Jonathan Gunderson

My brother Daniel and I at Daniel's College Graduation 5/12/07

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Latest Update  04/28/08
Back From Boston
(go to The Update Archives- Blog link above for archived "Latest Update"s)

Hello,

  So I’m back from the Boston Marathon!  Wow, what a race!  This was my first Boston marathon, and it was everything I expected it to be.  I think it can be hard for some to go back to road races after moving predominately to trail races, but I still love a good road marathon.  While I’m loathe to the commercial culture which has slowly continued permeating the marathon culture over the past few years and tend to prefer the picturesque views at many trail runs, Boston seems to have everything all in one package.  Its history is unmatched, its route unchanged, and its championship history legendary.  While I was a bit turned off by the puffed up chests and ego displayed in conversation with some of the participants, I found most of the city preparing for their party with enthusiasm and charisma. 

  For some, it’s a chance to show off their marathoning talents on the marathon world’s biggest stage.  For others, it’s the culmination of many years of working towards this race.  And yet for others, it’s a reward for the charitable work they’ve done to help others.  Just to put the level of competition in perspective, a 3:00:00 time at other regional races like San Diego’s Rock N’ Roll Marathon or the L.A. Marathon or the Honolulu Marathon will put you in the top 100, at this year’s Boston Marathon would leave you in 1239^th position.  I know it may sound like I’m overstating what many already know, but it is probably the most competitive of the major U.S. marathons.  Nonetheless, the Boston Marathon represents very different things to many different people.

  By the time race day came, I already had 3 days of sightseeing under my belt and really considered the Marathon and extension of the Boston experience.  I found the crowds to be invigorating, almost intoxicating. The route winds through suburban Boston through small towns, with even smaller roadways.  It can feel crowded with so many runners out there and the pockets of people who fill the sidelines of the route.  But it is those same people that create the intimate race experience.  I could just imagine that these same people had probably been out here having a good time and cheering on runners in generations past.  I was not only a part of the race’s tradition, but I was probably also part of their Patriot’s Day tradition as well.  I was merely a footnote, but a proud footnote nonetheless.  Whether it’s the Wellesley girls that line mile 13, the Hash House Harriers handing out beer at mile 19 or the enthusiastically hammered co-eds at Boston College, the energy of the spectators is infectious.

   The trip itself was truly an experience, a reward for the countless other races I’ve done.  While I thought about sub-3 for maybe the first few miles of the race itself, I slowed to enjoy the experience.  I was content to spend the necessary time to slap hands with many spectators (particularly children), get hugs from the Wellesley girls, and yap it up with the Boston College co-eds as I ran by down the last hill into downtown Boston.  It got particularly emotional as I crested Heartbreak Hill.  This was it; although there will be other Boston Marathons to PR, this race was my reward.  It took a while to get over the hump, but now that I was here, I wouldn’t let the moment get away.  I didn’t feel better than anyone or any more “elite” than anyone other runner out there who is striving for their reward; I was just happy that my hard work had delivered a satisfying reward.  It meant more to me to be able to soak in this view of the city, these spectators along the course and then meet my brother downtown for a celebratory beer.

Here are the pics and a video from the finish area taken by the PowerBar folks of my brother Daniel and I.  Onward to Uganda in less than 2 weeks……

Cheers and God Bless,

Gundy

P.S.  I just want to give a HUGE thank you to all the donors who have already given for the Wells in Uganda!  I am pleased that as of now, we have $2210 (including off-line contributions).  

Daniel and I at the finish area


At The Athlete Village Pre-Race

The Walk to The Start

The Start Line


Mile 13, Wellesley College, A "Mile of Sound"

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2007 Badwater Ultramarathon Slideshow
Short Version

View the "Audio/Video" section for more footage and TV/Radio interviews....

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2007 Badwater Race Report (Excerpt)

I knew I was down weight from when I started, but this seemed extreme.  Uncle Andy proceeded to direct my attention to my reflection in the rear-view mirror.  What I saw shocked me.  He was right.  For all the contentious moments and disagreements we sometimes have, he was right.  Dark brownish circles that resembled the eye black baseball players wear shaded the area below my eyes and above my cheeks.  My eyes were beginning to protrude from my face rather than fit snuggly in my eye sockets.  I ran my right index finger over the dark circles below my eyes, feeling the smooth bone from my eye socket with each pass.  It’s one thing for a crew person to notice something, it’s a whole other level when the athlete acknowledges the same thing.  The athletes are usually the last ones to admit that there’s a problem, believing that they have the strength and the courage to overcome anything.  I was the most biased opinion there, always thinking that I can will myself forward and seeing the glass half-full.  But this glass wasn’t half-full; it was one-quarter full and falling fast......

Click Here To Read The Full Report
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