Not surprisingly if you’ve been keeping up with cancellations across the nation, the 2020 Boston Marathon, originally scheduled for April 20, has been postponed to Fall 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. An article in the Portland Press Herald dated April 16, 2020 — “Officials tell Boston Marathon runners to stay home, wait for official September start” — urges runners and spectators to distance themselves from the race and return September 14, 2020, when the 124th marathon is set to begin, hopefully with upward of 30,000 runners.

Monday represents the originally scheduled date of the 2020 Boston Marathon until the coronavirus pandemic moved the race to September. Officials in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, the site of the start of the race, are reminding runners to remain home on Monday and wait for the fall to run the marathon.

Michael Bonner

We can’t tell you much about other races since we’re only novice marathon watchers, having attended only two marathons in Boston. But we can tell you that excitement ramps up the day before as runners mill around the starting line for pictures. . .

and chow down on pasta with thousands of their closest friends at the night-before dinner.

Then real excitement builds on the day of the race — and not just for runners. We spectators watch (and yell, of course) at the start and finish lines. Or we ride trolleys out to any of the stop-off points to cheer on runners. If we’re lucky, we capture them on film and reach out for a fast and fleeting high-five.

Even with a distance of 26.2 miles, true Boston marathoners take it all in stride as they cross the line listening to the din of cheers from welcoming spectators . . .

grab waters from a host of volunteers . . .

and line up for that all-important medal.

But sometimes the distance takes its toll, and runners do what they need to do: rest in place.

So, stay home this spring. Boston’s not happening. But if we’re lucky, we’ll see runners in person September 14th going the distance.

Rusha & Bert

This post is one of a series of one-word prompts for April 2020 called Discover Prompts by WordPress. Enjoy!

Morning sunlight streaming in from an upstairs window highlights this detail at the Nantucket Atheneum.

The photo was taken at one of what we consider the loveliest libraries in the U.S. — the Atheneum in Nantucket.  With its antique chairs and tables inviting you to sit and read, its displays on current topics of interest (last week it was the upcoming Nantucket Daffodil Festival), and its enviable collection of maritime antiques (scrimshaw, figureheads, whaling artifacts), it has distinguished itself as not only a repository for books but also an architectural and cultural gem.

The Nantucket Atheneum

So have you identified the tiny part of the whole we shared above?  It’s one tiny segment of an excellent antique Windsor desk.

Antique Windsor desk in an upstairs corner of the Atheneum in Nantucket.

For more entries in this week’s WordPress Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge: Abstract, click here.

For more information:

The Nantucket Atheneum, 1 India Street, PO Box 808, Nantucket, MA 02554; 508-228-1110

Facebook: Nantucket Atheneum: https://www.facebook.com/NantucketAtheneum/?fref=ts

Table One — bottled water from Poland Spring.  OK, so water in a plastic bottle doesn’t seem too dazzling, but if you’d just run 26.2 miles in one of the warmest Boston Marathons to date, you’d be happy to see these little gems waiting for you.

The water table at Boston Marathon 2016 — the first thing finishers saw after the Finish Line.

Table Two — ah, those dazzling medallions.  Spread out over several tables and surrounded by teal-shirted volunteers, Boston Marathon medallions on blue and yellow ribbons were ready for those who ran the race.  Or walked.  Or limped.  Or were dragged by those gracious runners who (Yes, they did!) extended their run time to pick up an ailing fellow runner and carry him or her across the finish line.

A volunteer shows off the Boston Marathon 2016 medals to spectators at the Finish Line.

Table Three — mylar capes.  As we said, it was a warm day — well, up until the afternoon when the sun hid out and winds whipped the runners.  These capes dazzled even the best of the finishers as they relished being swaddled in glittering mylar.  And the runners bore those capes with pride — because only qualified runners could wear them proudly down the streets and on the T — going home.

Volunteers organize the mylar capes, getting ready to put them on the first finishers of Boston Marathon 2016.

And four — perhaps most dazzling of all: runners who finished.  Whether in the elite division or the everyman flock, finishers took pride, as well they should.

An elite runner arrives at the tables after crossing the Finish Line, accompanied by one of the health care volunteers.

For more entries into Ailsa’s Where’s My Backpack? challenge this week — Travel theme: Dazzling — click here.

The events during the past 24 hours in Paris have reminded us of the victory of one city to overcome terrorism, fear, and sadness.  That city is Boston, Massachusetts.  The city that one year after an attack at the 2013 Boston Marathon bolstered the strength of a community in facing those who seek to do us harm and tear at the basic fabric of humanity.

Everywhere we went in Boston during the week of the 2014 Boston Marathon, there were signs.  Signs of solidarity.  Signs of support.  Signs that Boston was indeed strong.

And so were we, those of us who were only in that city for a few short days.   We came away with a sense of pride and strength at the efforts of a people banded together, victorious over all that had transpired one short year before.

But man has much to ponder.  Much to consider. Much to take on with challenges around the world and right here at home.

Our hearts are with you — Paris and Boston —  and so many other places around the world. May we be victorious in our resolve to seek answers, and, in so doing, bond with one another to protect what we hold so dear.

For more interpretations of the theme of the Weekly Photo Challenge: Victory, click here.

Interior of Old North Church, Boston, Massachusetts

Pristine white walls and original wooden pews arranged in box formation represent fine early American architecture and a quiet spot for contemplation even as hundreds of tourists and worshipers move through the sanctuary reading the name plates and examining the arched windows, needlepoint kneeling benches, and plaques bearing names of forefathers.

The Third Lantern, Old North Church, Boston.

But in 1975, an addition to the church in the form of a lantern became a sign of hope known as the Third Lantern.  The inscription on the plaque nearby reads as follows:

The Third Lantern

On the two-hundredth anniversary of the hanging of the two signal lanterns, April 18th, 1975, President Gerald Ford dedicated the Third Lantern.  Meant to inspire hope as the United States entered its third century, it remains lit today as a symbol for continued peace and prosperity.  

The Third Lantern hangs in the Newman Window at the end of the right aisle. 

For more signs, go to the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge: Signs.

The signature Double Wedding Ring Quilt of the Pilgrim/Roy Collection on exhibit at Museum of Fine Arts Boston

While in Boston prior to the 2014 Marathon, we saw city buses sporting a colorful double wedding ring quilt.  We couldn’t help but notice.  The vibrant, pop-art quilt with its striking purple background and spinning wheels of color filled the side of the bus from top to bottom, luring us to the Pilgrim/Roy Collection of eye-popping quilts on exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts.  I couldn’t wait to see it.  Not only has my mom cut, pieced, and stitched quilts for just about everyone in the family, she has introduced us all to the fine art of combining colors and geometric shapes to produce art worthy of display in any museum.

Museum of Fine Arts Boston

To say the least, the exhibit dazzles the eye and stirs the soul.  You could be attracted to any of the sixty graphically bold American quilts just for the patterns . . . or the colors . . . or the workmanship.  But taken as a whole, this body of work takes your breath away. Displayed in dark rooms, the spotlighted quilts move those who stand silently or speak in hushed voices as they contemplate fabric choices, patterns, and hand-stitching.  The curated collection includes well-documented acquisition details and the names of makers, if known. We think you, too, will enjoy seeing these special American artifacts that are artistic in every sense of the word.

Visitor admires a Mariner’s Compass quilt: Massachusetts, about 1840

Bold Colors

Many quilts in the Pilgrim/Roy Collection — almost all, in fact — are notable for rich, vibrant colors that have stood the test of time.

Center Medallion tied child’s comforter: Missouri, 1910

Mennonite, Nine Patch: Pennsylvania (Bucks County), 1880s

Amish, Snail’s Tails: Illinois (Arthur) about 1930

Close-up: Snail’s Tails: Pieced wool plain weave and twill top

Chain Star: Midwestern U. S., 1940s

Close-up: Chain Star. Pieced and appliqued printed cotton plain weave top.

Optical Illusions

If you move one way and then another, you’ll note something different about the quilts that “fool the eye.” Whether it’s the pattern or the combination of fabrics or even how light comes into play, it’s fun to look more than once at the optical illusion quilts.

Yellow Baskets: New York, 1920s-30s.
Perhaps not intended to be an optical illusion, this quilt took on a different appearance as we moved from side to side.

Close-up: Yellow Baskets (At times, grays became more dominant in the background.)

Detail: Yellow Baskets

Striking Geometrics

Although many quilt patterns are quite traditional, the choice of colors can add a modern-day geometric quality or a bold statement as lights and darks contrast.

Lend and Borrow: Pennsylvania (Lancaster County), 1870s

Close-up: Lend and Borrow

Mennonite: Double Irish Chain on point: Pennsylvania, 1880-90

Stitching detail: Double Irish Chain

Log Cabin Variations

At least one long wall and then some was dedicated to quilts using the Log Cabin pattern — squares made up of tiny strips of fabric, half of them light and half dark.  But it’s placement of the squares that determines the overall pattern.

Log Cabin, Sunshine and Shadow variation: Illinois, 1870s. Maker: Rebexy Gray.

Close-up: Sunshine and Shadow

Log Cabin, Multiple Barn Raising variation: Pennsylvania, 1930s

Log Cabin, Windmill Blades variation: Ohio, about 1890

Close-up: Windmill Blades variation

Traditional

Even the traditional patterns became extraordinary with the bursts of color and attention to detail.

Fans: Pennsylvania, 1900-10. Pieced top of wool plain weave and twill with silk embroidery.

Wild Goose Chase: Pennsylvania (Lancaster County), 1880s

Detail: Baltimore Album Quilt, Maryland, before 1847

Detail 2: Baltimore Album Quilt, Maryland, before 1847

Quilts and Color: The Pilgrim/Roy Collection is on exhibit from April 6, 2014, to July 27, 2014.  Be sure to check the website for dates and times.  To purchase the book you see below, click here.

Quilts and Color: The Pilgrim/Roy Collection by Pamela A. Parmal and Jennifer M. Swope
http://www.mfa.org/collections/publications/quilts-and-color

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Avenue of the Arts

465 Huntington Avenue

Boston, Massachusetts 02115

General Information: 617-267-9300

Website: http://www.mfa.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mfaboston

To purchase Quilts and Color: http://www.mfa.org/collections/publications/quilts-and-color

My Pinterest board on Quilts: http://www.pinterest.com/rushasams/quilts/

Jim Miller, finishing his 100th marathon, gets a big hug from his ATO fraternity brother Bert Sams

He finished!  That’s right — Jim Miller completed his 100th marathon at Boston Marathon 2014, almost as planned.  (See “Run, Jim Miller, Run.“)  But if you had asked Jim the night before, he might not have been so sure his dream would become a reality. After walking back from the Museum of Fine Arts, Jim turned his ankle at the corner of the Omni Parker House Hotel. But with the help of an EMT who wrapped his ankle and good friend Mari who was ready with ibuprofen, Jim rallied. On race day, April 21st, Jim Miller completed his 100th race, a total that includes runs in each of the 50 U. S. states and raised over $20,000 for the Liver Foundation.  Congrats, Jim!

But there are other reasons why this race, this Boston Marathon 2014, will be remembered as one of our favorite all-time trips of a lifetime.  Here are five of them.

Reason 1.  Pre-race activities get you fired up and ready — even if you’re not running!

Getting ready for any race in any city is an ordeal, but Boston was dealing with the aftermath of a tragedy following the 2013 bombing.  With increased security and down-to-the minute details guaranteed to make this larger, more emotional run a unifying event, pre-race activities endeared us (and the other one million spectators) to the cause so we could truly live the mantra emblazoned on t-shirts and banners:  Boston Runs as One. TV reporters interviewed runners whose stories touched our hearts — runners injured last year, runners who rely on prosthetic limbs to carry them over the finish line, and runners who race — and raise money — for a cause.  Boston Public Library opened its doors to Dear Boston: Messages from the Marathon Memorial, an exhibit of artifacts and photographs from the prior year. And since the 2014 marathon coincided with Easter, churches joined the celebration by scheduling Blessing of the Runners services for Sunday, April 20th, leaving many of us who attended (and many did!) teary-eyed and emotional the day before the marathon.  Races of lesser lengths kicked off on Saturday the 19th — like children’s races, 5K races, mile-long races — all with precision timing and heightened security.  And what we observed during pre-race days carried through the whole weekend event:  almost everyone was happy, passionate, encouraging.  Something special was in the air.

 Reason 2. John Hancock Sports & Fitness Expo lets you peek into the commercial side of running — and it’s a BIG side!

No race of this magnitude occurs without sponsors and vendors, so when we headed over to the Hynes ConventionCenter with Jim to pick up his bib number (#23312), we also got a taste of what’s new in the running world.  Familiar companies were there (Nike, Reebok, PowerBar, etc.), but newcomers like Running Skirts had a packed booth, too. Long lines formed at Runners World with fans hoping to get autographs and to shake hands with editors. The blowaway booth, however, had to be Adidas, official sponsor and producer of those must-have electric orange jackets ($110.00)  and pullovers ($65.00) emblazoned with official logos.  Adidas apparel and gear moved out the door as fast as someone could swipe a card on a handheld.  Ka-ching!

3.  A Pre-race Pasta Party can pump you up and plump you up!

Sponsored by the Boston Athletic Association, the Pre-race Pasta Party at City Hall Plaza on Sunday the 20th, was the place to be!  Long — very long — lines snaked around city blocks leading runners and friends through rows of blue-shirted, swingin’-to-the-music young ladies passing out clam shell boxes for stations featuring salad, bread, and pasta: Penne Marinara,  Four-cheese Baked Rigotoni, and Rotini Greek Pasta Salad. Sponsors like Samuel Adams, Bertoli, Stonyfield Yogurt, and Newman’s Own piled it on, too, and, if you trucked your own empty clam shell to the trash, you were handed a goody bag of desserts bigger than most kids get at Halloween! Thumping vibes of constant good-time music kept people happy while waiting for a table decked out with blue and white balloons.  And no one went away hungry.  It was carbo-loading at its best!

Reason 4. Boston Marathon 2014 leaves you thankful you can run the course or cheer ’em on!

Race Day began at the crack of dawn when 36,000 runners left their bags behind (new procedure this year), boarded buses, and waited for their wave.  Mobility impaired racers came first. Then elite men and women.  Then the rest.  Spectators joined in any way they could — but mostly by the T (short for MBTA). Remarkably patient T employees (and one terrific policeman) helped us find the Green Line headed toward Riverside so we could get off at Newton and cheer runners near Mile 16 where PowerBar workers handed out thousands of bars to hungry runners as they ran by.  When you stand in one place for a while, you make friends — like the ones who joined us in yelling Mil-ler, Mil-ler as our friend ran by (He never heard us!), and then we, in turn, cheered on their friends and family members. Anytime a runner motioned to the crowd for “more noise, ” we pumped up the volume just like we did when a family like the Hoyts moved their loved one in a push-rim wheelchair down the 26.2 miles. For us, the race became emotional: we were moved by determination, spirit, and physical prowess all rolled into one big effort to make it to the finish line.  According to Boston Globe, 99% of runners finished, including one person who collapsed just short of the goal but was carried over the line by two runners willing to assist.

5.  Boston was at its best — and maybe it always is!

Even though we’d been to Boston before, it was fun revisiting the history, the architecture, the food just as if we’d never been.  We downloaded the app for Granary Burial Ground and searched for favorite sites while costumed tour guides told, in animated fashion, stories of famous people buried there.  We looked through Fanueill Hall and Quincy Market with new eyes focused on Boston Strong souvenirs, local foods (chowdah!), and people from around the world snapping pictures of top touristy landmarks. But it was, of course, the Bostonians themselves that we’ll remember: always kind, always working, always determined to make this what it turned out to be: “a moment in time that weaves together a unique fabric of emotion, accomplishment and togetherness.” (From the BAA: Thank you, Boston)

Thanks, Jim Miller, for running this race and inviting your friends to see Boston through one determined runner’s eyes.  It’s a race we’ll never forget.

Jim Miller posing at the Finish Line the day before

If you go next year:

• Book accommodations early.  Many hotels, rooms, and apartments (even through Airbnb, etc.) sold out months before.
• Plan your route using information and the map from the Boston Athletic Association‘s website:  www.baa.org
• Download the Boston Athletic Association app, enter the bib number of the runner you want to follow (up to 10) and check often.  You can keep up with progress easily!
• Know your mobility limitations.  Many streets/sidewalks can be challenging, and long lines mean long waits.
• Ask for help, especially if you use public transportation.  The Bostonians are quite willing to show you the best routes and how to buy tickets.  Just ask. (They even understand Southern accents!)

For more information:

Boston Athletic Association: www.baa.org

Facebook, Boston Athletic Association: https://www.facebook.com/BostonAthleticAssociation

Facebook, Boston Marathon: https://www.facebook.com/TheBostonMarathon

Article cited above: “From the BAA: Thank you, Boston” Retrieved from http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2014/04/23/from-baa-thank-you-boston/59zUnlFxb4BhnnLXADiLoN/story.html

Frog wearing Boston Strong t-shirt sits on top the entry arch at Boston Commons playground

Here at the Boston Marathon, there is a feeling of exuberance as everyone in the city and those at home supporting the event truly embody what has become the rallying cry, Boston Strong. For this week’s WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge: On top, here are a few literal and metaphorical representations of the term “on top.”

Whether or not they cross the finish line, all runners feel “on top”!

For more entries in the Weekly Photo Challenge: On top, go here: dailypost.wordpress.

It was near the end of the service that the friar asked the runners attending the service to stand. And then, with passion and concern for those accepting the challenge of the Boston Marathon, he read the following:

A Runner’s Blessing

Run well, my friends.

You stand at the starting line.

You have chosen your race, and the miles await your stamina.

Soon the thunder of thousands of footfalls will surge . . .

A drumbeat of determination.

The starter’s whistle releases you into the chase . . .

the chase of countless individual commitments . . .

collected in common pursuit.

May you rejoice in the fellowship of your companions.

Run well, my friends.

May your minds find focus.

May your heart overflow with joy.

May angel wings make fleet your feet.

May the winds of the sublime billow your lungs.

And may the Lord protect and guide you to the finish line.

In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Happy Easter 2014

]]> https://ohtheplaceswesee.com/2014/04/21/blessing-of-the-runners-boston-marathon/feed/ 4 4245 0 0 0 0 https://ohtheplaceswesee.com/2014/04/19/boston-opens-arms-to-marathoners-and-spectators/ https://ohtheplaceswesee.com/2014/04/19/boston-opens-arms-to-marathoners-and-spectators/#comments Sat, 19 Apr 2014 12:52:37 +0000 http://ohtheplaceswesee.com/?p=4232 We felt the excitement even on the plane. Runners boarded our plane  in Philly dressed in running pants, neon Nike’s, and windbreakers. They buzzed about where they were staying, which train to catch, and where to pick up numbers. So when we arrived, we weren’t surprised to see banners on street lamps and buildings welcoming all comers to Boston Marathon 2014 — it was just what we’d expected from the City of Brotherly Love.

Welcoming sign at Boston Logan International Airport

Banner at Quincy Market.

Boston Strong apparel and souvenirs — proceeds going to charity.

Check back. There’s more to come from Boston Athletic Association’s Boston Marathon 2014.

For more information: http://www.baa.org