year,therapidriseoftemperatureexhaustedme.Myrecordofthisyearwas3hoursand38minutes,whichwas7minutesslowerthanthatoflastyear.Butthestartingpointissocrowdedeveryyearduetothenarrownessofthestreet,andittakesusover5miuallytostartrunningafterthe"Go"signal.Takingallthesethingsintoat,Iguessmyrecordthisyearisnotsobad.

    AnywayallofusefromBostontothissmall,startingtownonboardthecoachescharteredforusrunners,aherefosignalatnoon.Thislittle,suburbantown,populatedbysome2,500people,estobeoverflowedforacoupleofhourswiththe"enthusiastiers"reagtheapproximatenumberof8,000,whojointheraeveryerofthistryandtheworld.Literallyitisabigfestivalheldonceayeariown.HopkintonisatypicalresidentialsuburbthatonefindanywhereinAmeridithasnothingoutstandingfromastrangersviewpoint:onechurehighschool,onefirestation,andoneshortmai.Afterpassingalongthemaiwithagasstation,apub,arealestateagendaflorist,youllfindnothingbutanendlessseriesofcozyhouseswithfrontyards.Everyhouselookswellattendedandthelawnintheyardisdetlytrimmed,butthereexistsnothingtostimulateyinatioherextraordinarygeousmansioremelyshabbyhouseattractsyourattention.Thisrowofhouseslooksasiftoinsistthatthemostvaluablevirtueinlifeisnottoattractpeoplesattention.Thisunityhappeobechosenasastartingpointsimplybecauseitislocatedexactly26milesor42kilometersfromBoston,otherwiseitwouldremainasifitweredozingwithnerscare,whichthistowohopeforafterall.

    ButparticipatingionMarathonforthelasttwoyearsbroughtmetothissmallstartingtownandgavemethecetoob