Brian M. Richards
Hopkinton to Copley Square
September 16, 2007
The 2007 Walk was my tenth Jimmy Fund Walk, and twentieth event, having done ten Pan Massachusetts Challenges, a two day 192 mile bicycle ride. As it turned out, it was one of the sadder events I have ever done. My brother suffered a massive stroke on Memorial Day, and was diagnosed with lung cancer. He had the upper lobe of his right lung removed two days before the walk. I visited my brother in ICU the day before the walk. He was in a lot of pain. It amazes me that after 44 years since my mother died of cancer that the medical establishment still hasn’t managed pain control. It took intercession on my family to get the hospital to increase my brother’s morphine intake
For the first time in seven years I decided to do the 13.1 mile walk starting off from Wellesley, versus the 26.2 mile walk from Hopkinton. I had no training what so ever, due to the massive amount of overtime at work, and as the pictures show, managed to put on some more weight. I was able to sleep in to the “late” time of 5 AM. I had about a 30 mile drive to get to the Woodland MBTA train station, where there were shuttle busses to bring you to the start at Wellesley High School. I was amazed at the amount of construction at the Woodland MBTA station. What was open parking lot turned into luxury apartments and condos, with a two deck parking garage. I did something different this year as far as camera equipment is concerned. Instead of carrying a heavy DSLR (digital single lens reflex) camera, I carried a Canon SD870 point and shoot camera. The quality is acceptable for a newsletter, and six ounces is a lot easier to carry than 3.4 pounds. For the third year in a row I was without my GPS watch, as I left it back at the hotel. I made a mental note to remind myself to leave it in the car before heading up from New Jersey for the walk. Temperature at start time was 50 degrees F, eventually warming up to 63 degrees F, ideal for a walk. I didn’t have to concern myself about my feet seating, which leads to blisters and other problems. I left at 8:30 AM from Wellesley, so I could get an early start. I wasn’t that far along the route when I caught up with a group of teen age volunteers who had no clue as to where they were supposed to be stationed. I told them to keep walking back towards Wellesley High School.
I was disappointed in choosing the 13.1 mile walk over the 26.2 mile walk for several reasons. I wanted to do this walk in honor of my brother. I know the main purpose of the walk is to raise money for cancer research, but I felt like I was putting in a less of an effort in raising the money. I didn’t see any of my friends I have met over the years that always start off from Hopkinton, so that was a major disappointment. The water stops on the last 13.1 miles are not as decorative as the first 13.1 miles of the walk. Even with all that going against me, I still had an enjoyable time.
A “dot” is placed on your bib by a volunteer at every water stop. This signifies that one has completed that portion of the walk since the last water stop. It is also a way for one to determine where a walker started from. A Hopkinton walker is going to have twice as many dots on their bibs as a Wellesley walker. A Pacesetter, someone who raises more than $1,000, was identified with a yellow t-shirt and blue bib, while the others were wearing a white t-shirt and white bib. Volunteers wore red t-shirts. Bib numbers were issued in relationship as to how much one raised. My bib number was 199, which meant I was 199 out of 7,000 walkers who raised money in 2006. I raised $3,125 in 2006, brining my total to over $60,700 since 1988 in memory of my parents. Last year the walk raised $5.5 million. This years’ goal is $6.3 million.
Even without the GPS watch one could keep track of where one was on the walk by the signs posted along the walk. A picture of a different patient was placed at every mile along the walk, with a small story of that person’s hobbies and dreams of what they want to do in the future. It was a gentle reminder of why we were walking. I had one person ask why I wasn’t a member of a team. I informed that person that with 18 members of my family having cancer, with 13 dying from the disease, that I was walking for my family and the family and loved ones of my sponsors, and I didn’t want to lessen the memory of whom I was walking for.
The decorative water stop on the second half of the walk is the one manned by the Cape Cod Potato Chip Company. I don’t know if it is my eye sight or not, but I swear that “lighthouse” is getting smaller each year. Another oddity on the walk was seeing a live turkey on someone’s window. It was quite a conversation piece among the walkers.
The Jimmy Fund finally marked where Heartbreak Hill starts. Heartbreak Hill is an ascent over one-half mile of the Boston Marathon course, between the 20 and 21 mile marks, in the vicinity of Boston College. It is the last of four “Newton hills”, which begin at the 16 mile mark. The Newton hills confound contestants (out of proportion to their modest elevation gain) by forcing a late climb on muscles battered by the downhill trend of the race to that point. Heartbreak Hill itself rises only 80 vertical feet, but is especially dreaded because of its position at the point on a marathon course at which muscle glycogen stores are likely to run out—an event referred to by marathoners as “hitting the wall.” Although it is widely believed, and often reported, that the nickname “Heartbreak Hill” refers to the stretch’s winnowing effects on generations of Boston Marathon participants, it actually originated with an event in the 1936 race. On this stretch, defending champion John A. Kelley caught race leader Ellison “Tarzan” Brown, giving Brown a consolatory pat on the shoulder as he passed. His competitive drive apparently stoked by this gesture, Tarzan Brown rallied, pulled away from Kelley, and went on to win—in the words of Boston Globe reporter Jerry Nason, “breaking Kelley’s heart.
I was a little bit confused at first at the 21 mile point, at the Boston College water stop. I saw people with one dot on their bib. I forgot there are actually four different walks this year, Hopkinton (26.2 miles), Wellesley (13.1 miles), Boston College (five miles), and Dana Farber (3 miles). Felt kind of old when I asked the DJ to play something by Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons, and he said “Who?” He finally found Big Girls Don’t Cry and played it. One of the volunteers offered to take my picture, and had a group of female walkers pose with me.
It is always nice to see the famous Citgo sign, as that marks the 25 mile point of the walk. I had two different people take my pictures. Keep in mind there is no view finder on the camera, just a three inch LCD screen .The ones in there early twenties totally miss the mark with the camera, while the one who was close to my age got the composition just right. Go figure.
I had no problem finishing the walk. My thoughts were with my brother as I was hearing my name as I crossed the finish line. I declined the opportunity to have my picture taken by the Polaroid Corporation. The band at the finish line was one of the best ones I heard in years. I grabbed some food and took the bus back to Wellesley.
I never thought I’d be doing a walk for my brother. He is the youngest in my family, and I always thought I, being the oldest one of the family, would be the first to be hit with a life threatening illness. My brother has been with me for all 19 years of my rides and walks, always being my biggest sponsor. It’s now time for big brother to step up to the plate and help his youngest brother. I’m going to be ok, I just ask that you keep my brother in your prayers. My 2007 walk is dedicated in honor of my brother Kevin. Next year I’m doing the 26.2 mile walk for my brother Until next year, thank you and may God Bless.
Brian M Richards