Six months can be a long time for some. It can feel like time is moving ever so slowly out at sea, with very little breeze to pick up your sails. But yet, six months can also be a blur. Everything happening so quickly, you can’t hit the pause button for a second. I remember feeling a mixture of those two when I got up on Marathon Monday. Walking down the hallway of my dorm to the shower, I felt this surge of a calm excitement I suppose I can call it. I wasn’t jumpy. I wasn’t anxious. I just, I just felt ready for the day.
Throughout the months of training, there would be times when I would run early in the winter mornings with my brothers and our friends on Castle Island in South Boston. It may have been freezing during some of the runs, but I always felt the harbor air brought this feeling of coolness and relaxation when I was running. To just run my way and not try to match the speed of the others (even though sometimes I tried to because of the competitor in me). Similar to what my friend Chapin, who was also running the marathon in honor of Pat, said to me one morning. “Bren, just run your race. Not anyone else’s. Just run your race.”
When I left my dorm to walk to the buses that brought all of us to Hopkinton, I walked by the finish line. The stands all built up for people and photographers. The LED boards up above saying “Welcome to the 123rd Boston Marathon”. I tried not to imagine the moment of crossing the finish line. I wasn’t there yet. Instead, my mind was staying in the moment, and that moment was to get to the buses before the rain started.
As the time to start the marathon got closer and closer, I did some final stretching before the race with my friend Charlie. We were stretching on the side of the road when he asked me, “You ready?” I nodded in response, and a flood of memories entered my mind. Pat and Amanda’s wedding. The night when Pat got diagnosed. The chemo days Pat went through. The TV interviews we all did. The times when all of it took a lot out of my family. But then I remembered to look down, at my left hand. On it I wrote two names. Pat. My brother, best friend, hero in life, the one person I strive to be like. And Ryan.
Ryan is a great friend of mine and one of the best people on this planet. I consider myself very much lucky and fortunate to call him a friend and a brother for almost 15 years now. To be honest with you all, Ryan has also been an inspiration and pillar of strength and positivity for me. When Ryan lost his father unexpectedly in September, through all of that he has somehow still been who he always been. A positive, fun loving, and funniest human being on this planet and one of the best people on this earth. The strength and attitude Ryan has carried inspired me to remember the powerful moments in life that inspired me. From Pat’s fight to Ryan’s attitude to my Dad’s cancer fight, you name it.
When it was time to go, I zoned out and just ran. To me, there was nothing out there except me and the road. That it was just another run to me and nothing more. No matter what the weather was like which on that day, changed many times. From rain to sun to humidity to cloudy to raining to back to sunny, it was quite the day weather wise.
People have asked what my favorite part and my least favorite of the marathon was. For me, running through Wellesley and seeing my family and the scream tunnel was quite surreal. I definitely felt this huge wave of energy as I heard the cheering get louder and louder. The sight of my family cheering me on and my Aunt Col running up to me to give me my gatorade chews (Thanks again Auntie!). I’m sure others would say getting onto Boylston and crossing the finish line would be the top moment but I will get to that soon.
To be honest, I didn’t have a least favorite part per say. However, Heartbreak Hill definitely took a lot of me. Those hills are no joke, and there were times when I had to slow my pace down. However, a favorite moment of mine happened after Heartbreak when I saw my Godmother. She gave me one of the biggest hugs you could give and asked if I was alright. I said yes and she told me to keep on going and that’s what I did. I kept going.
Once I got into the city, everything looked all so familiar. My dorm was nearby, T stops I know started appearing. It then hit me, Wait, I’m in Boston. And then I saw the Capital Grille while going up Hereford street. The same Capital Grille I walk by every day on my walk to classes. And next thing I know, I see my friends jumping up and down, screaming like mad men. After that, I blacked out. I don’t remember the final stretch. I don’t remember crossing the finish line. My next memory is a volunteer coming up to me and saying “Brendan, you have family waiting for you back at the finish line.” I looked around and realized I was on Clarendon street which was way past the finish line. And it hit me right then and there, I finished.
The day after the marathon I watched one of my all time favorite movies, Gladiator, a movie about a renowned Roman general who is betrayed and finds himself becoming a gladiator in Ancient Rome. Early on in the movie, the general, Maximus, played by Russell Crowe, says the line of “What we do in life, echoes in eternity.” That line has stayed with me during this last month. Everything that my family and friends have done, raising over $50,000 in total for cancer research and helping cancer patients. Following the lead of Pat and Amanda, the ones who have inspired us to do more and take action. To help make the world better for all of us by doing whatever we have to do to reach that day where cancer doesn’t impact anymore lives. What we all did this last half year, will echo for the rest of our lives.
Many people have told me that I am in their words, a “hero” and “inspiration” to them. That what I have done has been remarkable. Though I appreciate the kind words, it is not what I have done. It is what WE have done. I didn’t run 26.2 miles by myself. I ran it with all of those who have been a part of Team Panda Power. Running a marathon, raising thousands of dollars, you name it, is not a solo mission. It is a mission that requires a team. And I am forever thankful for being part of a team of amazing individuals. Along with that, I am very fortunate to have met certain people during this time. From Susan Hurley of Charity Teams who helped me get a spot in the marathon and being so helpful and kind and supportive. To the people at the Cam Neely Foundation for believing in a college kid with no long distance running experience to run for their team. Friends and family who have been there for us every step of the way, good and bad. To most importantly, Panda, the two people that are OUR heroes. We are one step closer to a cure today because of you two setting the example for all of us. And we are not done yet. We still have more work to do. More steps to take. More goals to accomplish. And we will accomplish them. Because in the end, Pray. Hope. Don’t Worry. Thank you all -Brendan
Throughout the months of training, there would be times when I would run early in the winter mornings with my brothers and our friends on Castle Island in South Boston. It may have been freezing during some of the runs, but I always felt the harbor air brought this feeling of coolness and relaxation when I was running. To just run my way and not try to match the speed of the others (even though sometimes I tried to because of the competitor in me). Similar to what my friend Chapin, who was also running the marathon in honor of Pat, said to me one morning. “Bren, just run your race. Not anyone else’s. Just run your race.”
When I left my dorm to walk to the buses that brought all of us to Hopkinton, I walked by the finish line. The stands all built up for people and photographers. The LED boards up above saying “Welcome to the 123rd Boston Marathon”. I tried not to imagine the moment of crossing the finish line. I wasn’t there yet. Instead, my mind was staying in the moment, and that moment was to get to the buses before the rain started.
As the time to start the marathon got closer and closer, I did some final stretching before the race with my friend Charlie. We were stretching on the side of the road when he asked me, “You ready?” I nodded in response, and a flood of memories entered my mind. Pat and Amanda’s wedding. The night when Pat got diagnosed. The chemo days Pat went through. The TV interviews we all did. The times when all of it took a lot out of my family. But then I remembered to look down, at my left hand. On it I wrote two names. Pat. My brother, best friend, hero in life, the one person I strive to be like. And Ryan.
Ryan is a great friend of mine and one of the best people on this planet. I consider myself very much lucky and fortunate to call him a friend and a brother for almost 15 years now. To be honest with you all, Ryan has also been an inspiration and pillar of strength and positivity for me. When Ryan lost his father unexpectedly in September, through all of that he has somehow still been who he always been. A positive, fun loving, and funniest human being on this planet and one of the best people on this earth. The strength and attitude Ryan has carried inspired me to remember the powerful moments in life that inspired me. From Pat’s fight to Ryan’s attitude to my Dad’s cancer fight, you name it.
When it was time to go, I zoned out and just ran. To me, there was nothing out there except me and the road. That it was just another run to me and nothing more. No matter what the weather was like which on that day, changed many times. From rain to sun to humidity to cloudy to raining to back to sunny, it was quite the day weather wise.
People have asked what my favorite part and my least favorite of the marathon was. For me, running through Wellesley and seeing my family and the scream tunnel was quite surreal. I definitely felt this huge wave of energy as I heard the cheering get louder and louder. The sight of my family cheering me on and my Aunt Col running up to me to give me my gatorade chews (Thanks again Auntie!). I’m sure others would say getting onto Boylston and crossing the finish line would be the top moment but I will get to that soon.
To be honest, I didn’t have a least favorite part per say. However, Heartbreak Hill definitely took a lot of me. Those hills are no joke, and there were times when I had to slow my pace down. However, a favorite moment of mine happened after Heartbreak when I saw my Godmother. She gave me one of the biggest hugs you could give and asked if I was alright. I said yes and she told me to keep on going and that’s what I did. I kept going.
Once I got into the city, everything looked all so familiar. My dorm was nearby, T stops I know started appearing. It then hit me, Wait, I’m in Boston. And then I saw the Capital Grille while going up Hereford street. The same Capital Grille I walk by every day on my walk to classes. And next thing I know, I see my friends jumping up and down, screaming like mad men. After that, I blacked out. I don’t remember the final stretch. I don’t remember crossing the finish line. My next memory is a volunteer coming up to me and saying “Brendan, you have family waiting for you back at the finish line.” I looked around and realized I was on Clarendon street which was way past the finish line. And it hit me right then and there, I finished.
The day after the marathon I watched one of my all time favorite movies, Gladiator, a movie about a renowned Roman general who is betrayed and finds himself becoming a gladiator in Ancient Rome. Early on in the movie, the general, Maximus, played by Russell Crowe, says the line of “What we do in life, echoes in eternity.” That line has stayed with me during this last month. Everything that my family and friends have done, raising over $50,000 in total for cancer research and helping cancer patients. Following the lead of Pat and Amanda, the ones who have inspired us to do more and take action. To help make the world better for all of us by doing whatever we have to do to reach that day where cancer doesn’t impact anymore lives. What we all did this last half year, will echo for the rest of our lives.
Many people have told me that I am in their words, a “hero” and “inspiration” to them. That what I have done has been remarkable. Though I appreciate the kind words, it is not what I have done. It is what WE have done. I didn’t run 26.2 miles by myself. I ran it with all of those who have been a part of Team Panda Power. Running a marathon, raising thousands of dollars, you name it, is not a solo mission. It is a mission that requires a team. And I am forever thankful for being part of a team of amazing individuals. Along with that, I am very fortunate to have met certain people during this time. From Susan Hurley of Charity Teams who helped me get a spot in the marathon and being so helpful and kind and supportive. To the people at the Cam Neely Foundation for believing in a college kid with no long distance running experience to run for their team. Friends and family who have been there for us every step of the way, good and bad. To most importantly, Panda, the two people that are OUR heroes. We are one step closer to a cure today because of you two setting the example for all of us. And we are not done yet. We still have more work to do. More steps to take. More goals to accomplish. And we will accomplish them. Because in the end, Pray. Hope. Don’t Worry. Thank you all -Brendan