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Miles 21 - 26.2
On the down side of Heartbreak Hill it really hit me that there was about 5 miles left. I had completed all of those towns and the hills and it was mostly flat from here on in. I think I kept mumbling something about no more Hearthbreak Hill....we're done Heartbreak Hill....

The next few miles are a bit of a blur. I remember that we were hoping to see the Standley family in Cleveland Circle but they weren't there. It would be the last friend on the journey and I was too late. The crowds were thinning but looking behind me....there were still people walking/jogging back there. As we entered Cleveland Circle, the Rabbi reminded me that we were now done Commonwealth Avenue.....wow...I was done Comm Ave and was now through Cleveland Circle. Then mile marker 22.

My legs were really burning but we tried to keep the long stride walking and also kept jogging. I was doing 15-16 minute miles and still had time in my 'bank'. I started to think that maybe I really would finish this....but then we would see runners on the side of the road stretching out. At one point, a bus load of runners that had to drop out went by. I made it further than they did....but it wasn't over. My legs really hurt.

Down Beacon Street there were lots of parties. Mostly college kids that had been drinking all day. At this point I wanted to cover up my name on my shirt. Earlier, it was nice to have people helping you to stay motivated but now they were just obnoxious....drunk and obnoxious. They would yell at me by name to pick up the pace. I just wanted to yell back that I thought they should come out here and try to do this but didn't feel it was worth expending my energy. I was sore. I was tired.

Mile 23 marker. Still ahead of pace. I am glad that I had company as this was really difficult now to keep going as my legs really hurt. But we kept on walking and jogging....

Mile 24 marker....just two more miles....just two more miles... It became my mantra. We could see the Citgo sign.....

Then there was Mindy, Laura and Peter! I was so happy to see them! This picture was taken right when I saw them and they were really a big moral boost. Then we hit the 25 mile marker.... 1 mile to go...1 mile to go... my new mantra.

Of course after we had gone another .2 miles we saw the 1 mile to go sign....so it was still 1 mile to go...1 mile to go...

Up the incline and into Kenmore Square. I had been saying for months that I had to run through Kenmore Square, so we did. We walked. We shuffle jogged under Mass Ave and turned onto Hereford St...the crowd informed us that "It's just 5 more blocks Martin...you can do it!" I liked the crowd again.

Now I was ready for this thing to be over. Although my legs and feet were all in pain....I picked a point out in the road half way up Hereford St and kept telling myself, "run to that point, run to that point, run to that point..." Then we were at that point...the Rabbi asked, "was this the point?" It was and I ran to it!

We walked up the last block of Hereford St and turned onto Boylston. There it was....off in the distance...3 and a half blocks away....the finish line. It was, however, too far away to run. I looked at my watch and I had 18 minutes to get there! We walked two blocks when I decided I needed it over.....the rabbi later told me that she couldn't keep up with me here. I think it may have been the fastest I ran on the entire course. The last one and a half blocks was almost a sprint. I just had to get over that line.

 
(the final sprint and finish)

I crossed the finish line...crossed the mats that would register my time and fell down to one knee and I started to cry. It was over and I made it. I actually made it. I finished the Boston Marathon. The Temple was going to get its $24,000. I remember an official coming over and asking if I was OK.....but I couldn't talk. I just waved that I was....the Rabbi was there...I could see her feet...I could see the officials feet.

I stood up and someone put a mylar blanket on me and we started to walk down Boylston Street. It was a very slow walk. I was cold and the blanket helped. (I find those mylar blankets amazing!). I could hear the announcer saying names as people crossed the line and he read it....Martin Abeshaus from Burlington, MA. He almost pronounced it correctly and I laughed.

We got to the point where there were officials sitting in chairs with a small 8 inch high board in front of them. I was told to put my foot up and they would remove my transponder from my sneaker. I had to laugh because she wanted me to lift me leg and it was an effort to do that. She removed my transponder and thankfully, tied my shoe for me....she then put a medal around my neck.

I looked at my watch....5 hours and 34 minutes.

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