Running in and finishing the Boston Marathon is considered a huge achievement for runners throughout the world.
On Monday morning, over 27,000 registered competitors participated in this year’s iteration of the race on a cold, dreary day.
Imagine someone striving for a goal in a particular career which can take the duration of several months or even years to prepare for. Then, once that opportune moment has finally come, the person would persevere through anything to accomplish that life-long dream.
This is the mindset of someone competing at the Boston Marathon. Comparatively speaking, it is the Mount Everest of long-distance running. By crossing the finish line, a runner can feel like they are on top of the world.
“I thought I would be more emotional about it because I had been anticipating it for so long,” UNC sophomore Alex Proca said of crossing the finish line. “But then it kind of hit me that I just finished the Boston Marathon. For a lot of people, it's a lifetime goal to even qualify for, and me, at the age of 19, was able to finish it.”
Proca, whose training regimen consisted of running between 40 to 50 miles per week for about five months straight, finished with the time of 3:39:57. Having raced in three different marathons prior to this one, Proca was happy with her results.
“It wasn’t my fastest race,” Proca said. “But I was happy with it, especially when considering the weather. I was crying a little bit because I was so emotional."
The weather forecast was not a favorable one for the runners, as they had to endure the suffering that included sub 40-degree temperatures, 20-mph winds and a constant downpour of rain that occurred throughout the entire 26.2 mile stretch.
“Before the race even started, I couldn’t feel my feet,” UNC graduate Daniela DeCristo said of the weather elements. “I had plastic bags tied around my shoes to try to keep the water out, but even that didn’t help. I’ve ran in colder temperatures, but I hadn’t for that amount of distance.”