Here I am 2 days removed from the fantastic LA Marathon and I am already looking forward to my next marathon. It just happens to be the Boston Marathon, so you can see why I am so excited. I have 27 days until I leave athletes village in Hopkington and head for downtown Boston. If you have been you know what I am talking about. If you haven't been there yet, as a runner you NEED to get there one day. If yo qualify you HAVE to go.

Unfortunately for me, that was almost not the case. In the Summer of 2008 I trained so hard to run the Long Beach International Marathon and qualify for my 6th Boston, I was crushed when I learned that due to the LA Marathon being moved to May, our SRLA qualifying race would be moved to the Boston Marathon weekend. So being the dedicated coach I try to be, I cancelled my trip to Boston so I could be there for my team as they tried to qualify for the LA Marathon.

Luckily, my BQ was good until this April. So I figured I would go this year. I made all the necessary arrangements and was looking forward to it until my wife got laid off in January. The plans might be scrapped again due to funding. My plan was to roll change, save as much as possible, and work a few extra shifts at TGI Fridays to make the trip happen; but it would still be a huge financial burden.

That will not be the case, I am going thanks to my team. At our annual end-of-the-season luncheon, I usually receive a gift from my team. I hate receiving anything because I do this for love not gifts, but it is still much appreciated. This year, they called me up and said that since I had to miss last year's race, they weren't going to let that happen again this year. They had raised over $500 to help send me to Boston. I was in tears! I couldn't hold back my emotion, and every time I think of it it makes me choke up. I plan on going back there, injury and all and giving it my best shot. I can't let me team down.

Wish me luck.