Maki said that she started to run at the end of January and logged most of her miles on a treadmill at the Wellbridge gym.
“My longest run was 20 miles,” she said. “And I got to watch TV the whole time.”
She added that such a feat would not have been possible at the MAC.
Her other preparations included eating a huge plate of pasta the night before and drinking several quarts of fluids to keep hydrated.
“I actually had to pull over and pee at mile four,” she laughed.
Christpoher J. Catizone ’06 said he also stopped along the way.
“At one point I was dizzy and cold and I stopped sweating and began to find the old women around me attractive, so I pulled over and took a little break,” he said.
After quenching his thirst and eating an Oreo given to him by a young fan, Catizone said he felt rejuvenated.
But Oreos didn’t stack up to the boost he received at mile 13—which runs through scenic Wellesley College—where he described high fives from female fans as “the greatest inspiration of my life.”
And, according to Catizone, the ranks of supporters extended well beyond Wellesley.
“I was surprised that the line of fans was basically unbroken from mile 1 to mile 26,” he said.
Pausing on Newbury Street to snap photos with a group of Harvard students comprising her personal fan club, Maki agreed.
“Crossing the finish line, I saw how the marathon really makes Boston feel like a community,” she said.
But as Catizone approached the end of the course, things weren’t quite as clear.
”You turn the corner and see the finish line way off in the distance and you think you’re almost there,” he said. “But it was like a mirage that just wouldn’t get any closer.”
—Staff writer Faryl W. Ury can be reached at ury@fas.harvard.edu.
—Staff writer Wendy D. Widman can be reached at widman@fas.harvard.edu.