I took four gels

I spent the first two kilometres trying not to cry. I was exhausted, anxious and overwhelmed. The crowds that came out to see us run were absolutely amazing. I gave reams of kids high fives because, well, they wanted to be high fived. There were signs. People were screaming, clapping, cheering in this endless progression of exuberance that made me have romantic thoughts towards humanity again. There were people offering water and oranges, waving signs, picking out random names and cheering for those people as though they were celebrities. It was a humbling experience. I was embarrassed that I had even entertained the thought of running with headphones.
The crowd was really thick and after a few kilometres I decided that there was no way that I would be able to have a good time because I was running slower than my normal pace and I just couldn't get through the pack to make up any time.
Fine, I thought. I know how fast I can run and if I'm ten minutes slower today because of the crowds I'll simply take this opportunity to enjoy the fact that I'm running the 113th Boston Marathon on this particular Monday.
Around kilometre ten the crowds started thin out and I started to pick up time. I was feeling good. I was feeling so good that I was starting to worry that I was going too fast and not respecting the additional 32 kilometres coming my way which would include the fabled Heartbreak Hill.
I decided to run hard when I felt like running hard. I was trying to keep pace with a woman that seemed to have a slightly faster pace than what I normally run. In my prior three marathons I have adopted a tactic where I go fast on the first 21 kilometres and then I take it easy on the back half when I hit the wall and start to tire. I thought I would continue to pick up time until mile 13.
I kept feeling good. We ran past biker bars and train stations and an old age home and some of the residents were out, lining the street and some of them had oxygen tanks and were in wheel chairs and a woman near me in a Canada shirt went over and gave them high fives with a big smile and I hope that I never forget what a wonderful feeling of awe and respect that I had for her for doing that.
Past the Wellsley Scream Tunnel with its girls screaming to be kissed. Through little towns. Past kids with oranges. Running through water stations. I kept picking up time. For quite a while I was three minutes fast for a 3:30 marathon and I knew (knew? thought? sensed?) that was a pace I couldn't keep up for much longer. Especially with Heartbreak Hill coming up.