This was the year of the tail wind! Something like a 17 mph wind at our backs the entire course led me to a sub 3:00 hour marathon and insanely fast elite times. This was a truly amazing experience.

First - the expo is fantastic. Because this is one of the preeminent running events of the year, all of the best vendors show up, and the expo is perfectly organized. It's tempting to walk and walk, looking endlessly at awesome running gear, but the race is the next day so you have to resist and get off your feet!

We bussed out to Hopkinton with the rest of the runners, and hung out at the athlete village for about two hours before the start. Frankly, this isn't my favorite part of Boston, but everyone is so amped to be there, so the atmosphere is pretty cool. Best tip I had - bring a blanket and chair to get you off the ground and stay warm. It's a lot of sitting, so you don't want to burn energy trying to keep warm.

The race start is simply amazing. You have the elite of the elites at the front, and the rest of the field is all lined up in Hopkinton ready to go. Before you know it, you're about 10 miles into the course on a steady downhill pitch the whole way.

Wellesley college is probably my favorite part of the race. This all-girls college turns out like mad, right about the halfway part of the course, and they get LOUD. Loud in a way I've only seen at Boston. You really have to be disciplined at this part, because their energy can really pump you up and make you run faster than you should.

Heartbreak hill is legit, and very tough. It's not alone either, with many hills peppering the last 6 miles or so. The finish line, when you finally make it through the hills, is gorgeous. I really extended myself to try and break three hours, so I also got to visit the med tent immediately afterward.

The med tent at Boston is a truly amazing operation. They have a conductor at the front calling out bed availability, medical requirements like insulin, and everything else you can imagine. After the tragedy of 2013, I was happy to know that there was a serious medical command center set up right next to the bombings.

I was in the med tent for about an hour, and was all good after that. Can't speak highly enough about the Boston Marathon, and the race management is simply as good as it gets. I know I don't have to do much convincing, but I highly recommend this race. The effort it takes to get here is WELL worth it!