the greatest spectacle in road racing. My advice to first-time qualifiers is to study the history of the Boston Marathon in order to fully appreciate the race and what you have been privileged to participate in. Familiarize yourself with the great landmarks, the heroes, and the topography. After you recover, you will begin "plotting" to run it again.

I'm thrilled that I qualified and ran the Boston Marathon! I was not well prepared, however, for the 4 hours prior to the run.

I had to leave my hotel at 6:30 a.m. (in the cold) and walk to the bus. I ended up waiting 45 minutes in the bus line. I don't believe our bus was heated, as I shivered throughout the whole trip - which was extra long because we got lost. Once in Hopkinton, I stood in the porta-john line for at least another 45 minutes. At that point I'd been cold and shivering for about 3 hours. While in the line, my teeth started chattering uncontrollably. (I was afraid I was going to bite off my tongue!) Once through the porta-john line, I had just enough time to drop my bag off and find my corral in time for the 10:30 start.

I've since learned that when you're cold, your body burns more calories. Also, shivering and being hypothermic leaves you feeling very fatigued. As a result, I had a MISERABLE run.

Future runners: Do everything you can to be prepared for the 4 hours PRIOR to the start!

I ran Boston 10 years in a row, from 1989-1998. My best was the 100th, in 1996, but the two that followed were not particularly good. Fast forward to April 2007. I decided to train hard for Boston 2008, but ran out of time to qualify. I kept training and qualified in November 2008, my first marathon in 10 years. My goal was to go to Boston 2009 if I had legitimate shot of beating 3 hours. I kept a nice, relaxed pace early, faded a bit late, but was thrilled to see my watch at the finish - 2:59.54!

That's a long intro in order to say that two years of training was well worth it to get back to Boston. Although there was a 10-year gap, it was like yesterday along the course. I cannot commend the organizers, fans and runners enough for making this an incredible event. I remain amazed at how this logistically challenging race can be pulled off so well by the organizers. And where do they find so many - probably several thousand volunteers - to help out at the start, along the course and at the finish? They were all extremely friendly and helpful. Hats off to all involved !!!!

This is the pinnacle of marathoning - a truly great experience. My only objection this year involved Adidas; the sales area was far too crowded, and the official Boston merchandise made one look like a walking billboard for Adidas. The BAA should go back to the previous supplier; the jackets, etc. were much classier without the Adidas stripes and logo.