Chapter 46 – Boston Marathon 2019 Epilogue

The weather on Marathon Monday turned out much better than had been forecast over the prior week.  It was raining heavily early on Monday morning, but the rain had stopped prior to the Wave 4 start at around 11:00 AM.  The temperature was in the low 60’s, and more rain was forecast to start sometime around 2:00 PM.

But then the clouds went away and the sun came out around 12:30 PM, and with the high humidity, I was looking forward for some rain to fall to cool off a little.  The rain finally arrived around 3:00 PM when I was somewhere around Mile 18.  The rain felt refreshing, and from that point forward until the finish, although my legs were sore and I was physically struggling, I really was enjoying the marathon.

I was smiling and making eye contact with spectators just ahead, trying to look as if I was having fun, because I really was.  The spectators were calling out my name (“RAY” was written in large letters on the front of my singlet), and I would respond either verbally or visually, and looking ahead down the course for the next spectator to engage. The spectators’ shouts of support and encouragement have always helped me to drown out the negative voices in my head and keep my thoughts positive.  Tapping into this energy force always seems to pull me along through the course and this has transformed my 26.2 mile journeys from Hopkinton to Copley Square into joyous celebrations.

Happy to be here!

When I reached Kenmore Square (about one mile from the finish) my thoughts turned to the folks in my personal cheering section who patiently waited so long for me to appear at the corner of Hereford and Boylston Streets (about 600 yards from the Finish Line) on Marathon Monday 2019.  Waiting for me were Michael Phillips (my son), Sadie Grace Phillips (my grand-daughter and little bundle of joy who would be turning 6 in May), the Martin family (Virginia, Andy Sr., Jennifer, Sophia, and James, and Andy Jr.), and, of course, my wife (Susan), who has been extremely supportive since the very beginning of my folly of running marathons. 

My arrival is always a joyous experience (for myself and also for all of the members of my personal cheering section), and the traditional greeting for me by the group was once again uttered by Andy Martin, Jr., who always quips: “Hey Ray!  We’ve been waiting for you. What took you sooo long?”

It did take me a long time to finish the marathon (5 hours 34 minutes), but because of some knee issues that resulted in curtailing my training, that time was pretty much in line with my expectations of 5 hour 30 minutes.  Michael was making a video of the scene at the corner with his cell phone, so before heading to the Finish Line, just for fun I reprised the poses (Super-Hero, Body Builder) that I had just done for the photo op at the Miles for Miracles Reception on Saturday.

Thanks again for your continued support,

Ray

Chapter 45 – Boston Marathon 2019 Miles for Miracles Reception (Boston Children’s Hospital Marathon Team)

This marathon was a milestone for both Andy Martin and me, our 20^th consecutive Boston Marathon as partners/teammates.  It was especially satisfying because at the Miles for Miracles Reception on Saturday April 13th days before the Boston Marathon, Andy and I were called onto the stage together where our 20 year partnership was recognized. We were each presented with the official Boston Marathon 2019 race jackets with “Boston Children’s Hospital Miles for Miracles Team” and “20 Years” embroidered on the upper sleeve. It was a very proud moment for the both of us and I was particularly proud of Andy for what he had accomplished. 

After receiving our jackets, we were invited to face toward the audience for a photo opportunity.  The crowd was applauding, so when we turned toward the photographer and audience, I decided to have a little fun and went into a “Super Hero” pose, followed by a couple of bodybuilder poses.  The applause got a little louder, so Andy and I clasped hands together, raised them over our heads, and did a “theatrical” bow for the audience.  The applause grew louder, so we paused and performed another “theatrical” bow. 

Okay, enough fun already, let’s get off the stage.  We left the stage but the applause continued.  Andy was laughing hysterically.  It was fun.  Somebody took a video of the presentation and posted it to Facebook.  Click here to view the video.

Chapter 44 – Boston Marathon 2019: Credit Unions Kids @ Heart Reception, April 13th, and Team Andy 20-Year Boston Marathon Retrospective Video

On April 13, 2019, the Saturday prior to Marathon Monday, we attended two events that were held to honor the Runners and their Patient Partners.  The first of these was organized by the Credit Unions Kids @ Heart organization for the 22 Runners on their team who were raising funds for Boston Children’s Hospital.

At this reception Andy Martin and I were honored for our 20 years together as part of the CU Kids @ Heart Team. We were each presented with a beautiful framed print of original art that was based on a photo of Andy and me crossing the Boston Marathon 2000 finish line together, with Andy on my back in a backpack, and both of us with our arms raised high above our heads in triumph and grinning ear to ear. 

A video showing a photographic retrospective of Team Andy (Andy & Ray) over our twenty years of Boston Marathons together had been produced by the folks at the Credit Unions Kids @ Heart.   As Andy and I (Ray)  had worn “Elvis” costumes for the Boston Marathons from 2008 through 2013, “Hound Dog” was selected as the soundtrack for the video.  The video was to be presented at the reception, but due to a technical glitch, it wasn’t able to be shown.

However, the good news is that by clicking on the link below, the video is now available here for your entertainment and viewing pleasure.

Chapter 43 – Andy Martin’s Account of His Boston Marathon 2018 Journey

Boston Marathon 2018 Rain Storm

Andy’s Account of His Boston Marathon 2018 Journey

by Andy Martin

“Well, on Patriots Day 2018, I embarked on a journey that was completely demanding as no other challenge that I had ever previously confronted.  I completed the Boston Marathon under horrible weather conditions.  The roads were slick and my chair had no grip on the road.  All I could think was, ‘Just make it to Boston, you have fans waiting’.  I pushed and pushed, stopped, had my gloves wiped off, and pushed some more.  After over four and a half hours and 20 miles of pushing through the rain and wind, my tank was pretty much running on empty.  And then, there it was, looming just ahead, the last of the Newton hills, Heartbreak Hill, another challenge.  I was determined, and said to Heartbreak Hill, ‘Not this year, not ever, will you stop me from finishing this marathon’.  It was a really difficult struggle, but ultimately I prevailed and made it to the top of Heartbreak Hill.  I pressed onward.  Next stop ahead, Boylston Street.”

“Five miles and over an hour later, I had finally reached the final right turn on the marathon course onto Hereford Street tired, sore, and soaked to the bone.  This was the final uphill on the course, and I was really struggling just to make any forward progress with each push.  I was physically and mentally exhausted.  For a moment, I thought to myself, ‘Well, okay, I’m done.  I can’t continue this any longer’.  But then, I glanced up to the corner of Boylston Street and could see my family and friends cheering wildly as they saw me come into view.  That provided me with the emotional strength that I needed, and I knew that if I gritted my teeth through the pain just a little bit longer, I could reach them.  I made it to the top of Hereford Street, stopped, and was greeted with a hero’s welcome that included cheers and hugs from my family, friends, and my Children’s Hospital Patient Partner, Matty Bridges.  I felt overwhelmed with emotion.  I waved my goodbyes and pushed off, turned the corner down Boylston Street, and 600 yards later crossed the Finish Line, thus achieving my mission.  It took 6 hours 09 minutes and 20 seconds, but I never gave up.”

Respectfully,

Andy Martin

To see a video of Andy’s arrival at the corner of Hereford and Boylston Streets, follow the link below.

https://www.facebook.com/tracey.dickey/videos/10155659973734247/?t=65

Next: Chapter XX – Appreciation

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Chapter 42: Boston Marathon 2018 – The Big Soak and the Heart of a Champion

With heavy rains and winds along with temperatures in the low 40’s, the weather on the day of the 2018 Boston Marathon was simply miserable from the start to the finish, for all participants.  But for Andy Martin and the other push-rim wheelchair entrants, the wet conditions are much more problematic than for the runners.  The reason is that for the wheelchair entrants, the forward motion of the wheelchair is powered by quickly repeated strokes of downward friction of the rider’s gloves to the front of the smooth hard rubber  push-rims.  However, when the gloves are soaking wet, and the smooth hard rubber surface of the push-rims are also wet and slippery,  this causes a significant loss in friction and results in a huge amount of additional effort over the 26.2 mile course.

A number of the Push-rim Wheelchair entrants were world-class athletes who had come from the other side of the planet to participate for a chance to win the 2018 Boston Marathon.  Many others were sub-two hour qualifiers from the U.S.A. who were ready to compete in the Boston Marathon, as well.  Some of the wheelchair entrants had checked out the weather forecast in advance, and for health and safety reasons, decided to not make it to the Start Line in Hopkinton, and others dropped out along the course.  Andy Martin is not a world-class athlete or a sub- two hour qualifier, but he was at the Start Line with the rest of the Wheelchair entrants, and he knew that the weather and road conditions that day would be miserable, and it could also be a painful experience.  But Andy had made a commitment to complete the race, and he was determined to make it to Copley Square this day.

The rain and cold did in fact, make the conditions miserable for the wheelchair entrants, but for Andy, the big issue was his gloves repeatedly failing to gain any type of friction over the smooth and slippery surface of the push-rims.  He was working extremely hard, but after 13.1 miles (half-way), he was already 2 hours 24 minutes into the marathon, 1 hour 9 minutes slower (almost double) than the time it took to get to this point in the 2017 marathon), and he was pretty well exhausted from the effort expended thus far.  There was another 13.1 miles to go, including the hills in Newton to look forward to.

The rain continued to come down hard, and the second half of the marathon was agony for Andy.  He was cold, wet, exhausted, and cramping up badly.  He also sustained some bruises when he was twice knocked out of his wheelchair by passing runners who had banged into the side of his wheelchair, causing the wheelchair to tip over and spilling Andy onto the pavement.  Neither runner stopped to help pick him up, but some following runners did help Andy back into his chair both times.  One of the crashes resulted in one of the rubber tires coming off its wheel, but some bystanders watching the race helped get the tire back onto the wheel, so Andy could continue on his quest.  (Thank you to all those good people who lent Andy a helping hand.)

Andy kept soldiering on until he fulfilled his marathon mission and crossed the finish line.  His finish time of 6 hours and 9 minutes was a full 3 hours and 24 minutes slower than his 2017 time of 2 hours and 45 minutes.  While his fast time for the marathon in 2017 was impressive, to me, this achievement paled in comparison to the demonstration of strength of character that he showed in the 2018 marathon.  Andy’s fierce determination has always been a source of inspiration for me (and for many others), but the resolve that he displayed in this race has proven beyond all doubt, that Any Martin really does have “The Heart of a Champion”.  Amen.

Next: Chapter 43: Andy’s Account of His Boston Marathon 2018 Journey

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Chapter XX: Appreciation

Putting together this story has truly been a labor of love for me, as each entry has been an opportunity to revisit some wonderful memories and emotions.  For me, being an entrant in the Boston Marathon has been something very special. It is not just about me setting and attempting to achieve goals and running a race. In fact, it is not just all about me. It’s much bigger than that. It’s about being part of the Children’s Hospital Marathon Team and the Credit Unions Kids at Heart Marathon Team, the fund-raising support of my sponsor (the Directors, Staff, and Members of Hanscom Federal Credit Union), and my Children’s Hospital Marathon Team Patient Partner who provides an enormous source of inspiration. Also, on Patriot’s Day, hundreds of thousands of spectators line the Boston Marathon course and bond with the marathon entrants. This really is a team effort.

So I first want to express my appreciation for those fantastic spectators along the Boston Marathon course whose shouts of support and encouragement have transformed my 26.2 mile journeys from Hopkinton to Copley Square into joyous celebrations which have pulled me along to the finish line. They have provided me with an opportunity to feel very special (for a maybe just few hours or so) on the third Monday of every year since the 2000 Boston Marathon.

Thanks go to Hanscom Federal Credit Union for allowing the use of this web site to post the “Team Andy Project”. I want to thank the HFCU staff for their help with the web site and forum, as well as CEO/President David Sprague for approving the project. I’d also like to thank my sponsor, Hanscom Federal Credit Union (the Directors, Staff, and Members of Hanscom Federal Credit Union) for sponsoring the fund-raising support that has enabled me to participate as a runner in the Boston Marathon for 17 consecutive years.

I also want to thank Jane Melchionda (CEO of EasCorp), for being the driving force behind the Credit Unions  Kids at Heart program, and providing your leadership, dedication, generosity, and all of the things that you do and have done for the CUs Kids at Heart Team ever since you established this program prior to the 2000 Boston Marathon. Also, thank you to the many HFCU members and other folks that have made generous donations to Children’s Hospital in support of our (“Team Andy”) Marathon Mission over the past 20 years.

On a more personal note, all this running and training would not be possible without the daily support of the most important person in my life, my wife, Susan, who I love dearly. Of course, I would especially like to thank Andy Martin, my Patient Partner since the 2000 Boston Marathon, my friend, and now, amazingly, my fellow marathoner, for being the primary force behind the “Team Andy Project”, and for inspiring me to run the Boston Marathon for the 20th time.

The Martin family has also asked me to express their gratitude toward Children’s Hospital Boston for the world class care and treatment that they have been providing Andy since birth. The reason they’ve been involved with the Children’s Hospital Marathon Team Patient Partner program for the past seventeen years is an attempt to say “Thank you.” to Children’s Hospital, for all they’ve done for Andy, and to raise awareness of the great work that Children’s Hospital has and continues to accomplish. But great pediatric treatment is expensive, and Children’s Hospital needs funds to maintain their high standards of care for its patients.
By relating our story of the “Team Andy Project” marathon mission, I hope that we are able to raise some awareness of our fund raising efforts on behalf of Children’s Hospital. If you would like to make a donation to Children’s Hospital Boston to support our fundraising efforts, please go to the Children’s Hospital web site

and click on “Support a Participant” and on the next screen enter my name “Ray” “Phillips”, follow the prompts to have my donation page come up, and then enter the donation amount and credit card information on the next two pages. Andy and I don’t need the money, but Children’s Hospital Boston surely does to continue to provide the highest quality of pediatric care in the country (No.1 in the U.S. News and World Report rankings for 18 years running), as well as the ongoing research to develop significant improvements to medical procedures. It’s a great cause, and any donations would be greatly appreciated.

I hope that you’ve enjoyed reading the “Team Andy” story/blog. If you’d like to send me feedback relative to our story/blog, I’d be delighted to hear from you. You can send me an e-mail at: rtphfcu@comcast.net

Ray Phillips

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Chapter 41: Boston Marathon 2017 – Andy Surprises with a Strong Performance

After being relegated to the sidelines for the 2016 Boston Marathon due to recovery from surgery, Andy returned as a wheelchair entrant for the 2017 Boston Marathon.  Andy had not been assigned a Patient Partner, so he “dedicated his marathon in honor of his longtime marathon partner, Ray Phillips”.  It was a wonderful gesture that was very characteristic of an action that people that know Andy have come to expect from him.  He is simply a warm, loving, generous, kind and giving person.  I was humbled by the honor that Andy bestowed on me.

Also, prior to the 17 mile Children’s Hospital Marathon Team training run from Natick (Mile 9on the Marathon Course) to the Finish Line in Copley Square in February (a major annual training event), Andy spoke in front of the entire team and delivered the traditional Team Pre-race Dedication, recounting how our history together had inspired him to become a wheelchair entrant on behalf of Children’s Hospital.  I was in healing mode from a recently torn adductor muscle, so regretfully I missed Andy’s dedication, as I was stationed at the Kids @ Heart Water Station at the base of the first of the three hills on Commonwealth Avenue in Newton.  I learned of Andy’s dedication from our runners as they passed through our water stop.

When Andy arrived at our water stop, it was obvious that he had been struggling, a result of the difficulty of a push-rim wheelchair athlete to train outdoors in the winter months on the snow and ice covered shoulders of roads in Central New Hampshire.  Andy’s struggles continued though the Newton Hills on the Boston Marathon course, and a few of his Credit Union teammates provided support by walking with Andy to the top of the final hill (which is also the steepest and longest of the Heartbreak Hills) at about Mile 21 on the Marathon Course.  Shortly thereafter, one of the tires on Andy’s racing wheelchair went flat, and his training for the day was finished, about 5 miles short of his original destination.

With only six weeks left prior to the day of the marathon, we (Andy’s teammates) were concerned that Andy’s fitness level may not be strong enough to allow him to complete the marathon with such little time left to train.  However, the weather soon got warm enough to melt the snow on the side of the roads in Goffstown, NH, and Andy quickly ramped up his training regimen and was luckily able to remain injury free prior to the marathon.

On race day, Andy surprised us all by coming through with an amazing finish time of 2:45:12, which was a full 4 minutes faster than his personal best time for a marathon, and finishing well ahead of all the Male Elite runners and behind only 3 of the Female Elite runners.  It was a remarkable performance, and we were all very proud of Andy.  On top of all that, Andy once again displayed his fierce loyalty, as after finishing his own race, he made his way back to the top of Boylston Street and patiently waited for me to arrive, which, due to the staggered start times in Hopkinton, was almost 5 hours after his own finish.  I hadn’t expected that Andy would have been on Boylston Street because of the extraordinarily long wait, but there he was, smiling and holding up a small sign that said: “Ray, What took you so long?”, to avoid being too predictable but still maintaining tradition.

Next: Chapter 42: Boston Marathon 2018 – The Big Soak and a Heart of a Champion

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Chapter 40 Boston Marathon 2016 – Credit Unions Kids at Heart Marathon Team

The Credit Unions of Massachusetts have been sponsoring between 6 to 20 Children’s Hospital Marathon Team runners each year since 2000, and have raised over $5,000,000 related to the Boston Marathon. This has been the 17th consecutive year that Andy and I have been sponsored by Hanscom Federal Credit Union, who raises funds by soliciting donations from the members of the credit union. Jane Melchionda, the CEO of EasCorp (a corporate credit union owned by credit unions), does a great job of organizing the Credit Union Marathon Team. Like Andy and I, each runner is paired with a patient  partner. Most the patient partners and their families return every year, and my wife, Susan and I have gotten to know these families via the Children’s Hospital Marathon Team receptions and Marathon Day, as well as about 3 other get-togethers per year organized among the families of the Credit Union runners and patient partners. To me, the real heroes are the patient partners and their families, who face and deal with significant challenges every day, 365 day per year, a much more significant undertaking than just running 26.2 miles.
The families of the Children’s Hospital Credit Union Team runners and patient partners have gathered at the top of Boylston Street to wait for their runners to arrive every year beginning with the 2001 Boston Marathon. Jane Melchionda arrives at 6:00 AM on marathon day to stake out some territory for the families, and the police and crowd have been very respectful of protecting that space, that I like to call “Credit Union Corner”.
The interesting dynamic of the crowd nearby on the corner is that after the first couple of Credit Union runners connect with their patient partners, the crowd starts to pick of on what is happening. The atmosphere becomes electric. When each Credit Union runner headed toward his or her patient partner, the crowd anticipated what was about to happen. The cheers grow louder and louder for each succeeding runner as they approach their patient partner. The crowd usually explodes in cheers as the runner and patient partner departs the corner toward the finish line. I get to experience this scene when I hook up with Andy, and it’s just a wonderful feeling to be part of it. For those on location in the late afternoon, it’s really something special.
What is inspiring about this group is that from the 2005 to 2012 Boston Marathons, every single Credit Union runner hooked up with their respective patient partner, and together have travel the 600 yards of Boylston Street and crossed the finish line together. Just think about that for a few moments and picture the scene in your mind. Imagine a child who has been receiving medical treatment since birth, and is now enjoying his or her moment in the spotlight, proudly accompanying their marathon runner down Boylston to the cheers of thousands of spectators. The child waves to the crowd, beaming from ear to ear, and then triumphantly completes the journey by crossing the Finish Line of the Boston Marathon, holding the hand of his or her runner. Of course, in 2013 the bombings prevented some of the runners and patient partners from crossing the finish line together, and that tradition has been stopped due to the tightening of security beginning in 2014. Our hope is to someday to re-kindle this wonderful tradition, and hopefully that someday is very soon.

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Next: Chapter 41: Boston Marathon2017 – Andy Surprises with a Strong Performance

Chapter 38: Boston Marathon 2015 – Katie Lynch Award and 2nd Boston Marathon Completion

Shortly after the completion of the 2014 Boston Marathon, the Credit Unions Have Kids at Heart Team invited Andy Martin to be on their 2015 team to raise funds for Children’s Hospital Boston, and Hanscom Federal Credit Union was pleased to sponsor Andy once again. Andy was excited to be invited back again and quickly accepted this opportunity to be a wheelchair entrant in the Boston Marathon again. Andy is not one to rest on his laurels, and he continued his training during the summer and in the fall finished the Manchester City Marathon in a time of 4:53:31, his 4th completed marathon.

At the Children’s Hospital Reception on the Saturday of Boston Marathon 2015 Weekend, the highlight of the annual event is always the announcement and presentation of the Katie Lynch Award, in memory of Katie Lynch, a truly inspirational figure. The Katie Lynch Award recognizes individuals who show courage and an indomitable spirit in the face of great trials. Nominees for the award must exude a positive spirit and an unyielding determination. It was time for the announcement: “And the winner of the 2015 Katie Lynch Award is….Andy Martin”. You may recall that Andy had received the Katie Lynch Award as a Patient Partner based on his optimistic attitude and positive spirit. Andy received the award as a Marathon Entrant due his demonstration of his incredible determination and by inspiring others by proving that “Anything is possible.” A video of Andy receiving the award can be seen via this link

Andy Martin Receives 2015 Katie Lynch Award

On Marathon Monday morning, when Andy arrived at the Start Line, he was not as physically fit as he had been for the 2014 Boston Marathon. This was due to the inability to train outdoors in his wheelchair due to the excessive snowfall during that horrible winter which had resulted in unsafe conditions with piles of snow covering the edges of all the roads, and Andy wasn’t able to train on the roads until the middle of April. So he had no expectations about setting any personal records for the 26.2 mile race that he was about to undertake. Crossing the Finish Line was his main goal, which he achieved by completing Boston Marathon 2015 in a time of 3:58:08, his 2nd consecutive Boston Marathon and 5th marathon overall. That is still pretty impressive for a 19 year old.

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Next: Chapter 39: Boston Marathon 2016 – Ray Races Toward a Milestone Inspired by Andy

Chapter 39 – Ray Achieves a Milestone Inspired by Andy

In the late Fall of 2015, Andy had surgery related to his spina bifida to replace some valves and tubes that had previously been implanted, but now were approaching their expected lifespan. Because the recovery period was 4 to 6 weeks which would require Andy to defer the start date of his marathon training program, Andy elected to skip the 2016 Boston Marathon as a push-rim wheelchair entrant and participate, once again, as my Patient Partner. So I’ll be looking forward to Andy inspiring me because I know that he’ll be there waiting for me at the top of Boylston Street.
This Boston Marathon would be the 17th consecutive time that Andy and I were partnered together, but it also represented a milestone for me as the 2016 Boston Marathon represents my Marathon No. 100.  If you have interest in seeing a list of the marathons, go to this link:  Ray Phillips – Marathons List

Andy was my Patient Partner for my first Boston Marathon in 2000, which was just my 13th marathon overall. I wanted to be able to run the Boston Marathon just the one time, and had no plans to continue running marathons once I had achieve that goal. But then Andy and I made our commitments to each other to cross the finish line together every year until he was able to be a wheelchair entrant in the 2014 Boston Marathon when he would meet the age requirement of 18 years old.
So I continued running marathons, and most of those marathons I considered as just training runs to get me to the next Boston Marathon. So from my first Boston Marathon in 2000 with Andy as my Patient Partner to the 2014 Boston Marathon (my 91st), Andy has been my inspirational force. Once Andy achieved his life-long dream of completing the Boston Marathon as a push-rim wheelchair entrant in April 2014, the next logical goal for me was completing 100 marathons. Without the promises that Andy and I made to each other back in April 2000 and re-affirmed every year since, I expect that I would have stopped running marathons a long, long, time ago.
Andy is planning on being a push-rim wheelchair entrant once again in the 2015 Boston Marathon, and hopes to continue to be an entrant on an annual basis. As for me, I am now hoping that I can remain healthy enough to complete 25 consecutive Boston Marathons. So my goal now is to complete every Boston Marathon every year through April 2024 when I’ll be 76 years old. And my dream is when I make it to the top of Boylston Street in 2024, Andy Martin will be waiting for me there, and I hope by then that the security restrictions on the marathon course will be relaxed, so we can travel the final 600 yards to cross the Finish Line together, once again.

And of course, when I finally arrived at the top of Boylston Street at the 2016 Boston Marathon, as expected, there was Andy, smiling and greeting me with the usual “Hey Ray.  What took you so long?”

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Chapter 40 Boston Marathon 2016 – Credit Unions Kids at Heart Marathon Team