Boston Marathon Report: Jeremy Bush and Matt Grannis
Jeremy Bush and Matt Grannis completed their extraordinary weekend journey, finishing today's Boston Marathon after having run the Chicago Marathon on Sunday. You can read their report below, but it's best to click on the video above to see and hear them talk about it:
Jeremy Bush
Residence
Winston-Salem
Age
41
Finishing time
3:19:06
How he qualified
Myrtle Beach Marathon, May 2021, 2:48:21
Boston experience
First Boston Marathon
Marathon experience
Ninth marathon
Matt Grannis
Residence
Winston-Salem
Age
43
Finishing time
2:59:23
How he qualified
Myrtle Beach Marathon, May 2021, 2:48:21
Boston experience
Fifth Boston Marathon
Marathon experience
19th marathon
How it went
Bush: Today was a good day. It was a fun day. It was my first time, so it was a really special day. We went out with a plan. About 16 miles in, the plan went away for me, and I was OK with that. I just enjoyed the course for the last 10 miles; it was a bit of a struggle, but it was Boston, so it was worth finishing. The crowd gave so much support. It was just a special day, no regrets, prepared well, was ready to go, everything went according to plan, and some days you just don't have it. Today was one of those days for me, but it was an experience of a lifetime. Don't regret anything."
Grannis: "It was just a beautiful day. It's great to be back here in Boston. The crowd support really pulled me through the last five miles or so. It was tough after we got through the hills. But somehow it just felt good to go a little bit faster after I got through the hills. I don't know where it came from, but it was there and I was able to finish with a very respectful time and I'm thrilled with the experience."
The key for a second sub-3 for Grannis
Grannis: "It was really tough starting today. That was kind of key, I think, early is to just go there and just grind out those early miles and try to put ourselves in that position and Jeremy did as well. I don't know really where that came from, but after the hills I saw had a chance to get below three and just did it."
Those Boston Marathon moments
Bush: "I've been a student of running for a while, been a student of the marathon. This being my first, I didn't realize how much the city gets behind it, how much even when you're wearing the gear, when we were on the plane, we were in the city, before and after, how much everybody wishes you congratulations, how excited the city is for you. The city is just super supportive and the crowds came out. Probably the moment I realized this is the Boston Marathon really wasn't even the start – I mean that was cool. But I would say when I got about a half mile from Wellesley College, which is about halfway, I could hear the screen tunnel everybody talks about. I'm like, 'This is for real.' I can hear this crowd screaming a half a mile away. And then we get to Wellesley, and you couldn't hear yourself think, it was so loud through there. How can they make this much sustained noise? But they did. So it was really special. I would say probably the best moment was the right on Hereford, left on Boylston, when you make that left on Boylston, you can see the finish line in the distance and you know 'this is what I put all the work in for, this is what I've trained so hard for, this is what the early mornings are for, this is what the blood, sweat and tears have been all about. And just relishing that moment of coming down Boylston, the crowds are loud, they're pointing, they're yelling, super supportive. And it's just a special moment to be able to come down Boylston and cross that line and just feel that magic that is Boston."
Grannis: “Heartbreak Hill was tough, and there's always strong support going up it. And then after that, the crowds just continued to swell, and they just pull you into Boston.”
What they learned about themselves through back-to-back marathon majors
Bush: "I learned that I can push myself farther than I thought possible. Maybe some people thought I'll be disappointed if I didn't get the goals that I've talked about all along, which is two sub-threes in a row. But I just felt so much gratitude today. I was thankful that that's where my heart went, gratitude, to be able to do this, to be able to have no regrets, to be able to put myself in position through 16 miles to do what I wanted to do. And things didn't work out after that. But it was super, super fulfilling. Just to be able to spend time with friends, with acquaintances, to be able to be on the course with other runners. Just understanding the experience of doing your best and the experience of just relishing it, taking it all in, is just super, super special. And I wouldn't trade anything that happened today or this weekend for anything. And I'm glad that I can sit here thankful, grateful, joyful and happy about the way everything went."
Grannis: "I'm so grateful, for one, that we're healthy and able to do this and that we can resume races once again, in a reasonable way. Just to get back to Boston in these events, it's awesome. And to also feel the support of family and friends. Like Jeremy said, hooking up with friends has been great. And just to know that people back home are cheering for you is awesome, too.”
Would they do this again?
Bush: “Maybe not the back-to-back.”
Grannis: “I don’t think so.”
Bush: “If the opportunity presented itself, we probably would. But the opportunity is probably not going to present itself again. We went in knowing this was a once-in-a-lifetime thing. It was difficult physically and mentally, but it was so much fun.”
What Bush will do before the New York City Marathon on Nov. 7
Bush: "I'm going to take a few days off, obviously, get my body recovered, probably take at least this week and next week easy. May do something here in a couple of weeks to just get my legs moving again. I'm just ready to go to New York with the fitness I already have in the bank and see what happens."