This will be an interesting race for me.  It’s a milestone of sorts – my 20^th marathon in the last six years.  Given that I've been living in a hotel room in Detroit during most of the last three months, working some pretty long and stressful days at times, and only running on a treadmill late at night, my level of apprehension is pretty high.  As Barry Huff observed, I think I ran my marathon already.  I know first hand the effort needed and pain to be endured to finish a marathon, my level of preparation for this race (or considerable lack thereof), and the difficulty of this course.  Fear.  While at times it feels like the accumulated miles and my age are catching up to me, last Fall I ran my eighteenth marathon in my fastest time ever, 3 hours and 35 minutes, so I’ve learned that you never really can tell what’s going to happen until you step onto the course.  Hope.  All I can promise you is that your pledge will be reciprocated by this pledge – I will cross the finish line in the spirit of dedication and strength that Ellen Gabriel was known for.

Doug Barton, partner-in-charge of slow Boston Marathon finishing times