The anticlimactic, maddeningly truncated video is finally up! See below:

Ramsey,

This is the greeting you deserved some twenty-odd years ago from the Wellesley girls. It doesn’t seem fair that you never experienced it; that you never got to run Boston. My measly 3:15 doesn’t hold a candle to your 3:01. But back in the day, qualifying standards were much tougher. And regrettably, injury now prevents you from running this storied race. Doubly unfair.

This may be a trivial surrogate for the real Boston experience. But accept it as a token of friendship and thanks for the miles we’ve run together and the counsel you’ve given. I’d say thanks for the ab class, but my abs are not ready to forgive.

Most of my readers don’t know you. Though I may underestimate your social networking skills, which are prodigiously advanced. I can’t recall running together without a handful of people greeting you, whether on foot, in cars, riding, working or otherwise. Those few who don’t know you would be happier if they did.

I hope this in some small way this gesture assuages any disappointment you may have felt at missing Boston. At least let it show that investments in friendship always reap dividends.

- Dean

The Video!


(NOTE: What on earth is that runner doing at the far end of the sign in the video?)

Unfortunately, the final cut of the video contains less than half of the event. Here’s the whole encounter:

DEAN
(Stops at the craziest bunch of Wellesley Girls)
Hey! Hold this for me and…

WELLESLEY GIRLS
(Not a breath lost, they immediately unroll the sign with great enthusiasm. No reason is requested.)

DEAN
Okay, this is for Ramsey. I swear this is not me. It’s really for someone else.
(Takes several photos)

WELLESLEY GIRLS
(incoherent screaming continues)

DEAN
(Assuming the Camera is now capturing the scene on video)
On the count of three yell, “We love you Ramsey”

WELLESLEY GIRLS
(immediately)
WE LOVE YOU RAMSEY!
(more screams)

DEAN
(laughing)
Let him have it! Tell…
(Filming actually begins)
.. him you love him! YEAH!

WELLESLEY GIRLS
(more screaming)

DEAN
alright!
(filming stops)

Ah well, the best laid plans often go awry. At least we got a bit of it. Ramsey, somewhere in Wellesley, the girls have your sign. Hopefully they’ll check out the site!

- Dean

Sorry folks, but my video and pics from the Wellesley Scream Tunnel will be delayed until tomorrow. So very sorry. It was my real goal of the race to have that up for you. This particular project was important to me. Once you see everything, all will be explained.

I took many pictures and I’ll try to get them attached to the various posts I made so you can take a quick look back. That will probably happen by tomorrow evening.

Suffice it to say, I did not have a great running day today. I was hurting as early as mile 14, and the Newton hills kicked my buttocks six ways to Sunday. I should not have been laid waste by a 3:37. But I’ve recovered decently and spent the day post race on the Freedom trail, checking out Paul Revere’s House and the Old North church. It seemed the thing to do on Patriot’s Day.

- Dean

Thanks for reading everybody! If your name is Ramsey, or you are anybody else who wants to see video, come back tonight between 8 or 9pm or so… I’ll have a very cool video posted for you!

- Dean

I’m done.

And I’m looking for a place to vomit.

- Dean

Naering Mile 21…

To tired.

To post.

Anything.

- Dean

12:32pm

Hey,the crowd’s thinned out. I’m dying on a new hill. And for some reason people keep complimenting me on my socks.

- Dean

These “infamous” Newton Hills? They really suck.

- Dean

Man.

I am really, really, really, really, really, really, really tired.

And I think I need to get in shape or something.

- Dean

11:43am

I just passed the Scream Tunnel (thanks Boss Frog for the clarification) full of insane and crazy Wellesley girls.

Note to Angie: I kissed no one, in fulfillment of my promise to you.
Note to Ramsey: My mission is accomplished with my Wellesley girls today and you need to come back to Zero to Boston tonight!

- Dean

Note from Chris: I could not understand Dean’s location… something about a tunnel. Though he is speaking very well for having run 13 miles.

- Chris

11:30am

“Hey, what mile are we at?”
“I think we’re somewhere… almost at eleven.”

Okay so, I’m keeping a 7:45 pace, but I started about four minutes after the gun. So depending on how you’re tracking, my time will be slightly off.

Let me tell you about Boston: It’s the biggest small town race I’ve ever been in. It’s phenomenal… I’ve got a pretty strong chance at breaking my little kid high-five quota for the day. Hang on, here’s a few more…

- Dean

11:15am

At the bottom of the first it’s 0-0 Boston-Texas. Regular updates are given to runners throughout the day. We’ll be getting into Boston as the Rangers-Red Sox game lets out. Further bulletins as events warrant.

- Dean

You know a lot of times people ask me what on earth do you think about for 3+ hours during a marathon. So here I am running through Natick and I get to thinking, “Hmm… if some thags are thanes and all thanes are wargs, are all wargs thags?”

- Dean

10:50am

Alright. I’ve just made the 6.2 mile mark and I’ve passed the grand total of two runners. Which puts me 3,500 - 3,700 runners in the hole.

- Dean

10:41am

Well I finally passed my first runner at mile five. Now my goal for this entire race is to hold this lead at all costs. Oh, you know that big striped thing at my back… it’s really hurting my shoulder. I can’t wait to get it off my back at Wellesley.

And oh yeah, Doug from Southboro, MA says hi to everyone - “WOOOOOO!” And he just screamed.

My ear hurts.

- Dean

10:28am

I’m keeping a 7:45 pace on the dot. When I went slower at the NY marathon I passed people at will the entire race. Here, I am being passed by every human being on this earth. I am clearly the slow guy at Boston.

- Dean

10:21am

This whole sea of runners is amazing - spectacular. It puts New York to shame, which is amazing. I’m hitting 7:45 on the dot and I’ll catch you later.

- Dean