Harvard Runs the Marathon

Forgoing their usual trek around the Charles River, several members of the Harvard community yesterday took their daily run to the big time--Heartbreak Hill and the Boston Marathon.

The Harvard students, most of whom had seriously trained for yesterday since last fall, were among the 12,000 runners who participated in the 99th edition of the world-famous race. Of these, 9,410 runners of all ages were officially entered into the race.

"Every year after I run it I say `I will never do it again,'" said Quincy House resident tutor Bard J. Geesaman. "It is not bad for the first 18 miles, but it is so painful for the last eight miles. Your body just has no energy left."

This year's race was won for the third year in a row by Kenyan Cosmas Ndeti, who finished the race in a time of 2 hours, 9 minutes and 22 seconds. The woman's race was won by Germany's Uta Pippig who covered the course in 2 hours, 25 minutes and 11 seconds.

The 26.2 mile marathon is run every Patriot's Day on a course which begins in Hopkinton, Mass. continues through Framingham, Natick and Wellesley and ends in downtown Boston on Boylston St. next to the Public Library.

"When you first start, it seems as if there is no end in sight. It's really intimidating," said Ted J. Donlan '95. "But once you get going and get near Wellesley, you become really psyched up."

All the runners agreed that Heartbreak Hill once again lived up to its reputation. The Hill is so named because it is a particularly hilly part near Boston College towards the end of the race, when runners desperately struggle to try to get a second wind and finish the race.

"Heartbreak Hill is up and down, up and down. It comes at a time when you hit the wall," said Geesaman, who finished his second Boston Marathon in a time of 3 hours and 50 minutes. "It is really traumatic...suddenly you just have nothing, you start getting chills, you can't lift your legs."

"The three successive hills around mile 17, really put a damper on my run...I slowed down. Those were some of the most difficult hills I've ever run on," said Donlan, who finished his first marathon ever in a time around 3 hours and 50 minutes. "I wished I had practiced more on hills."

Although the Harvard contingent managed to getpass Heartbreak Hill, they did not escapeinjury-free.

Nikesh S. Parekh '95 said that he pulled agroin muscle during the 21st mile and that theinjury hampered his time during the last fivemiles.

"I finished the race in 4 hours and 20 minuteswhich was a little disappointing. Too muchdrinking in the senior bars the last couple ofweeks slowed me down the last couple of miles,"Parekh said.

Parekh added, "[The injury] is not bad, it isnothing that a few beers can't take off."

Michael J. Hrnicek '96 said that he was contentwith his finishing time, 3 hours and 38 minutes,although it was ten minutes slower than his timein last year's Boston race.

"I made it up Heartbreak Hill without stoppingwhich in itself was an accomplishment," Hrniceksaid. "My time would have been substantiallyfaster than that, but I got cramps during the lastthree miles."

The Harvard students said that afteryesterday's grueling run, it will take them awhileto recover, much less consider running anothermarathon.

"It is like a hangover beyond death, eventhough you didn't drink anything," Donlan said."It will probably take about three days torecover."

"I'm really tired," Hrnicek said. "I'mdefinitely going to sleep for awhile."

And although a little sore this morning, mostof the Harvard contingent enjoyed themselvesyesterday.

"The crowd support was just awesome. These guyswere cranking the theme from Rocky and Chariots ofFire from their stereos," Hrnicek said. "The musicof Chariots of Fire really inspired me."

"I bumped into some friends along the way, andit's cool that random people will come up to youand talk," Donlan said. "It's a nice sense ofcommunity in the city, at least for one day."

However, Parekh when asked if he would runagain, answered a resounding "Hell no."

Parekh's grueling race yesterday, howeverfinished on a light note.

"As I coming down the last stretch, I saw a guywho looked like [Dean of Students] Archie [C.]Epps [III] moon the runners as they went by,"Parekh said. "I talked to some other Harvardpeople after the race and they all said the personlooked like Dean Epp.,"

None of the Harvard students who ranyesterday's race were members of the track team,because the track coaches "discourage them fromrunning," according to assistant track coachWalter W. Johnson.

"We're in the midst of our season right now andrunning a marathon would be too much for them torecover from," Johnson said

Although the Harvard contingent managed to getpass Heartbreak Hill, they did not escapeinjury-free.

Nikesh S. Parekh '95 said that he pulled agroin muscle during the 21st mile and that theinjury hampered his time during the last fivemiles.

"I finished the race in 4 hours and 20 minuteswhich was a little disappointing. Too muchdrinking in the senior bars the last couple ofweeks slowed me down the last couple of miles,"Parekh said.

Parekh added, "[The injury] is not bad, it isnothing that a few beers can't take off."

Michael J. Hrnicek '96 said that he was contentwith his finishing time, 3 hours and 38 minutes,although it was ten minutes slower than his timein last year's Boston race.

"I made it up Heartbreak Hill without stoppingwhich in itself was an accomplishment," Hrniceksaid. "My time would have been substantiallyfaster than that, but I got cramps during the lastthree miles."

The Harvard students said that afteryesterday's grueling run, it will take them awhileto recover, much less consider running anothermarathon.

"It is like a hangover beyond death, eventhough you didn't drink anything," Donlan said."It will probably take about three days torecover."

"I'm really tired," Hrnicek said. "I'mdefinitely going to sleep for awhile."

And although a little sore this morning, mostof the Harvard contingent enjoyed themselvesyesterday.

"The crowd support was just awesome. These guyswere cranking the theme from Rocky and Chariots ofFire from their stereos," Hrnicek said. "The musicof Chariots of Fire really inspired me."

"I bumped into some friends along the way, andit's cool that random people will come up to youand talk," Donlan said. "It's a nice sense ofcommunity in the city, at least for one day."

However, Parekh when asked if he would runagain, answered a resounding "Hell no."

Parekh's grueling race yesterday, howeverfinished on a light note.

"As I coming down the last stretch, I saw a guywho looked like [Dean of Students] Archie [C.]Epps [III] moon the runners as they went by,"Parekh said. "I talked to some other Harvardpeople after the race and they all said the personlooked like Dean Epp.,"

None of the Harvard students who ranyesterday's race were members of the track team,because the track coaches "discourage them fromrunning," according to assistant track coachWalter W. Johnson.

"We're in the midst of our season right now andrunning a marathon would be too much for them torecover from," Johnson said