Martin Abeshaus

Yes. I am still here. Yes. I do have more to the story. Yes. I have had Active Rain-ites pounding on my door demanding that this long, drawn out, never ending, 26.2 mile story actually come to some conclusion! Tough! Too bad!! Although.... I will move the story along and hope I haven't lost everyone!

First, lets have a quick summary.

- I don't like to run
- I momentarily lost my mind and with just three months before the race, I got myself entered as charity in the Boston Marathon
- I was striving to hit $1000 in donations per mile that I complete
- I pushed my training too hard trying to ramp up in just three months. With just a few weeks before the race, both knees hurt to the point that I could no longer run.
- I did no training the last two weeks before the race except to eat well and stretch.

So to move the story along and to try and maintain the AR friends that haven't sent me evil letters, I'm going to jump up to race day. From here on out, the story is an attempt to give us non-marathon runners an idea as to what it's like to participate in the Boston Marathon.

I was picked up at my house by Super Dave at 6:30 AM and we head into Boston. The town feels like a ghost town as there are parking spots available everywhere since its early and its a Massachusetts holiday. Dave parked in one of the available spots and since its a holiday, there is no need to pump in the quarters. His plan is to just hop in his car at the end of the race and drive home. Someone will have to pick me up as I don't know when (if ever) I finish.

We met three of Dave's friends on Tremont street. There are about 30 school buses lined up which will ship the runners out to Hopkinton. It's an amazing thing to watch. Hundreds of runners pile into the buses, the buses pull out and are replace by 30 more buses. Quite a production line.

As we're driving out of Boston and hop onto the Massachusetts turnpike, it hits you... wow... this is pretty far. The bus I was on was filled with runners of all shapes, ages, sizes and experience. Some are listening to Ipods, some are napping, one, attempting this also for the first time, had plan written down and she was going through it. At mile one, a Gatorade. At mile two a water. At mile three a Gatorade. Etc. A bit too organized for me.

After 45 minutes, we arrive in Hopkinton, Massachusetts where the athletes village is set up. We found a spot in the village where we opened up a blanket and drop our stuff. What a great place to people watch. Just behind us were two twins from California, about 40+ years old and totally decked out in pink with pink fluffy boas and tiaras. There are alot of people napping, reading, drinking coffee, chatting with friends and eating breakfast. There was a stage set up which had performers singing through the morning!

The village also had an area for coffee, bagels, water and gatorade, all free. I brought my breakfast/lunch with me which consisted of two bagels, two bananas, a power bar and eight mini bottles of water.... the breakfast of champions? I space out my meal as I hate running on a full stomach. I also managed to get in a 30 minute nap. Dave's friends couldn't believe how relaxed I was. Actually, even with my knees in questions, I don't think that I was nervous or scared at any point before or after the race. It was all to exciting. THIS was the athlete's village for the Boston Marathon!

Stay tuned for Boston Marathon - What Was I Thinking (Part Fifteen)

What Was I Thinking (Part one): In the Beginning
What Was I Thinking (Part two): Goodbye Reality
What Was I Thinking (Part three): The Point of No Return
What Was I Thinking (Part four): Super Dave
What Was I Thinking (Part five): My Follow Through
What Was I Thinking (Part six): The Rise of Marathon Martin
What Was I Thinking (Part Seven): Doctor, Doctor.... Give Me The News
What Was I Thinking (Part Eight): Train, Train, Train
What Was I Thinking (Part Nine): Show Me The Money
What Was I Thinking (Boston Marathon Part Ten): Double Trouble
What Was I Thinking (Boston Marathon Part Eleven): I Must Recap
What Was I Thinking (Boston Marathon Part Twelve): The End of the Road?
What Was I Thinking (Boston Marathon Part Thirteen): Could this be the End!?

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Staying in Boston? Try the Inn at Longwood in the Longwood area of Boston. This Boston Best Western Hotel is conveniently located near many Boston attractions.

It happened about a year ago. My largest web site optimization client brought out the broom and decided to consolidate their SEO efforts. I was one of about four companies that they used and they only wanted to deal with one. The others were going to get swept aside. Besides consolidating, they were also going to expand their efforts. They were going to add many more of their hotels (they were a large luxury chain) and they were going to need an international presence.

To say the least, I was stressed. I had a feeling that things were going to get messy. (This was about the time I took Frumble for a walk... Thank you Mr. Frumble). I spent long nights working on a proposal. I worried and I got concerned about what to do and what would happen. Would we be one of the companies to get flushed away like dirty mop water?

Then we had a tragic event and I realized that the stress was preoccupying my thoughts completely. I was neglecting myself and my family and no good could come from it. I needed to clean up the mess that was in my head.

I realized that I had to take control and not just sit back and let things happen TO me but to make them happen FOR me. I needed to grab the mop handle and get working. I searched through the trash can of my mind and found my positive attitude. I worked at a solution rather than dwelling on the muck. I may get the client back... I may not get the client back... but I had to be prepared either way. I decided to clean the slate and go shopping and after a few months of research and searching, I made a purchase.

The same month that my client informed me that they would be going with a more International and larger firm, I closed on my commercial cleaning company!

Burlington, Massachusetts will give your children a quality public education. Our school systemis comprised of four elementary schools (K-5), Marshall Simonds Middle School and Burlington High School. The schools offer a wide curriculum coordinated through the new Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction.

Within the past few years, the Burlington Education Foundation (BEF) was formed as a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote community involvement in education by channeling donations from businesses and individuals to provide Burlington teachers with an alternative source of funding for curriculum enrichment programs. There is a great connection between our schools and our community with the BEF hosting some great fund-raisers including "Exercise for Education" and the annual adult spelling bee.

Burlington, MA Elementary Schools:

Fox Hill Elementary School:
(781) 270-1791
2006 Enrollment - 510
Students Per Teacher - 13
MCAS Statewide Ranking - 336 of 1011

Francis Wyman Elementary School:
(781) 273-7047
2006 Enrollment - 566
Students Per Teacher - 13
MCAS Statewide Ranking - 461 of 1011

Pine Glen Elementary School:
(781) 270-1712
2006 Enrollment - 392
Students Per Teacher - 13
MCAS Statewide Ranking - 614 of 1011

Memorial Elementary School:
(781) 270-1721
2006 Enrollment - 241
Students Per Teacher - 13
MCAS Statewide Ranking - 680 of 1011

Burlington, MA Middle Schools:

Marshall Simond Middle School
(781) 270-1781
2006 Enrollment - 861
Students Per Teacher - 13
MCAS Statewide Ranking - 83 of 308

Burlington, MA High Schools:

Burlington High School
(781) 270-1800
2006 Enrollment - 981
Students Per Teacher - 13
MCAS Statewide Ranking - 43 of 297

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Useful Burlington, MA links:

Burlington, MA Official Page
Burlington, MA Police Dept
Burlington Schools
Burlington, MA stump grinding/tree removal
Bulington Janitorial & Cleaning Service

Burlington, MA is a diverse community and is the epitome of America.... truly a melting pot. There is true tolerance of others here as there as so many different religious sects working together in harmony.

Here is a listing of the religious organizations that represent the many faces of Burlington, Massachusetts.

Burlington Church of Christ, Cambridge St (781 272-6439) - Church of Christ

Church of the Open Bible, Winn & Wyman St (781 272-0090) - Non-Denominational

Fellowship Bible Church, Center St (781 272-2278) - Bible

Grace Baptist Church, Florence Rd (781 750-8911) - Baptist

Heritage Park Baptist Church, Lexington St (781 273-1669) - Baptist

International Church of God, Cambridge St (781 221-8444) - Church of God

Islamic Center of Burlington, Lexington St (781 229-0336) - Muslim

Jehovahs Witnesses - Kingdom Hall, Winn St (781 272-7069) - Jehovahs Witness

Living Word Evangelical Church, Lexington St (781 738-7546) - Evangelical

Mount Hope Christian Center, McGinnis Dr (781 272-1014) - Non-Denominational

New Age Oriental Therapy, Middlesex Turnpike (781 272-3638) - New Age

Pinewood Lutheran Church, Wilmington Rd (781 273-1610) - Lutheran

Presbyterian Church Of Burlington, Cambridge St (781 272-9190) - Presbyterian

St. Malachy's Catholic Church, Bedford St (781 272-5111) - Catholic

St. Margaret's Catholic Church, Winn St (781 272-3111) - Catholic

St. Mark's Episcopal Church, St. Mark's Rd (781 272-1586) - Episcopal

Temple Shalom Emeth, Lexington St (781 272-2351) - Jewish

United Church of Christ Congregational, Lexington St (781 272-4547) - United Church of Christ

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Useful Burlington, MA links:

Burlington, MA Official Page
Burlington, MA Police Dept
Burlington Schools
Burlington, MA stump grinding/tree removal
Burlington, Massachusetts cleaning company

If you're moving to Massachusetts and are looking for a location that has some good places to eat, then Burlington, MA is your town.

Two restaurants in town that really stand out are.....

L'Andana, the newest restaurant in Burlington is located just off of route 128 on Cambridge St. It is a very easy location to get to from anywhere in town as well as neighboring towns. The restaurant is a casual elegant experience in Tuscan dining. The ambiance has been described as 'extremely impressive with a Tuscan barn flair'. The chef/owner, Jamie Mammano, is the same Jamie Mammano that opened Mistral in Boston. (http://www.landanagrill.com/)

Cafe Escadrille, a staple in Burlington for years is a very nice luxury restaurant and function hall with a Boston restaurant feel. If you're looking for a great night out for a romantic meal or you just want somewhere to go for a glass of wine or bandy, Cafe Escadrille fits the bill. From the beautiful dining room to the sitting room with fire place, you'll enjoy your night. (http://www.cafeescadrille.com/)

Some other quality restaurants in Burlington, MA:
The Capital Grille, Wayside Commons
The Cheesecake Factory, Burlington Mall

Asian Cuisine in burlington, MA:
Burlington Jade, Cambridge St (781 272-9913)
Cheng's Wok, Cambridge St (781 272-5885)
Korean Barbecue Restaurant, Cambridge St (781 272-3787)
New Jang Su BBQ, Cambridge St (781 272-3787)
Sushi Masa, Cambridge St (781 272-1290)
Lemon Tree Thai Restaurant, Middlesex Turnpike (781 273-2323)

Restaurants that are 'different'
The Melting Pot (Fondue), Burlington Rd (781 791-0529)
Dandelion Green, Mall Rd (781 273-1616)
Rainforest Cafe, Middlesex Turnpike (781 272-7555)

Pizza in Burlington
Burlington House of Pizza, Cambridge St (781 272-5839)
Captain Pizza, Center St (781 272-0001)
Papa Gino's, Cambridge St (781 273-3020)
Pizzeria Unos, Burlington Mall (781 229-1300)
Regina's Pizza, Burlington Mall (781 270-4212)

Family restaurants in Burlington, MA
Bickford's Grille, Cambridge St (781 272-2262)
Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse, Middlesex Turnpike (781 221-3543)
Chuck E Cheese's, Wall St (781 229-2024)
Chili's Grill and Bar, Middlesex Turnpike (781 273-9303)
Papa Razzi, Wall St (781 229-0100)
Outback Steakhouse, Cambridge St (781 270-9300)
Romano's Macaroni Grill, South Ave (781 273-5180)

Seafood in Burlington, MA
Legal Seafood, Burlington Mall (781 270-9700)
Fish House Restaurant, Cambridge St (781 229-2929)

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Useful Burlington, MA links:

Burlington, MA Official Page
Burlington, MA Police Dept
Burlington Schools
Burlington cleaning company