I just got back from Boston, and this trip was the best out of the three times I've been there! It was a quick four-day trip, but every day was exciting. I took the book, Marathon Woman by Kathrine Switzer, with me on the plane ride, and I read half of it. I knew that Kathrine Switzer was going to be at the expo, and I really wanted to get her to sign the book. I knew that she was the first woman to ever officially run the Boston Marathon, but I had no idea how much she really did to get women's running going.On Sunday morning, we all went to the expo. It was packed but it was a lot of fun to get the cool Boston Marathon souveniers. We even found really nice running shoes for my little boy (he's gonna run the Boston Marathon some day). I also remembered the first time I picked up my Boston Marathon bib number. I was so teary-eyed on that trip just by the fact that I had finally qualified after three attempts! Finally, we got to the Marathon Tours and Travel Booth where Kathrine Switzer was. Last year when my family was running the 5K the day before the marathon, I had a quick photo opportunity with Kathrine, but never got the chance to talk with her until today. Wow! She is so pleasant to talk to and very caring, not just "here's your autograph, now go away." She introduced us to some friends she had been speaking with, the director of a marathon in Illinois, and the director of the New Zealand Marathon of which Kathrine had just run. She signed my book and took a photo with us. On the plane ride home, I finished the book. I was very moved when I read the last sentence: "Running gives us everything, especially ourselves." That was also what she had written in my book when she signed it!
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