LONG ROAD TO BOSTON
The Pursuit of the World’s
Most Coveted Marathon
By Mark Sutcliffe
Great River Media Inc.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mark Sutcliffe is the author of Why I Run: The Remarkable Journey of the Ordinary Runner and Canada’s Magnificent Marathon. As the founder, publisher and back-page columnist of iRun magazine, and the host of its radio show and podcast, Mark has been sharing the stories of ordinary and elite runners for more than a decade.
When he’s not running, Mark is an entrepreneur, broadcaster and writer in his hometown of Ottawa, Canada. He hosts a daily talk show on 1310 NEWS and writes weekly in the Ottawa Citizen, where he was previously executive editor. Mark is a passionate volunteer who has led several community organizations and has raised almost $200,000 with charity runs.
Mark lives in Ottawa with his wife Ginny and their children, Erica, Jack and Kate. Long Road to Boston is his fifth book. The 2015 Boston Marathon was Mark’s twenty-second marathon.
Great River Media, 2016
Copyright © by Mark Sutcliffe
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review.
Published in Canada by Great River Media, Inc. Ottawa in 2016
Published in eBook format by Great River Media
Converted by http://www.eBookIt.com
ISBN: 978-0-9868242-8-9
Long Road to Boston (bound)
ISBN: 978-0-9868242-9-6
Long Road to Boston (electronic book)
Manuscript edited by Kel Pero
Cover illustration: Sarah Lazarovic
Design and production: Tanya Connolly-Holmes
Great River Media
Suite 500 - 250 City Centre Avenue
Ottawa, ON
K1R 6K7
When I run, I wear Mizuno. I wear Mizuno shoes. I wear Mizuno shirts and shorts. I wear Mizuno hats. When it’s cold, I wear a Mizuno Breath Thermo jacket and Mizuno gloves. Whether I’m at the start of the Boston Marathon or on a routine run through my neighbourhood, you won’t see me in any other gear. (Yes, that’s one of my Mizuno shoes on the cover of this book.)
Like the television commercial about tires, it’s important for runners to remember that the only thing that makes contact with the road is your footwear. So if you want to run well and reduce the risk of injuries, there’s nothing more important. Mizuno shoes are unlike any other shoe I have worn. They combine unique Wave technology with unparalleled expertise in producing shoes that fit well and support your running. And their gear is always comfortable and stylish.
But what I like about Mizuno is not just that they make great products, but that they’re into running and they’re into runners. They live and breathe the sport and they engage runners all over North America and listen to their feedback.
Thanks to Mizuno for sponsoring me as a runner and for supporting Long Road to Boston as the lead sponsor. Mizuno has been with me every step of the way for thousands of miles.
For almost as long as there has been a Boston Marathon, Wigwam Mills has been making socks. The company was founded in 1905 in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, and they continue to knit their products there to this day. Unlike so many other manufacturers, they haven’t shipped production overseas, and they are dedicated to working with and supporting domestic suppliers. They are focused on quality, honesty, and integrity, and they genuinely care about their customers.
I wear Wigwam when I run because they make terrific socks. I put in a lot of miles, and I’ve tried many other socks that can’t keep up. They get beat up quickly and show wear and tear almost immediately. Wigwam socks are incredibly durable and extremely comfortable. I’m grateful to Wigwam for their sponsorship of Long Road to Boston.
You won’t be surprised that I use a lot of running analogies when I’m talking about other subjects. Nowhere is that more appropriate than when I recommend the approach of PWL Capital.
I’ve been a PWL Capital client for more than a decade. Investing for the future is a lot like training for a marathon: there are no shortcuts. A lot of people will try to convince you that they have some magical strategy to get great returns on the stock market, but that’s like saying there’s a trick that can get you from the couch to a marathon in just a few days.
Like most things in life, the rewards of both investing and running come from smart, long-term hard work that is supported by evidence. That’s the approach I take to my training, and it’s the proven method PWL Capital uses on behalf of its investing clients. They don’t subscribe to fads or schemes.
Thanks to the folks at PWL Capital in Ottawa for sponsoring Long Road to Boston. Like marathon runners, they’re all about the long run.
There are a lot of people in the running business who try to sell solutions. The people at SoleFit, a pedorthic clinic in Ottawa, always figure out the problem first. I’ve worked with them on a number of occasions, and talked to many other runners who’ve had the same experience.
SoleFit does gait analysis and makes custom orthotics, along with helping clients with knee bracing and other recovery products. But their knowledge goes much deeper than that. They understand biomechanics and technique, and they’re up- to-date on all the latest footwear. And they’re runners, so they understand runners.
SoleFit supports runners by looking at the entire picture. They try to figure out the source of the problem rather than push a quick solution on a client. And they try not just to treat issues, but to prevent them from reoccurring. Thanks to the great people at SoleFit for supporting Long Road to Boston.
THANK YOU!
I’m eternally grateful to the following people who supported Long Road to Boston through a crowdfunding campaign. It’s deeply gratifying to have the backing of a community of kind and generous individuals.
| Beth Agro | Jack Kitts |
| Doug Baum | David Luxton |
| Lynda Bordeleau | Ida Mikhael |
| Jason Brazeau | Alex Munter |
| Catherine Cano | Rick O’Shaughnessy |
| Neale and Allyson Chisnall | Donna Roney |
| David Coletto | Colin Rowe |
| Julie Drury | Marc Roy |
|
|